SOLE SOURCE: AGR-EP-Gas Chromatograph with Triple Quadruple

The Illinois Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Environmental Programs is issuing notice of intent to award a sole-source contract to Agilent Technologies for a Triple Quadrupole Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometer (GC/MS/MS), Bid/Buy No. 26-406AGR-NATRE-B-53090, with a public hearing scheduled July 22, 2026 at 2:00 PM via WebEx; written comments or hearing requests are due by 4:00 PM July 17.

The department justifies the sole-source award on equipment compatibility grounds: the instrument is required as a redundant system identical to a GC/MS/MS purchased in June 2024 to ensure seamless sample shifting during instrument downtime without re-validating over 100 established pesticide methods. The GC/MS/MS performs pesticide residue analysis from groundwater samples under regulatory investigations conducted under the Illinois Pesticide Act and a performance partnership grant with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under FIFRA.

Specifications include a multimode inlet with liquid nitrogen or air cooling, helium conservation and backflushing modules, autoinjector with 16-sample turret, 150-vial sample tray, NIST MS Library Bundle with over 350,000 EI spectra, GC Methods/Retention Indices library with 139,000 compounds, and proprietary MassHunter software suite, with on-site installation and training. The estimated contract value is $300,000 as a one-time purchase with a term beginning July 15, 2026 and ending July 14, 2027. The department notes that comparable top-tier systems are priced between $250,000 and $500,000, and that competitive bidding would increase total costs by $20,000–$45,000 due to method validation and staff training expenses plus duplicated maintenance-parts inventory. Future obligations include annual maintenance contracts with Agilent for software updates, phone support, genuine parts, and service by Agilent-qualified engineers. Funding is provided through state appropriated funds. Hearing contact: Chief Procurement Officer Dianne Richman, Dianne.Richman@illinois.gov, 217-622-1857.