Tandem Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectromete

The US Geological Survey (USGS) Office of Acquisitions and Grants is procuring one Agilent 8900 ICP-QQQ tandem inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS/MS) for the Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center in Denver, Colorado. This specialized analytical instrument will be used for laser ablation ICP-MS trace element and isotopic analyses as part of the Mineral Resources Program and Earth MRI initiative, specifically for measuring critical elements and isotopes in minerals and conducting geochronology research. The procurement is being conducted under Federal Acquisition Regulations Part 12 for commercial products and Part 13.1 for simplified procedures, with vendors required to be registered and active in the System for Award Management (SAM). The solicitation requires authentic manufacturer-certified products with warranty and installation details, and vendors must reference the country of origin in their submissions. Awards will be made to the lowest-priced responsive quotation that meets all brand name requirements, with electronic quotations due by July 21, 2025 at 2:30 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time.

This procurement is designated as a Total Small Business Set-Aside under NAICS code 334516 (Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing) with a size standard of 1,000 employees. The brand name justification indicates that the USGS-LTRACE laboratory already owns one Agilent 8900 instrument, and purchasing a matching unit will enable method and parts sharing while potentially reducing long-term operational costs. The new instrument will replace an existing non-functioning ICP-MS and upgrade the laboratory's analytical capabilities for ultra-trace isotope analysis. Market research identified only three quadrupole ICP-MS manufacturers offering the required technology, with the Agilent 8900 being the only option meeting the specific sensitivity and technical requirements for the specialized mineral research applications. The solicitation document does not specify a contract value, but the procurement involves a single high-precision analytical instrument for installation and operation at the Denver facility.