1232SA26Q0778 - Combination Synopsis-Solicitation for Mercury Analyzer USDA ARS NEA Beltsville MD

This solicitation, issued as a combined synopsis and request for quotation under FAR Part 12, seeks a single mercury analyzer on a brand name or equal basis for the USDA Agricultural Research Service in Beltsville, Maryland. The acquisition is a Total Small Business Set-Aside under NAICS code 334516, with a small business size standard of 1,000 employees, and is restricted to responsible small business concerns. The equipment must meet stringent technical requirements, including a detection limit of 0.001 ng for mercury across soil, water, and plant tissue samples, and must be delivered within 120 days of purchase order receipt at the specified delivery address. The solicitation follows a Low Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) evaluation approach, where only the lowest-priced offer that is technically acceptable and has acceptable or neutral past performance will be selected. Technical acceptability is binary and disqualifies any proposal that fails to clearly demonstrate equivalence to the referenced brand-name product, provide adequate descriptive literature, or meet delivery timelines. Past performance is assessed on quality, timeliness, cost control, and business relations, but price remains the decisive factor after technical and performance thresholds are met. Delivery is F.O.B. destination, with inspection and acceptance occurring at the delivery site, and payment will be processed electronically via the System for Award Management. Contractors must comply with a broad array of FAR clauses covering subcontracting, whistleblower rights, Equal Opportunity, Buy American, trafficking in persons, and cybersecurity safeguards. In addition, special contract requirements impose strict limitations on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policies, prohibit unauthorized supplier terms such as indemnification or automatic renewals, ban the use of government data for commercial or AI training purposes, and require certification that no material terms are violated. Noncompliance with DEI or data-use provisions may result in termination, forfeiture of payments, or liability under the False Claims Act. Offerors must submit responses via email to the designated point of contact by July 8, 2026, using Standard Form 1449, with supporting documentation demonstrating compliance, and must be registered in the System for Award Management. No contract value is provided as pricing details have not been filled in, and no Contracting Officer’s Representative or accounting data has been populated in the solicitation.