Request for Information - Facility and Equipment

The California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) has issued a Request for Information (RFI) seeking qualified contractors to provide facility and equipment access for environmental analysis and research purposes. The primary deliverables include access to a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and an Electron Microprobe Analyzer (EMPA), along with sample preparation equipment and associated operational training. DTSC requires facility accommodations for up to four designated employees to conduct environmental sample analysis, method development, and research to characterize contamination sources and identify responsible parties. Minimum qualifications mandate that the contractor's facility be located within a fifteen-mile radius of DTSC's Pasadena Laboratory at 757 S. Raymond Avenue, Suite 105, Pasadena, California 91105, with availability to provide up to four parking spaces if necessary. The contractor must provide equipment in good working condition, comprehensive training on SEM and EMPA operation and data interpretation, and clean sample preparation areas. Facility access must be available during business hours Monday through Friday between 7:00 AM and 7:00 PM on mutually agreed appointment times, with contractor work taking priority over DTSC activities at the facility. The RFI was posted on February 2, 2026, with a deadline for submitting questions by February 13, 2026, at 3:00 PM PST, and responses due by February 17, 2026, at 3:00 PM PST; all responses should be submitted via email to contracts@dtsc.ca.gov with the subject line referencing "Request for Information - Facility and Equipment Usage."

This RFI contains no specified set-aside designations, restrictions on respondent types, or disadvantaged enterprise requirements based on the available documentation. No incumbent vendors, current contractors, or existing infrastructure integration requirements are identified in the solicitation materials. The RFI explicitly states that it is issued for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a binding solicitation; responses are non-binding, and all respondents bear their own expenses associated with participation. Notably, no specific pricing, set-asides, funding amounts, or contract term details are outlined in the RFI document, indicating this is a preliminary information-gathering phase rather than a formal competitive procurement with established award values or budget parameters.