Service Maintenance Agreement for Celltrio RoboCell Cell Line Automation System

PRE-SOLICITATION NON-COMPETITIVE –

Notice of Intent to Sole Source

1. SOLICITATION NUMBER: 75N98026Q00329 
2. TITLE: Service Maintenance Agreement for Celltrio RoboCell Cell Line Automation System
3. RESPONSE DATE: May, 17 2026 at 4:00 pm EST.
4. PRIMARY POINT OF CONTACT:

Jaddua Johnston

jaddua.johnston@mail.nih.gov

Phone: 240-569-0006

1. INTRODUCTION:

THIS IS A PRE-SOLICITATION NON-COMPETITIVE (NOTICE OF INTENT) SYNOPSIS TO AWARD A CONTRACT WITHOUT PROVIDING FOR FULL OR OPEN COMPETITION (INCLUDING BRAND-NAME).

National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) requires OEM-provided maintenance services to ensure continued, reliable operation of the RoboCell Cell Line Automation System supporting automated cell culture and translational research workflows.

1. NORTH AMERICAN INDUSTRY CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (NAICS) CODE and SET ASIDE STATUS

NAICS code 811210- Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance @ $34,000,000. This acquisition is NOT set aside for small businesses.

1. REGULATORY AUTHORITY

This acquisition will be conducted using FAR Part 12 – Acquisition of Commercial Items in conjunction with FAR Part 13 – Simplified Acquisition Procedures, as applicable. The resultant contract will include all appropriate provisions and clauses in effect through the current Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC)..

1. STATUTORY AUTHORITY

This acquisition is being conducted under the authority of:

FAR 6.302-1 – Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements (41 U.S.C. 3304(a)(1))

1. DESCRIPTION OF REQUIREMENT:

1. PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES:

The RoboCell system is a critical automation platform within NCATS laboratories. The consistent, reproducible, and standardized cells produced by this system are integral to the high throughput nature of our work. The objective of this SOW is to maintain system uptime, performance, and compliance through manufacturer-certified maintenance and support services.

The Celltrio RoboCell System is an automated cell culture and cell line management platform designed to streamline, standardize, and scale routine cell culture workflows. It automates labor‑intensive and error‑prone tasks involved in maintaining cell lines, allowing researchers to focus on experimental design and data analysis. The system is closed, meaning all the components (robotic arms, liquid handling modules, incubators, etc.) are fully integrated into the system which allows for the full automation of the entire process. The required service engineers must be factory trained to maintain the robotic system made by Celltrio, as well as all the integrated components within the closed system (Agilent Cytation 10 confocal microscope, VSpin plate centrifuge, Biomek i7 liquid handling workstation, etc.)

Period of Performance:

The period of performance is for one year after the PO is awarded.

SCOPE OF WORK

General Requirements:

The Contractor shall provide all labor, materials, tools, equipment, and expertise necessary to perform OEM maintenance services for the RoboCell® system.

Specific Requirements:

• Provide Platinum Maintenance services including OEM parts and labor
• Provide preventative maintenance reviews and reports on a quarterly basis
• Provide remote diagnostics and troubleshooting support
• Provide software updates and upgrades
• Provide updated system documentation annually
• Provide onsite response within 36 hours as required

GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITIES

The Government will provide reasonable access to the system and facilities and will designate a technical point of contact.

DELIVERY OR

• Preventative maintenance
• Preventative maintenance reports

• Diagnostic and service reports
• Updated documentation

REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

Service and maintenance activities will be documented through routine service reports provided by the contractor.
 

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

Travel:

Contractor travel is included in the maintenance services and priced in the quoted amount.

Key Personnel:

Technical engineer from Celltrio

Information System Security Plan:

NA

Data Rights:

NA

Section 508—Electronic and Information Technology Standards:

NA 

Publications and Publicity:

NA

Confidentiality of Information:

NA

1. CONTRACTING WITHOUT PROVIDING FOR FULL OR OPEN COMPETITION (INCLUDING BRAND-NAME) DETERMINATION

The Government’s determination to award this requirement on a non-competitive basis is based on the unique technical requirements of the acquisition and the results of market research conducted in accordance with FAR Part 10.

The required maintenance services can only be provided by Celltrio, Inc., the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of the RoboCell system. The system is a closed, fully integrated automation platform composed of proprietary hardware, software, and OEM-configured third-party components.

Performance of maintenance services requires:

• Access to proprietary software, firmware, and diagnostic tools
• Use of OEM-certified replacement parts
• Factory-trained and authorized service engineers with system-specific expertise
• Ability to maintain full system integration across all components

No other vendor possesses the technical capability, authorization, or access required to service the system while ensuring continued functionality, data integrity, and compliance with manufacturer specifications. Use of a non-OEM provider would risk system failure, loss of reproducibility in research workflows, and potential voiding of warranties or support agreements.

As a result, Celltrio, Inc. is the only source capable of meeting the Government’s minimum requirements for this acquisition.

Accordingly, this acquisition is justified under FAR 6.302-1.

The intended source is:

Copia Scientific
47777 WARM SPRINGS BLVD

FREMONT, CA 94539 USA

1. CLOSING STATEMENT

This notice is not a request for competitive proposals. However, interested parties may identify their interest and capability to respond to this requirement.

A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. All responsible sources may submit a capability statement, proposal, or quotation, which shall be considered by the agency. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement.

This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for any information submitted in response.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Responses must include sufficient information to establish the interested party’s capability to meet the requirement, including:

• Unit and total price
• Shipping and handling costs
• Delivery timeframe
• Payment terms
• F.O.B. point
• Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)
• Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN)
• Business size classification

All offerors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) at https://www.sam.gov.

 SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

Responses must be received no later than May 17, 2026 at 4:00 PM EST and must reference Solicitation Number 75N98026Q00329 .

Responses shall be submitted electronically to:

Jaddua Johnston

Contract Specialist

Email: jaddua.johnston@mail.nih.gov