Ceres Nanosciences Reagents

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment's Lab Service Division, Genomic Surveillance Program, Wastewater Unit is conducting a sole source procurement for Ceres Nanoscience Reagents on behalf of Denver County and Denver City. The procurement specifically targets Ceres Nanotrap Microbiome Particles, proprietary magnetic hydrogel particles designed to capture and concentrate low-abundance microbes—including bacteria, viruses, and fungi—from complex environmental and wastewater samples. These particles reduce sample volumes from 35mL to 200L for downstream workflow processing and testing, serving as critical reagents for wastewater surveillance testing operations. The contract term spans from June 7, 2024 through June 7, 2029, with a modified total estimated value of $3.5 million, an increase from the original $1.5 million estimate due to expanded testing demands, emergency sentinel surveillance activation, and vendor product reformatting that enhances workflow efficiency and contamination prevention. The procurement establishes that Ceres Nanoscience is the sole manufacturer and supplier of these specific microbiome particles compatible with the state's existing verified automated extraction infrastructure and current testing workflows. The justification documentation demonstrates that no competitor products meet the state's workflow requirements, and pricing has been verified as fair and reasonable through comparison to alternative magnetic bead products, with annual cost increases not exceeding 5 percent and unit pricing per microliter remaining stable. The opportunity posting date was May 19, 2026, with a response deadline of May 22, 2026.

This is a non-competitive sole source procurement, meaning there are no open bidding opportunities or set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises or other organizational categories. Ceres Nanoscience is both the incumbent vendor and the exclusive qualified source, with prior fiscal year 2024 payments totaling $46,054 and an existing sole source purchase order valued at $59,140. The vendor holds ISO 3001:2015 lab certification and maintains trained staff in reagent use and application. The procurement requires integration with the state's existing verified automated extraction infrastructure and current testing workflows, establishing strict compatibility requirements that effectively eliminate alternative vendor solutions. No conflict of interest was identified in this procurement process.