Notice of Intent to Sole Source: Beckman Coulter Optima XPN 90 Ultracentrifuge System Replacement

NOTICE OF INTENT TO SOLE SOURCE

Identification Number: 1174091

Agency: United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Contracting Activity: USDA-FS, CSA East 6, Atlanta, GA 30309-2449

The USDA Forest Service intends to negotiate a sole-source, firm-fixed-price contract with Government Scientific Source, Inc. (GSS) (Unique Entity ID: J49CN39QTNW3), an authorized distributor for Beckman Coulter Life Sciences, for the procurement of one (1) Beckman Coulter Optima XPN 90 Ultracentrifuge System (Part No. A94468), to include Part No. C58398 Installation Service and basic operator training.

Statutory Authority: This non-competitive acquisition is conducted under the authority of FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), soliciting from a single source for purchases not exceeding the Simplified Acquisition Threshold (SAT), and is fully documented in accordance with the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO) frameworks.

Technical Rationale: The USDA-ARS wheat virology research group requires a replacement floor-model ultracentrifuge due to the absolute obsolescence and failure rate of its current 30-year-old legacy system. The Beckman Optima XPN 90 is the only current-generation commercial instrument that maintains 100% mechanical and dimensional compatibility with the laboratory's extensive inventory of existing, high-value proprietary Beckman rotors (including the SW 28 and Type 90 Ti series). Restricting this purchase to the Beckman platform leverages existing federal asset property, saves thousands of dollars in redundant rotor capital costs, and ensures immediate, seamless integration into active testing protocols without revalidation.

Notice Responses: This announcement does not constitute a request for competitive proposals or quotations. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed action based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. However, responsible sources who believe they can fully provide an equivalent system that satisfies the proprietary rotor compatibility thresholds may submit a written capability statement.

All capability statements must be received before the closing date of this notice and submitted via email to Michael J. Wheelock at Michael.Wheelock@usda.gov  and the assigned Contracting Officer.