J -- X-ray machine maintenance

The United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, specifically the Plant Protection and Quarantine division, plans to award a sole source contract to L3 Communications for the maintenance of six x-ray machines. This contract will span one year under a firm fixed price arrangement, with delivery terms set as FOB destination. The procurement is being conducted as a commercial item acquisition following the guidelines of FAR Part 12, and the agency will negotiate exclusively with L3 Communications under the authority granted by FAR 6.302-1, indicating that no competitive bidding will occur. This procurement falls under NAICS code 541380 and is intended solely for the specified maintenance services, underscoring the importance of the contractor’s specialized expertise and capability. The solicitation is labeled as a presolicitation and was posted in late September 2002. The designated point of contact for any inquiries is Contracting Officer Lisa P. Stensrud, reachable by phone. This contract’s focused scope and single-source approach emphasize the government’s intent to maintain operational reliability of its x-ray equipment through a trusted and qualified vendor.