J--THERMO ELECTRON FOR ICAP ANNUAL MAINTENANCE - BASE

This contract, awarded by the Department of the Interior's Office of Acquisition and Grants in Denver, establishes an annual maintenance agreement for the base year to support a Thermo iCAP RQ Quadrupole ICP-MS located at the USGS Upper Midwest Water Science Center. Under solicitation 140G0226P0249 and NAICS code 334516, the agreement ensures the continued operational efficiency of critical laboratory equipment through specialized repair and maintenance services. The contract was awarded as a sole source to Thermo Electron North America LLC, as they are identified as the only responsible source capable of performing the work. This determination is based on the company's exclusive access to proprietary diagnostic software, original equipment manufacturer parts, and manufacturer-specific technical training required for the system. The procurement was conducted under the Simplified Acquisition Threshold, with the USGS committing to monitor the market for potential future competition.