Fourier transform infrared Spectoscopy

The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) is issuing Competitive Solicitation No. K6623 for the procurement of a compact, automated immunoassay system utilizing Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy technology for microorganism strain typing at the Lake Ketchum CDP jurisdiction. The primary deliverable is one automated immunoassay system capable of processing up to 96 sample spots per run with fully automated analysis completed within approximately 180 minutes, designed to enhance rapid pathogen detection capacity and support high-throughput testing for dairy products, human food, pet food, animal feed, cannabis, farm water, and environmental samples. The system must differentiate microbial strains and subtypes, operate on standard electrical outlets without specialized infrastructure, include dedicated software supporting multiple clustering algorithms with capability to generate results in multiple formats including dendrogram trees, distance matrices, and 2D/3D scatter plots with LIMS compatibility, and be delivered on or before June 29, 2026, with a tentative contract period from June 1 through December 30, 2026. Bidders must meet minimum qualifications including current or pending Statewide Vendor number status with 30-day payment terms, a minimum of ten years of experience in laboratory instrument manufacturing or services, and at least three non-bidder-owned customer references from the preceding 36 months. Evaluation criteria include mandatory pass/fail requirements for on-time delivery by June 30, 2026, scored mandatory criteria worth 100 points covering system requirements, with additional points available for small or veteran-owned business status (10 points), price (25 points), and Executive Order 18-03 compliance (5 points). Questions must be submitted by May 11, 2026, with bids due May 14, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time, apparent successful bidders announced May 15, 2026, and contract awards expected May 18, 2026.

Reserved awards are available exclusively to the highest-scoring responsive and responsible bidder who qualifies as a Washington Small Business or Certified Veteran-Owned Business and did not receive the main award, creating a set-aside opportunity for these designated categories. The solicitation does not identify incumbent vendors or current contractors for this procurement. Bidders must submit all-inclusive pricing with no additional costs beyond the quoted price, and credit card processing fees must be absorbed by the contractor, with bidders required to register in Washington's Electronic Business Solution (WEBS) to receive amendments and award notifications. Required submittals include a Bidder's Certification form establishing compliance with all solicitation requirements and applicable state and federal regulations, a Bid Price form detailing costs for the spectroscopy system, warranty (if offered separately), training services, shipping, maintenance and service agreements, and a Scored Non-Cost Factors documentation. Desirable elements include on-site or virtual training, installation support, and detailed pricing for preventive maintenance contracts, service response times, technical support, and associated lab supplies and reagents. The anticipated contract value is $65,000, excluding sales tax and tariffs, on a fixed-price, deliverable-based purchase order contract with minimal contractor involvement anticipated beyond July 13, 2026, though the contract may be amended at WSDA's discretion.