Preventive Maintenance Service for One Sony MA900 Cell Sorter

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Cancer Institute (NCI), Center for Cancer Research (CCR), plans to procure, on a sole source basis, preventive maintenance service for one Sony MA900 Cell Sorter from:

Sony Biotechnology Inc.
1730 N 1st St. 2Fl
San Jose, CA 95112

The response close date of the notice for this requirement is in accordance with FAR 5.203(b). This acquisition will be processed under FAR Part 12 – Acquisition for Commercial Items and will be made pursuant to the authority in FAR Part 13.106-1 (b)(1) and is exempt from the requirements of FAR Part 6. The North American Industry Classification System code is 811210 and the business size standard is $34.0 million. 

The Center for Immuno-Oncology (CIO) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Cancer Institute (NCI), Center for Cancer Research (CCR), conducts research directed toward developing novel immunotherapies and immunotheapeutic strategies for cancer. The laboratory utilizes a Sony MA900 cell sorter, to investigate a series of immunotherapeutics and immune modulators in ongoing clinical trials. The laboratory requires preventive maintenance services for this heavily used instrument, which became an integral part of the laboratory’s workflow. Timely, efficient and proper maintenance service of this cell sorter is critical for the clinical research projects conducted at CIO to ensure highest peak performance of this heavily used equipment. Sony Biotechnology Inc. is the sole source provider of maintenance services for its instruments.

Due to the sensitive nature of the equipment, it can only be repaired by qualified, OEM-trained technicians. This specialized training is only accessible to Sony Biotechnology staff. Furthermore, only Sony Biotechnology can provide access to genuine, proprietary OEM spare parts which are required to maintain the MA900 cell sorter. The OEM does not license 3rd party technicians, and spare or replacement parts for this instrument can only be obtained from the original manufacturer. Thus, no other vendor has trained personnel to work with this complex system or access to any potential required parts that might need replacing over time.

Lastly, the operating system and software of the MA900 cell sorter are proprietary and can only be serviced by Sony Biotechnology. No other vendors currently provide the required maintenance services for the Sony MA900 cell sorter. This makes Sony Biotechnology the only known source for this requirement. Therefore, Sony Biotechnology, Inc. is the only provider that can meet the Government’s needs at this time.

This notice is not a request for competitive quotations. However, if any interested party, especially a small business, believes it can meet the Government’s needs, it may submit a capability statement, proposal, or quote for the Government to consider. The response and any other information furnished must be in writing and must contain sufficient details to allow NCI to determine if the party can perform the requirement. Responses to this notice shall be submitted via email to Contract Specialist, David Romley, at David.Romley@nih.gov no later than 12:00 P.M. EST on Tuesday, April 2, 2025 (4/2/2025). A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed requirement based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will be considered for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement.The Government reserves the right to use the information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. To receive an award, Contractors must be registered and have valid certification through SAM.GOV. Please reference the notice number 75N91025Q00034 on all correspondence.

***Please reference attached Statement of Work for more details pertaining to the nature of the work to be performed.***