NOTICE OF INTENT TO SOLICIT ONLY ONE SOURCE FOR ONE (1) OIL FREE AIR COMPRESSOR, ASSOCIATED PARTS, AND THREE (3) YEARS OF PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE.

The U.S. Army Research Laboratory at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is seeking to procure a single oil-free rotary screw air compressor, specifically the E90-160I model, along with associated start-up services and three years of preventative maintenance under a Firm-Fixed Price contract. This acquisition is being conducted on a sole-source basis, with no competition anticipated, as the requirements are tied exclusively to the brand-name product and its specified salient characteristics. The contract will be awarded via a Request for Quote using commercial item procedures under FAR/DFARS, with technical acceptability determined solely by conformity to the designated equipment and compliance with required clauses, including NIST SP 800-171 cybersecurity controls, CMMC requirements, and restrictions against foreign telecommunications equipment from entities such as Huawei and ZTE. All deliverables must be shipped FOB Destination to Building 321 at Aberdeen Proving Ground, with inspection and acceptance conducted by an authorized Government representative at that location. The contractor must also comply with stringent information security provisions, safeguarding covered defense information, limiting disclosure of third-party data, and ensuring proper handling of government work product. Payment will be processed electronically through Wide Area Workflow using the Government-wide Commercial Purchase Card, with levies on payments applicable. The contract spans three performance years, beginning with delivery no later than 20 weeks after award, and includes CLINs for the compressor unit, on-site start-up, and PackageCARE maintenance coverage for years one through three. No contract value is disclosed, and pricing details remain unspecified in the solicitation. Offerors must be represented by a unique entity identifier and provide affirmations regarding compliance with Buy American provisions, restrictions on specialty metals, and prohibitions on procurement from Communist Chinese military companies. The contractor must also certify that it does not improperly compensate former Department of Defense officials and that any use of foreign nationals complies with federal employment eligibility requirements. All proposals must be submitted electronically by May 25, 2026, to the designated point of contact, adhering to commercial item instructions under FAR 52.212-1. The solicitation mandates adherence to item identification standards, passive RFID tagging where applicable, and requires the inclusion of packing slips for external access on all shipments. The contracting officer has reserved the ability to enforce contractual obligations through modification clauses and maintain integrity through whistleblower protections and supply chain risk mitigation provisions.