NOI for Laser Scanning Microscope (LSM) 880 Airyscan Confocal Microscope

The National Institutes of Health, through its Office of Acquisitions, intends to award a sole-source service contract to Carl Zeiss Microscopy, LLC, for the original equipment manufacturer preventative maintenance and emergency repair of a Zeiss 880 Airyscan Confocal Microscope located at the NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland. This acquisition is conducted under Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 12 for commercial services and Subpart 13.106-1(b)(1), which permits single-source procurement when only one vendor is reasonably available due to the technical specificity and proprietary nature of the equipment. The microscope is a critical instrument used by researchers in the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research’s Intramural Research Program to perform high-resolution imaging of fluorescently labeled proteins and reporter constructs in both live and fixed tissues, essential for studying molecular mechanisms underlying craniofacial development, cell biology, immunology, sensory function, and skeletal disease. Maintaining the instrument at its manufacturer-specified performance limits is vital to ensure consistent, reliable operation and prevent costly downtime or irreversible damage that could disrupt ongoing scientific investigations. The contract requires the vendor to provide timely, expert-level service to restore full functionality following any failure, ensuring minimal disruption to research activities. The period of performance is set for twelve months following award, with all work to be performed on-site at the NIH facility in Bethesda. No competitive evaluation process is conducted, as the procurement is justified solely on the basis of the OEM’s unique technical expertise and the absence of alternative service providers capable of meeting the instrument’s precision requirements. Submission of a capability statement is required by April 30, 2026, via email to designated NIH contracting specialists, and prospective vendors must maintain active registration in SAM.gov. The contract does not include detailed pricing, clause provisions, packaging requirements, or socioeconomic set-asides, consistent with its classification as a commercial service under streamlined acquisition procedures. The contracting office is located in Bethesda, Maryland, and no options, key personnel restrictions, security clearances, or additional clauses are specified, reflecting the focused and narrowly defined scope of OEM maintenance services.