Replacement of Shared Metabolic Analyzer with Agil

The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, part of the Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health, is seeking to procure a replacement shared metabolic analyzer, specifically an Agilent Seahorse XF Flex system. This procurement falls under the laboratory equipment and supplies category and involves surgical and medical instrument manufacturing. The solicitation indicates this is a sole source procurement to Agilent Technologies, as evidenced by the sole source justification documentation included in the government files. The opportunity was posted on September 16, 2025, with a tight response deadline of September 19, 2025, providing only three days for interested parties to submit proposals. The procurement appears to be for specialized scientific equipment that will be used for metabolic analysis research purposes within the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute's operations.

This procurement does not utilize any set-aside designations, making it available to all qualified contractors in the open market. However, the presence of sole source justification documentation suggests that Agilent Technologies may be the intended sole contractor due to proprietary technology requirements or compatibility issues with existing systems. The government files include detailed cost estimates, pre-solicitation worksheets, and approval documentation, indicating this is a well-planned procurement with established budget parameters. The inclusion of quote documentation from NIH suggests this replacement analyzer is critical to ongoing research operations and requires immediate procurement to minimize operational disruption. The streamlined acquisition process documentation indicates the government is prioritizing speed of delivery for this essential laboratory equipment replacement.