RETROFIT OF EXISTING AQUANEERING AQUATIC HOUSING SYSTEM

NOTICE OF INTENT – SOLE-SOURCE ACQUISITION

Notice No.: 75N98027Q00008

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), intends to award a Firm-Fixed-Price Purchase Order to Aquaneering LLC for the retrofit and expansion of the Institute's existing aquatic housing system.

Description of the Requirement

NHGRI requires a retrofit of its existing Aquaneering aquatic housing system to convert eight underutilized genotyping rack positions to standard zebrafish housing. Upon completion, the retrofit is expected to provide capacity for 828 standard-sized tanks and more than 25,000 additional zebrafish.

System Compatibility

All supplied racks, containment trays, manifolds, gutters, valves, downspouts, flexible tubing, and retrofit plumbing must be fully compatible with the facility's existing Aquaneering central-filtration system and the tanks currently used by the facility. All flexible tubing and hoses must be black and fully opaque. Tanks are excluded from this acquisition.

Rack Equipment

The acquisition includes:

• Three AQC central-filtration double-sided 60-inch racks, model AQCF-D660-610, each with six shelves, 10-inch shelf spacing, and associated plumbing, with a finished height of approximately 89 inches before leveling.
• One AQC central-filtration double-sided 50-inch rack, model AQCF-D650-610, with six shelves, 10-inch shelf spacing, and associated plumbing, with a finished height of approximately 89 inches before leveling.

Containment and Plumbing Components

• Six left-hand and six right-hand 50-inch containment catch trays.
• Eighteen left-hand and eighteen right-hand 60-inch containment catch trays.
• One custom supply-and-return retrofit plumbing kit for project S39397.

Additional Components

• Six 18-valve water manifolds for 60-inch racks.
• Six 15-valve water manifolds for 50-inch racks.
• One six-shelf modular downspout assembly.
• Six 50-inch modular gutters.
• Six 60-inch modular gutters.

Retrofit Configuration

The work requires replacement of the existing row containing six single-sided back-to-back 0.8-liter racks and two single-sided back-to-back 1.8-liter racks. Two existing 56-inch 1.8-liter racks must also be relocated to the new row to replace two additional 0.8-liter racks. The final configuration and plumbing transitions must conform to the approved room layout and existing isolation points.

Justification for the Proposed Sole-Source Acquisition

The Government intends to solicit from a single source pursuant to FAR 6.302-1, Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements.

Aquaneering LLC is the proposed source because the requirement involves modifying and expanding the facility's existing Aquaneering aquatic housing system while maintaining compatibility with its installed central-filtration infrastructure, plumbing interfaces, rack assemblies, and existing tanks.

This acquisition involves more than the purchase of standalone aquarium racks. It requires an integrated retrofit consisting of specifically configured rack assemblies, matching containment trays, water manifolds, gutters, downspouts, and a custom supply-and-return plumbing kit designed to interface with the existing installation. The work also requires relocation of existing racks and integration of new and existing components within the facility's approved room layout and plumbing isolation points.

Introducing components that are not fully compatible with the installed system could require additional engineering, modifications to existing plumbing, replacement of serviceable components, or changes to the approved room configuration. These changes could increase costs, introduce integration and operational risks, disrupt existing facility operations, and delay the planned expansion of zebrafish housing capacity.

The Government therefore proposes to obtain the required equipment and retrofit components from Aquaneering LLC to maintain system compatibility and facilitate a coordinated expansion of the existing installation. The proposed sole-source approach is contingent upon the Government's determination, based on technical review and market research, that no other responsible source can satisfy all minimum technical and operational requirements.

Response Information

This notice is not a request for competitive quotations or proposals. However, interested parties that believe they can satisfy the Government's requirements may submit a capability statement demonstrating their ability to provide all required products and meet the specified technical and operational requirements.

Capability statements should include sufficient technical information to demonstrate the firm's ability to:

• Provide rack assemblies and associated components that meet the specified dimensions, configurations, quantities, and performance requirements.
• Demonstrate full compatibility with the existing Aquaneering central-filtration system, existing tanks, and plumbing interfaces.
• Provide the required containment trays, manifolds, gutters, downspouts, flexible tubing, and custom supply-and-return retrofit plumbing.
• Accommodate the required rack relocation, plumbing transitions, approved room layout, and existing isolation points.
• Satisfy all other stated minimum technical and operational requirements.

The Government will evaluate timely capability statements to determine whether another responsible source is capable of meeting the requirement and whether a competitive acquisition is appropriate.

The Government anticipates making an award approximately five (5) calendar days after the closing date of this notice, unless the Government determines that another responsible source can satisfy the requirement.

Capability statements must be submitted electronically to haunp@mail.nih.gov no later than 9:00 a.m. EDT on October 22, 2026.

Please reference Notice No. 75N98027Q00008 in the subject line of the submission.