MRI Whole Body Composition Analyzer

This is a combined synopsis and solicitation for a Total Small Business Set-Aside under NAICS code 334516, targeting the procurement of an MRI Whole Body Composition Analyzer and associated specimen holders from small business concerns with no more than 1,000 employees. The acquisition, issued under FAR Part 12 as a Request for Quotation, is set to award a firm-fixed-price contract with a 90-day period of performance, with delivery required at F.O.B. Destination to the USDA ARS Human Nutrition Research facility in Grand Forks, North Dakota. All offers must be submitted via email to amber.sampson@usda.gov by the amended deadline of May 8, 2026, at 12:00 PM Mountain Time. The solicitation explicitly requires vendors to furnish equipment described by brand name or equal, with all submissions needing to demonstrate that proposed products meet or exceed the salient characteristics of the specified EchoMRI analyzers and accessories, supported by descriptive literature. Evaluation will follow a Lowest Price Technically Acceptable methodology, where the lowest-priced offer that meets the mandatory technical acceptability criteria and has an acceptable or neutral past performance record will be selected, with no trade-offs permitted between price and non-price factors. The contract incorporates a comprehensive suite of FAR and Agency-specific clauses governing ethical conduct, cybersecurity, labor standards, and compliance, including requirements for contractor ethics codes, whistleblower protections, employment eligibility verification, paid sick leave under Executive Order 13706, and adherence to anti-discrimination and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies under clause 452.203-71 and 52.222-90. Cybersecurity obligations include implementation of basic safeguarding measures for covered information systems under 52.240-93 and personal identity verification of personnel under 52.204-9. Invoicing must be processed exclusively through the Invoice Processing Platform, and payment administration is handled by the USDA ARS office in Fort Collins, Colorado. Offerors are required to hold an active SAM registration and submit a completed SF 1449 with all mandatory representations, including small business size certification and UEI, and must comply with Buy American and Trade Agreements provisions. While the solicitation does not specify quantities, unit pricing, or contract value, all financial details are left to the offerors to complete in their submissions, ensuring competitive pricing within the framework of a commercial