P25-1661 - IFB -Scanning Electron Microscope

The California Department of Food and Agriculture is issuing Invitation for Bid (IFB) P25-1661 for the procurement of a Tescan VEGA LMS SingleVac Tungsten Filament Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and associated equipment to support the Plant Pest Diagnostics Branch's morphological identification work on pest insect and weed seed samples. The procurement includes one complete SEM unit with a motorized retractable annular backscattered electron detector, dedicated USB control panel, spare tungsten filament cathode-Wehnelt unit, two days of on-site training by a Tescan USA Applications Specialist, one credit to the Tescan USA SEM User School in Warrendale, Pennsylvania (valid for one year from installation), and white-glove shipping service with FOB Destination delivery to the Plant Pest Diagnostics Branch at 3294 Meadowview Road, Sacramento, California 95832. The SEM must meet detailed technical specifications including tungsten heated cathode electron source, high vacuum mode operating pressure of 103 Pa or below, magnification capability from 2 to 1,000,000x, 3-nanometer electron beam resolution at 30 keV, motorized five-axis compucentric stage, Essence EDS energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy detector with standardless ZAF-corrected quantification, and control PC options ranging from Intel Core i3 with 16GB RAM to Intel Core i7-6700 with Windows 11 Pro 64-bit operating system. The contract will be awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible bid submitted on a non-taxable basis with all freight, shipping, and handling fees included. Written questions must be submitted by May 12, 2026 at 12:00 PM PT with responses posted via addendum by May 19, 2026, and bids are due by May 26, 2026 at 3:00 PM PT via email to CDFA.Acquisitions@cdfa.ca.gov with a copy to Crystal Dawson at Crystal.Dawson@cdfa.ca.gov.

Certified Small Businesses (SB), Micro Businesses (MB), and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises (DVBE) are eligible to claim preferences of up to five percent and must submit official certification letters with their bids. All bidders must comply with California Civil Rights Laws and the Darfur Contracting Act Certification, and must disclose any use of Generative Artificial Intelligence through the STD 1000 form. Bidders are required to meet Commercially Useful Function (CUF) requirements and provide standard certifications including the Bidder Declaration (GSPD-05-105), Specification Compliance Questionnaire, and recycled content certifications where applicable. No substitutions to the specified equipment are permitted without program approval, and the equipment will not be connected to the state network, with post-award support provided by the vendor or an approved vendor for preventative maintenance and service. The IFB document does not specify a budget range or award value; pricing will be evaluated based on total bid cost for the complete procurement package.