Notice of Intent to Sole Source - Stranded Cetacean Testing
Contract Overview
Solicitation details, issuing organization, response deadlines, documents, and interested companies for this government contract opportunity.
AI Contract Overview
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration intends to award a sole-source purchase order to the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine’s Zoological Pathology Program for diagnostic testing and expert interpretation of stranded cetacean cases provided by the Louisiana Marine Mammal Stranding Network. The scope includes comprehensive laboratory services such as testing for viral, bacterial, fungal, protozoal, and biotoxin agents, along with histological evaluations and routine specimen processing. This procurement is justified because the University of Illinois is the only known provider capable of delivering two specialized assays—the cetacean Brucella specific ST typing assay and an in situ hybridization assay for Brucella in marine mammals—which are essential to meet NOAA’s requirements and cannot be substituted by any other vendor. The contract has a 12-month base period with two optional 12-month extensions, and no set-aside provisions apply; the NAICS code is 541940 for Veterinary Services. This is a pre-solicitation notice, not a competitive procurement, and entities wishing to challenge the sole-source determination must submit substantiating documentation in writing to the designated point of contact within 15 calendar days of the notice’s publication. The government retains full discretion to decide whether to proceed competitively, and responses must be in writing—oral communications will not be considered.
General Info
Agency
NAICS
Place of Performance
Brookfield, IL, USASet-Aside
Documents
(0)AI Contract Breakdown
Uniform Contract FormatNo contract breakdown available.
Cannot generate Contract Breakdown because no documents were found from this contract's source.
Timeline
Response Deadline
Organization & Contact Information
Full Description
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Acquisition & Grants Office, Western Acquisition Division, intends to solicit and award a purchase order, on a sole source basis, under authority of RFO FAR 6.103- 1, with the University of Illinois, College of Veterinary Medicine, Zoological Pathology Program for the Office of Habitat Concentration, working with the Southeast Regional Office, for diagnostic testing and expertise in test interpretation of stranded cetacean cases submitted by the Louisiana Marine Mammal Stranding Network. The tasks include diagnostic testing for viral, bacterial, fungal, protozoal, and biotoxin, histological evaluations, routine processing, and laboratory services.
No set aside is to be used for this sole source requirement. The associated NAICS code is 541940, Veterinary Services.
The sole source determination is based on the University of Illinois being the only vendor NOAA is aware of providing cetacean Brucella specific ST typing assay, as well as an in situ hybridization assay for Brucella in marine mammals.
Accordingly, NOAA has determined that this specific testing provided by the University of Illinois are the only responsible source to fulfill NOAA’s requirements, and no other type of supplies will satisfy those requirements.
The period of performance is anticipated to be for a 12-month base period with two (2) 12-month option periods pursuant to RFO 52.217-9.
This pre-solicitation notice is not a request for competitive proposals and no solicitation package is available. However, firms that believe they can fully meet the Government's requirements may submit substantiating documentation or a request for additional information in writing to the identified point of contact within 15 calendar days after publication of this pre-solicitation notice. Such requests and documentation will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this procurement on a competitive basis.
A determination by the Government not to conduct a competitive procurement, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the Government. Oral communications are not acceptable in response to this notice.