Scientific Automated -80°C Ultra-Low Temperature (ULT) Freezer System

The National Institutes of Health, through the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare under the Department of Health and Human Services, is seeking an automated -80°C Ultra-Low Temperature (ULT) Freezer System for the NHLBI Biospecimen Core under solicitation RFQ-NHLBI-03869. The system must feature dual-redundant refrigeration with liquid nitrogen backup, a web-based user interface with RESTful API integration, and onboard LIMS-like inventory management functionality. All components must comply with 21 CFR Part 11 and NIH security standards, including support for internet-accessible cloud or cluster hosting. The contractor is required to deliver, install, and commission the system on-site at Bethesda, Maryland, with comprehensive on-site training for operators. The solicitation mandates an all-inclusive pricing model where vendors must account for all freight, import, and incidental expenses in their initial quote, with no allowance for post-award cost adjustments. An estimate for filling approximately 80% of the freezer capacity with trays must be included, along with a comprehensive itemized price list for all available tray configurations. The system must undergo rigorous on-site Site Acceptance Testing covering environmental control, redundancy failover, barcode scanning accuracy, pick/place throughput, inventory reconciliation, and API integration, with clear pass/fail criteria. A minimum one-year warranty is required, and the contractor must submit a Maintenance Service Agreement plan for years two and beyond, detailing technical support availability. Compliance is enforced through FAR clauses covering equal opportunity, affirmative action, child and convict labor prohibitions, whistleblower rights, personal identity verification, trade agreements, foreign purchase restrictions, text messaging bans while driving, and prohibitions against contracting with inverted domestic corporations or debarred entities. Offerors must be currently registered in the System for Award Management and possess a valid Unique Entity Identifier. Proposals must be submitted via email to Lynda Cole by the deadline of July 6, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. EST, referencing the solicitation number, and must remain valid for 90 days after submission. All questions must be submitted in writing by June 26, 2026. Supplementary documentation including fire suppression and ceiling clearance drawings are referenced and must be addressed in the proposal.