EPX-55555-000 – 96-Well Hand-Held Magnetic Plate Washer and EPX480-20834-901 – MO Immune Monitoring 48Plex, 96 Tests

NOTICE OF INTENT – SOLE SOURCE ACQUISITION

Notice No.: 75N98026Q01254

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) intends to award a Firm-Fixed-Price Purchase Order to Thermo Fisher Scientific for the following products:

• EPX-55555-000 – 96-Well Hand-Held Magnetic Plate Washer
• EPX480-20834-901 – MO Immune Monitoring 48Plex, 96 Tests

The Government intends to solicit from a single source in accordance with FAR 6.302-1, Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements.

DESCRIPTION OF REQUIREMENT

The research project is investigating the effects of sarcoma cancers and autoimmune disease on ovarian function in humans. A principal objective of the research is to determine whether alterations in pro-inflammatory signaling are associated with impaired or altered ovarian function.

The research requires measurement of concentrations of multiple soluble inflammatory markers in biological specimens, including blood and ovarian tissue. The requested ProcartaPlex MO Immune Monitoring 48Plex assay provides simultaneous measurement of 48 soluble immune-related markers using a multiplex bead-based assay platform.

The requirement consists of the following:

1. EPX480-20834-901 – MO Immune Monitoring 48Plex, 96 Tests, for multiplex measurement of the required 48 soluble immune and inflammatory markers; and
2. EPX-55555-000 – 96-Well Hand-Held Magnetic Plate Washer, required to support the magnetic-bead assay processing and washing steps associated with the multiplex assay workflow.

The requested supplies are necessary to complete the laboratory analysis of biological specimens already generated during the research study.

JUSTIFICATION FOR SOLE-SOURCE ACQUISITION

The requested ProcartaPlex assay is required because the research protocol calls for simultaneous measurement of a defined panel of 48 soluble immune and inflammatory markers from the study specimens. The assay provides the required multiplex capability and is configured to permit the research team to evaluate a broad panel of inflammatory biomarkers from limited biological sample volumes.

The research involves specimens obtained from an animal study in which the animals have already been euthanized and the biological specimens have been collected. These specimens represent a finite research resource and cannot readily be recreated without repeating the underlying animal study. Failure to obtain and analyze the available specimens would prevent the investigators from completing the planned biomarker analysis and would materially limit the ability to compare the animal findings with the corresponding human research.

The requested Thermo Fisher products are required to maintain consistency with the assay methodology, reagents, plate format, detection technology, and established laboratory procedures being used for this research. Substitution with a different assay platform would require development, validation, and/or re-optimization of an alternative 48-marker panel and could introduce differences in assay chemistry, sensitivity, specificity, calibration, dynamic range, and reported concentrations.

Such differences could compromise the comparability of results generated from the existing specimens and the ability to relate the experimental findings to the corresponding human research.

The EPX480-20834-901 ProcartaPlex MO Immune Monitoring 48Plex is therefore required to obtain the specified 48-plex biomarker measurements. The EPX-55555-000 96-Well Hand-Held Magnetic Plate Washer is required to support the magnetic-bead washing steps associated with the multiplex assay workflow and to provide consistent processing of the assay plates.

Because the research specimens are limited and cannot readily be replaced, use of a different analytical platform would create a risk that the specimens could be consumed during method development, optimization, or validation without producing data directly comparable to the required assay results.

The Government is seeking sources capable of providing the exact required products and satisfying all of the Government's technical requirements. Based on the requiring activity's technical assessment, the requested Thermo Fisher products are believed to be the only supplies that satisfy the Government's specific research requirements without requiring development and validation of an alternative analytical methodology.

RESPONSE INFORMATION

This notice is not a request for competitive quotations or proposals.

However, interested parties that believe they can satisfy the Government's requirements may submit a capability statement demonstrating their ability to provide the required products and satisfy all specified technical and operational requirements.

Capability statements should include sufficient technical information to demonstrate the firm's ability to provide:

• EPX-55555-000 – 96-Well Hand-Held Magnetic Plate Washer; and
• EPX480-20834-901 – MO Immune Monitoring 48Plex, 96 Tests;

or otherwise demonstrate the firm's ability to provide products that meet all of the Government's stated minimum technical requirements.

The Government will consider all timely capability statements received prior to the closing date and will determine whether the acquisition should proceed as a sole-source procurement or whether competition is appropriate.

The Government anticipates making an award approximately one (1) calendar day after the closing date of this notice, unless the Government determines that another responsible source is capable of meeting the requirement.

Capability statements shall be submitted electronically to haunp@mail.nih.gov no later than 9:00 a.m. EDT on September 28, 2026.

Please reference Notice No. 75N98026Q01254 in the subject line of the response.