Maintenance agreement for Thermo TSQ Altis liquid chromatography mass spectrometry system

The contract pertains to a multi-year, firm-fixed-price maintenance agreement for the Thermo Scientific TSQ Altis liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) system located at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland. The primary objective is to ensure continuous, reliable operation of this specialized scientific equipment critical to biomedical research, by providing unlimited repair visits, labor, all necessary replacement parts, and an annual preventive maintenance service. The contractor is required to respond on-site within 72 hours of any service request, maintaining system uptime, calibration, and analytical performance in support of NIH’s research missions. This procurement is conducted under a total small business set-aside, adhering to FAR 19.5, and is awarded on a sole-source basis under FAR 6.302-1, recognizing that only one responsible source—Zef Scientific, Inc.—is capable of delivering the required specialized maintenance services. The solicitation was posted on May 7, 2026, with a response deadline of May 17, 2026, and the anticipated award shortly thereafter. Submission requirements include a written capability statement submitted via email, with no formal proposal volume format or size constraints. No competitive evaluation factors or detailed FAR contract clauses were disclosed, as this is a sole-source presolicitation notice. The contract does not specify packaging, marking, or shipping terms, as the services are delivered on-site. Inspection and acceptance occur at the NIH facility by government personnel, who ensure that all service quality standards are met. While designated as a small business set-aside, no specific size or socioeconomic certifications for Zef Scientific, Inc. were provided. Payment details, key personnel designations, and invoicing procedures remain unspecified in the available documentation. The contract operates under a streamlined framework aimed at rapidly securing continuity of critical scientific instrumentation maintenance at NIH.