Notice of Intent to Single Source to J2 Scientific, LLC

***The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Acquisition & Grants Office (AGO), Western Acquisition Division-Boulder (WAD), OAA Fisheries Office of Management & Budget, intends to negotiate, on a sole source basis, under authority of FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), with J2 Scientific LLC located in Columbia, MO for a Gel Permeation Chromatography cleanup system to be delivered to Northwest Fisheries Science Center, 2725 Montlake Blvd. E., Seattle, 98112.

***The sole source determination is based on NOAA’s requirement that  J2 Scientific LLC is the only vendor that manufactures and distributes this Gel Permeation Chromatography cleanup system. The J2 Scientific GPC system is the only brand name that meets all requirements which are essential for completing work that supports the agency’s mission.The alternative GPC options do not offer all of these features in one system. Until these exact requirements are met, important research and projects that align with NOAA’s mission will be severely hindered. Required Footprint: The J2 Scientific GPC system has a compact footprint which will allow it to fit inside a fume hood in the designated laboratory space. This aspect is critical for personnel safety as recent exposure tests have confirmed that GPC systems can release harmful solvent vapors. The current system is too large and structurally compromised to be moved into a fume hood, so upgrading to a more compact system is crucial. Required Septum-piercing autosampler: The new system must have a probe that is capable of puncturing the septa of collection tube lids so that samples can remain capped for the duration of run. This is critical for preventing extract evaporation. It will not only help reduce methylene chloride vapor emissions, but also enable analysts to run samples overnight, greatly increasing the efficiency of the extraction procedure. The current system lacks this feature, costing an entire extra day during the extraction process. Required Automated SPE integration: The GPC system must have integrated automatic SPE functionality that is capable of traditional SPE (on SPE cartridges), sequential elutions, and flash chromatography. It will provide the necessary flexibility for further protocol improvement that will significantly reduce needed methylene chloride volume. This will also significantly cut down manual labor and solvent handling, saving hours of time and further mitigating solvent exposure. This multi-functioned system also significantly reduces the required fume hood space. Adding this feature to the existing outdated GPC system is not an option, but it will soon be a necessity due to the need for updating protocols to fulfill the methylene chloride reduction demands. Required Detector: The new GPC system must include the option to upgrade from a standard 254nm UV detector to a more sensitive UV-vis detector. This offers greater flexibility and broader application potential due to its ability to monitor absorbance across a wide range of wavelengths, from 195 to 800 nm, rather than a single wavelength. This is important for sensitivity and versatility, allowing the system to support multiple analyses, future method development, and the evolving needs of the ECP. The Northwest Fisheries Science Center’s Environmental Chemistry Program’s (ECP) has confirmed that only the J2 Scientific GPC system will be compatible with all existing J2 GPC systems and equipment. There will also be an added benefit of sharing existing parts, methods, and expertise as the NWFSC already possesses a basic J2 Scientific GPC model.The new system must be integrated seamlessly into the existing extraction protocol, automating processes that would otherwise require days of manual labor. 

Delivery within 90 days from date of award.

 ***This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals and no solicitation package is available. However, firms that believe they can fully meet the government's requirements may submit substantiating documentation in writing to the identified point of contact within 15 days after publication of this synopsis. Such documentation will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this procurement on a competitive basis. A determination by the government not to conduct a competitive procurement, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the government. Oral communications are not acceptable in response to this notice.