Micro-Compounder and Mini Injector Moulder

This solicitation, numbered 1232SA26Q1104, is a combined synopsis and request for quotation issued under FAR Part 12 for the procurement of a micro-compounder and mini injection moulder for use by the USDA Agricultural Research Service’s Sustainable Biofuels and Coproducts Research Unit. The equipment must meet detailed technical specifications including a benchtop-sized micro-compounder with a 400W or greater drive motor, screw speeds of 1 to 400 rpm, extruder pressure of at least 300 bar, twin conical co-rotating screws with a torque rating of at least 5 Nm per screw, a maximum operating temperature of 350°C, an inert gas flush system, integrated pressure transducers and thermocouples for rheological measurements, and a software package for data collection; the mini injection moulder must operate on a benchtop scale with a maximum size of 50x50x100 cm, handle samples of 5 grams or less, achieve injection pressures of at least 1100 bar, process materials between ambient and 400°C, control mold temperatures up to 250°C, accept direct transfer from the compounder, and include a dogbone mold compliant with ASTM D638 Type V. Both devices require installation, calibration, training, and a one-year warranty, with delivery mandated within 60 days of award to 600 East Mermaid Lane, Wyndmoor, PA 19038 under F.O.B. destination terms. The acquisition is a total small business set-aside under NAICS code 334516 with a size standard of 1,000 employees, and all offerors must be currently registered in SAM.gov at submission and award. Quotes must be submitted electronically by 4:00 pm Central Standard Time on August 12, 2026, to lynn.hults@usda.gov, and must include comprehensive technical specifications demonstrating capability beyond simple descriptive claims; responses lacking comparative details will be rejected. The award will follow the lowest price technically acceptable methodology, where technical acceptability and acceptable or neutral past performance are pass/fail gates, and only the lowest-priced technically acceptable offer will be considered. All offerors must certify compliance with federal anti-discrimination laws and the Equal Protection Clause, and must not engage in or fund DEI programs that violate Title VI or