Cytation 9 multimode reader or equal instrument

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, through the Office of Acquisition and Grant Services within the Department of Health and Human Services, is soliciting a new Cytation 9 multimode plate reader or an equivalent instrument to replace an end-of-life Cytation 3 unit for use in the Laboratory of Mucosal Pathogens and Cellular Immunology in Silver Spring, Maryland. The instrument must support UV-Vis absorbance, fluorescence, and luminescence detection using variable bandwidth monochromators with specific performance parameters including an absorbance range of 230–999 nm, fluorescence excitation/emission of 250–700 nm in 1 nm increments, luminescence detection from 300–700 nm, and microvolume nucleic acid quantification at 2 µL. It must read plates from 6- to 384-well formats, perform endpoint and kinetic assays with orbital and double orbital shaking, control temperature up to 65°C with four-zone incubation and condensation control, and include a reagent injector capable of dispensing 5–1000 µL of at least two reagents in 1 µL increments. The system must be compatible with Gen5 software, operate on a 24 VDC power supply compatible with 100–240 VAC, and be upgradeable for automated timelapse imaging with at least 60X magnification and z-projection processing. All components must be newly manufactured, not refurbished or previously used for demonstration. The procurement follows a commercial item firm fixed price structure under FAR 52.212-4 with deviations applied to multiple clauses, including subcontracting, whistleblower rights, trafficking in persons, equal opportunity, DEI discrimination, sustainable products, Buy American Act, tax on foreign procurements, payment by electronic funds transfer, protest after award, and security prohibitions. Awards will be made using the lowest priced technically acceptable (LPTA) method, where technical acceptability serves as a mandatory pass/fail gate based on strict adherence to performance specifications, submitted documentation including technical data, brochures, and scientific literature, and clear identification of any “equal” product with its brand and model. Submission is required by email to Nick Sartain by June 18, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. Central Time, and must include the SAM Unique Entity ID, Section 508 compliance