Hamilton Microlab STAR

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) is conducting a single-source procurement for the acquisition of a Liquid handling robotic instrument, specifically the Hamilton Microlab STAR, to extract DNA samples and establish DNA profiles for the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), the national DNA database administered by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). FDLE currently owns an antiquated Hamilton Microlab STAR instrument that is over 17 years old and needs to be replaced. The intended procurement will allow FDLE to trade in its existing machine to generate cost savings on the purchase of a new instrument, which is estimated to cost $175,000. FDLE has determined that Hamilton Company is the sole source for this equipment, as it is the only known vendor that can provide the device and process the trade-in of FDLE's existing instrument. The justification for the single-source acquisition is that the Hamilton Microlab STAR has been validated to meet FDLE, CODIS, and FBI standards for DNA extraction, and FDLE requires compatibility with its existing systems and procedures. The procurement will be limited to the jurisdictions of Leon County and Tampa City in the state of Florida.

This procurement is not a request for bid or proposal, but rather a statutorily mandated fifteen-business-day advertisement of FDLE's intended single-source procurement. The opportunity is not open to general competition, as FDLE has determined that Hamilton Company is the sole source capable of providing the required equipment and services. The procurement will not involve any set-aside designations or restrictions on the types of organizations that can respond, as it is a single-source acquisition. The current incumbent vendor is FDLE's existing Hamilton Microlab STAR instrument, which will be traded in as part of the purchase of the new equipment.