J -- Intent to Sole Source - Applied Biosystems Maintenance

The U.S. EPA Gulf Ecology Division intends to award a sole source maintenance contract on a Firm Fixed Price basis to Applied Biosystems, located in Foster City, California. This contract will cover maintenance services for a specific piece of equipment, the QSTAR-XL-MS mass spectrometer. The acquisition will proceed under Simplified Acquisition Procedures according to the Federal Acquisition Regulation, specifically leveraging the exception for other than full and open competition under FAR 6.302-1. The anticipated award date for this contract is June 12, 2006. This announcement is a notice of intent and is not a solicitation for offers, but written inquiries or comments can be submitted via email to the specified EPA contact. The contract is identified under solicitation number GED-RFQ-6146 and falls within NAICS code 811310, which pertains to equipment maintenance services. The contracting process is designed to address the specialized nature of the equipment requiring maintenance, justifying the sole source approach. Details about the location of performance and agency office are unspecified, and no set-aside status applies to this acquisition. Interested parties are directed to the online contract portal for additional information or updates related to this procurement.