Amended Combined Synopsis Solicitation: Maintenance Services for the Olympus Multiphoton Microscope System

NOTE: Amendment 1 - This Combined Synopsis Solicitation has been amended to correct the descriptions of Line Items 2 and 3 under Section (ii) and in Attachment 1 - SOW.

(i) This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial products or commercial services prepared in accordance with part 12. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation. Offers are being requested and a separate written solicitation will not be issued.

Solicitation number 75N98026Q00044-RFQ is issued as a Request for Quotation (RFQ) for maintenance services for the multiphoton microscope system.

This acquisition is not set-aside for small business concerns. This solicitation incorporates provisions and clauses by reference. The full text of provisions and clauses may be accessed electronically at https://www.acquisition.gov/far-overhaul/far-part-deviation-guide/far-overhaul-part-52. 

The Defense Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS) are not applicable to this requirement.

THIS IS A NON-COMPETITIVE (NOTICE OF INTENT) COMBINED SYNOPSIS SOLICITATION TO AWARD A CONTRACT OR PURCHASE ORDER WITHOUT PROVIDING FOR FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION (INCLUDING BRAND-NAME). 

The Office of Mission Acquisition Solutions (OMAS), Office of Acquisition (OA), on behalf of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), intends to negotiate and award a purchase order without providing for full and open competition (including brand-name) to Evident Scientific MIS, Inc., 48 Woerd Ave, Waltham, Massachusetts 02453, for maintenance services for the multiphoton microscope system..

This acquisition is conducted as non-competitive for a commercial product or commercial service and is conducted pursuant to FAR 12.201-1, Simplified Procedures in accordance with 41 U.S.C. 1901.

Evident Scientific MIS, Inc. (“Evident”) currently provides routine maintenance on MPE-RS two-photon microscopes. Evident the only authorized company that can provide service to the manufacturer’s specification while providing OEM parts for it. Evident does not offer any 3rd party resellers to provide maintenance for their equipment.

(ii) List of line-item number(s) and items, quantities, and units of measure (including option(s), if applicable) for this requirement (as applicable): See Attachment 1 - Statement of Work (SOW).
 

(iii) The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Cancer Institute (NCI), Center for Cancer Research’s (CCR) uses an Olympus multiphoton microscope system for research that focuses on the basic mechanisms that regulate trafficking events in mammalian tissues, with a particular emphasis on membrane remodeling. CCR has pioneered subcellular intravital microscopy to image these processes in live animals under physiological conditions, and to investigate their role during tumor progression, invasion, and metastasis. Subcellular intravital microscopy (IVM), a combination of light microscopy techniques, such as two-photon and confocal microscopy, enables the direct observation of the intracellular process in live animals. This has been complemented with the development of a series of pharmacological, molecular, and genetic tools that have made possible the investigation of membrane trafficking in vivo at a molecular level.

The Contractor shall provide maintenance services for the Olympus multiphoton microscope system for the items listed Section ii above in accordance with Attachment 1 – Statement of Work (SOW).

(iv) The Government anticipates award of a firm fixed-price purchase order for this acquisition, and the anticipated period of performance is: March 6, 2026 through February 28, 2027.

Onsite services shall be performed at the following location:

National Cancer Institute

37 Convent Dr.

Room 2050A

Bethesda, MD 20852
 

(v) The provision at FAR 52.252-1, Solicitation Provisions Incorporated by Reference (Feb 1998), applies to this acquisition. This solicitation incorporates one or more solicitation provisions by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. The offeror is cautioned that the listed provisions may include blocks that must be completed by the offeror and submitted with its quotation or offer. In lieu of submitting the full text of those provisions, the offeror may identify the provision by paragraph identifier and provide the appropriate information with its quotation or offer. Also, the full text of a solicitation provision may be accessed electronically at this address: https://www.acquisition.gov/far-overhaul.

(End of provision)

a. The following FAR provisions are required by FAR 12.2025(a), and incorporated by reference:

• FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Products and Commercial Services.

b. The following FAR provisions are required as applicable to this requirement and incorporated by reference:

• FAR 52.203-18 Prohibition on Contracting with Entities that Require Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements or Statements-Representation (Jan 2017)
• FAR 52.204-7 System for Award Management—Registration (DEVIATION)(RFO Nov 2025)
• FAR 52.222-48, Exemption from Application of the Service Contract Labor Standards to Contracts for Maintenance, Calibration, or Repair of Certain Equipment-Certification (DEVIATION) (RFO Nov 2025)
• FAR 52.240-90 – Security Prohibitions and Exclusions Representations and Certifications (DEVIATION)(RFO Nov 2025)

FAR DEVIATION STATEMENT: System updates may lag policy updates. The System for Award Management (SAM) may continue to require entities to complete representations based on provisions that are not included in this solicitation. Contracting officers will rely on representations from offers based on provisions in the solicitation. Entities are not required to, nor are they able to, update their entity registration to remove these representations in SAM.

