An Ultrahigh Performance Liquid Chromatograph

NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) has a requirement for the procurement of an ultrahigh performance liquid chromatograph coupled to a fluorescence detector and an ultrahigh resolution orbitrap mass spectrometer (UHPLC/FD-UHRMS). NASA/GSFC intends to issue a sole-source Request for Proposal (RFP) to Thermo Scientific. The estimated period of performance of this Firm Fixed Price (FFP) contract will be for 3 years from Date of award. Thermo Scientific is the only organization currently qualified to perform the subject requirement for the following reasons: The equipment required is an ultrahigh performance liquid chromatograph coupled to a fluorescence detector and an Orbitrap ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometer. The entire piece of equipment is composed of 3 main components: 1) an ultrahigh performance liquid chromatograph, 2) a fluorescence detector, and 3) an Orbitrap ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometer. The equipment in its entirety and the 3 main components are essential and is manufactured by Thermo Scientific. The aforementioned ultrahigh performance liquid chromatograph sold by Thermo Scientific is capable of tolerating the largest experimental pressure (22,000 psi) on the market, and this large pressure tolerance is required for the laboratory experiments that will be conducted using this equipment. Additionally, the aforementioned fluorescence detector manufactured by Thermo Scientific incorporates the use of a flow cell with smaller dimensions (i.e., 0.13 mm diameter and 2 - L mixing volume) than those offered by other vendors (e.g., Waters Corporation sells a much larger flow cell with a 10 mm diameter and a 2 mL mixing volume), based on market research of comparable products. These smaller dimensions in the Thermo Scientific fluorescence detector flow cell, directly lead to enhanced analytical precision and accuracy, which are required for the experiments that the equipment will be used for. The aforementioned Orbitrap ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometer includes 2 sub-components that are only manufactured by Thermo Scientific: A) the Orbitrap mass analyzer, and B) a patented technology known as Automatic Gain Control (AGC). These two sub-components of the Orbitrap ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometer are exclusively manufactured by Thermo Scientific, and help to provide an industry-leading combination of mass accuracy and analytical sensitivity of the mass spectrometer, which are required for the analytical experiments that will be performed using the equipment. The Thermo Scientific instrument suite, including its required installation and service support, can only be purchased directly from Thermo Scientific, and is not available from any other source. Statutory authority for this procurement is 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1)--Only One Responsible Source. However, organizations who believe they can provide these services without any detrimental impact to the program schedule supported by this work should fully identify their interest and capabilities within 15 days after publication of this synopsis. Interested organizations may submit their capabilities and qualifications to perform the effort in writing to the identified point of contact not later than 4:30 p.m. EST on April 24, 2020. Such capabilities/qualifications will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this procurement on a competitive basis. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed effort on a full and open competition basis, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the government. All responsible sources may submit an offer which shall be considered by the agency. The Government does not intend to acquire a commercial item using FAR Part 12. NASA Clause 1852.215-84, Ombudsman, is applicable. The Center Ombudsman for this acquisition can be found at http://prod.nais.nasa.gov/pub/pub_library/Omb.html. Oral Communications are not acceptable in response to this notice.