Uninterruptible Power Supply for an Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry System

Introduction
This is a notice of intent, not a request for a quotation.  A solicitation document will not be issued, and quotations will not be requested.  

Purpose
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) intends to negotiate a firm-fixed priced purchase order on a sole source basis with Shimadzu Scientific Instruments Inc., located at 7102 Riverwood Drive Columbia, Maryland 21046. The purchase order will specifically procure an Uninterruptible Power Supply for an Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry system. The contractor shall completedelivery within 12 weeks from date of award.

Authority
This acquisition is being conducted under the authority of FAR Subpart 13.106(b)(1) allowing the Contracting Officer (CO) to solicit from one source. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 335999 - All Other Miscellaneous Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing with a small business size standard of 600 employees.

Description
The Fire Research Division (FRD) at the NIST Engineering Laboratory (EL) provides measurements observed in fire and combustion experiments to enhance the standards and practice of the U.S. firefighting services and other fire-related organizations. Much of the instrumentation in FRD requires fast, high through-put analysis of various samples collected in a wide-range of fire experiments. To ensure limited disruptions to the analysis of metals on particulate matter, via FRD’s Inductively Clouded Plasma Mass Spectrometry System (ICP-MS), an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) capable of continuing the operation of analysis during a power outage event is needed.

Sole Source Determination
The sole source determination is based on the following:

The Fire Research Division seeks a uninterpretable power supply (UPS) for a custom Shimadzu ICP-MS system which includes an ICP-MS and chiller. The ICP-MS system was manufactured by Shimadzu Scientific Instruments for NIST research needs and is proprietary to this company. A UPS is necessary so that NIST may continue research analysis in the event of a power outage, the possibility of which is anticipated.

The customized Shimadzu ICP-MS system owned by NIST will only operate properly when used with a Shimadzu UPS. Use of another UPS brand would create system compatibility problems that would jeopardize system function and continuity of mission-critical research data.  Shimadzu does not authorize resellers of its proprietary equipment. Therefore, only Shimadzu can meet the Government's requirement for a UPS to be used with the existing custom ICP-MS system.

Information for Interested Parties
Interested parties that believe they could satisfy the requirements listed above for NIST may clearly and unambiguously identify their capability to do so in writing by or before the response date for this notice. This notice of intent is not a solicitation.

Any questions regarding this notice must be submitted in writing via email to Collin Randall, Contract Specialist, at Collin.Randall@nist.gov. All responses to this notice of intent must be submitted via email to Collin.Randall@nist.gov so that they are received no later than July 17, 2025, at 10:00 AM, Eastern Time.

Each response should include the following Business Information:

1. Contractor Name, Address,
2. Point of Contact Name, Phone Number, and Email address
3. Contractor SAM Universal Entity Identifier (UEI)
4. Contractor Business Classification (i.e., small business, 8(a), woman owned, hubZone, veteran owned, etc.) as validated in System for Award Management (SAM). All offerors must have an active registration in www.SAM.gov.
5. Capability Statement