(vi) The clause at FAR 52.252-2, Clauses Incorporated by Reference (Feb 1998), applies to this acquisition. This contract incorporates one or more clauses by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. Also, the full text of a clause may be accessed electronically at this address:

https://www.acquisition.gov/far-overhaul.

(End of clause)

a) The following FAR clauses are required by FAR 12.205(b)(1) for all solicitations and incorporated by reference:

• FAR 52.212-4 Terms and Conditions—Commercial Products and Commercial Services (DEVIATION)(Nov 2025)

b) The following FAR clauses are required as applicable to this requirement and incorporated by reference:

• FAR 52.203-17 Contractor Employee Whistleblower Rights (Nov 2023)
• FAR 52.203-19 Prohibition on Requiring Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements or Statements (Jan 2017)
• FAR 52.204-13 System for Award Management—Maintenance (DEVIATION)(Nov 2025)
• FAR 52.209-6 Protecting the Government’s Interest When Subcontracting with Contractors Debarred, Suspended, or Proposed for Debarment (DEVIATION)(Nov 2025)
• FAR 52.209-10 Prohibition on Contracting with Inverted Domestic Corporations (DEVIATION)(RFO Nov 2025)
• FAR 52.222-3 Convict Labor (DEVIATION)(Nov 2025)
• FAR 52.222-50 Combating Trafficking in Persons (DEVIATION)(Nov 2025)
• FAR 52.222-51 Exemption from Application of the Service Contract Labor Standards to Contracts for Maintenance, Calibration, or Repair of Certain Equipment—Requirements (DEVIATION)(Nov 2025)
• FAR 52.226-8 Encouraging Contractor Policies to Ban Text Messaging While Driving (May 2024)
• FAR 52.232-33 Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer – System for Award Management (Oct 2018)
• FAR 52.244-6, Subcontracts for Commercial Products and Commercial Services (DEVIATION)(Nov 2025) 
• FAR 52.233-3 Protest After Award (DEVIATION)(Nov 2025)
• FAR 52.233-4 Applicable Law for Breach of Contract Claim (DEVIATION)(Nov 2025)

c) The following HHSAR clauses are applicable to this requirement and incorporated by reference:

• HHSAR 352.232-71 Electronic Submission of Payment Requests (Feb 2022)

(vii)      The associated NAICS code 811210 and the small business size standard is $34M.    

Responses to this solicitation must include sufficient information to establish the interested parties’ bona-fide capabilities of providing the product or service. The price quote shall include, as applicable, unit price, list price, shipping and handling costs, delivery days after contract award, delivery terms, prompt payment discount terms, F.O.B. Point (Destination or Origin), product or catalog number(s), and product description.

The Government intends to award a firm-fixed-price purchase order to Evident Scientific MIS, Inc., provided the quotation is determined to be acceptable and the price fair and reasonable.

The Government will evaluate the contractor’s quotation to ensure it:

1. Conforms to requirements of this solicitation;
2. Provides manufacturer-authorized service, including OEM parts, software updates, and technical support;
3. Reflects a fair and reasonable price.

Past performance and other relevant information may be considered to support a responsibility determination.

An award will be made if the quotation satisfies the Government’s requirement, the vendor is determined responsible, and the price is fair and reasonable.

A written notice of award or acceptance of an offer, mailed or otherwise furnished to the successful offeror within the time for acceptance specified in the offer, shall result in a binding contract without further action by either party. Before the offer’s specified expiration time, the Government may accept an offer (or part of an offer), whether or not there are negotiations after its receipt, unless a written notice of withdrawal is received before award.

The Unique Entity ID (UEI) from SAM.gov, the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), and the certification of business size must be included in the response. All offerors must have an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) www.sam.gov.

All quotations must be received by 9:00 a.m., Eastern Standard Time, on 06 March 2026, and reference Solicitation Number 75N98026Q00044-RFQ. Responses must be submitted electronically to Nickita Germany, Contract Specialist, at nickita.germany@hhs.gov and Daniel Rich, Contracting Officer, at Daniel.rich@hhs.gov.  

A determination by the Government whether to compete this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will be considered to determine whether to proceed on a non-competitive basis as indicated above, or to conduct a competitive procurement.

This requirement is for the maintenance and repair of specialized equipment. The acquisition may qualify for exemption from the Service Contract Labor Standards statute pursuant to FAR 22.1003-4(c). 

(viii)     List of Attachments

• Attachment 1 – SOW