SX20-LED Stopped Flow System and associated components

The National Institutes of Health National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences is seeking small business capability statements for a SX20-LED Stopped Flow System and associated components, with responses due by September 16, 2026, at 8:00 AM EST. This is a sources-sought notice to assess the market and determine feasibility of a small-business set-aside; responses are not binding bids but may trigger pre-solicitation and solicitation notices on GSA eBuy or SAM.gov.

The system must perform high-sensitivity fluorescence and absorbance measurements on millisecond or faster timescales to support kinetic studies of rapid biochemical reactions. Required capabilities include interchangeable 20 microliter and 5 microliter flow cells, LED-based excitation across a broad wavelength range, rapid mixing and detection at approximately 0.1 milliseconds, and precise temperature control from approximately minus 20 degrees Celsius to 60 degrees Celsius. The instrument will enable research on RNA degradation, multi-protein complex formation, ribosome assembly pathways, enzyme kinetics, and transient reaction intermediates. Work is located at NIEHS facilities supporting the Nucleolar Integrity Group's research on RNA processing and ribosome biogenesis.

This is a one-time supply acquisition structured as a firm-fixed-price contract that includes training and warranty support. NIEHS is actively evaluating capability across all small-business categories—8(a), SDB, WOSB, HUBZone, VOSB, and SDVOSB. Interested vendors must submit capability statements not exceeding seven pages to Luz.Casey@nih.gov, including vendor name and address, business size and type, point of contact, UEI number, and professional qualifications of technical personnel.