Sole Source Notice-Thermo Electron North America LLC

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Acquisition & Grants Office (AGO), Western Acquisition Division-Boulder (WAD), Northwest Fisheries Science Center, intends to negotiate, on a sole source basis, under authority of FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), with Thermo Electron North America, LLC located in West Palm Beach, FL for a service plan for two automated solvent extractor (ASEs) instruments.

The one-year service contract will cover all needed repairs, a preventive maintenance visit, and technical telephone support for the ECPs Dionex ASE 350 (120V) system at NWFSC. The sole source determination is based on NOAA’s requirement that Thermo Electron North America, LLC is the only vendor that is capable of providing repair and technical support. Thermo Electron is the manufacturer of the equipment and only their engineers are authorized to repair the instruments and preserve the warranty.

Additionally, only Thermo Electron is able to provide OEM parts. Any significant delay in service or parts availability poses significant risk for our time sensitive research and would result in not meeting deadlines, a loss of associated funds, and even potential loss of sample viability. It is vital that we receive prompt and specialized assistance from Thermo Electron with fixing and maintaining this Dionex ASE 350 system.

BASE Period of Performance:

09/30/2024-09/29/2025 Option Year 1:

09/30/2025-09/29/2026 Option Year 2:

09/30/2026-09/29/2027 Option Year 3:

09/30/2027-09/29/2028 Option Year 4: 09/30/2028-09/29/2029 This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals and no solicitation package is available. However, firms that believe they can fully meet the government's requirements may submit substantiating documentation in writing to the identified point of contact within 15 days after publication of this synopsis.

Such documentation will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this procurement on a competitive basis. A determination by the government not to conduct a competitive procurement, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the government. Oral communications are not acceptable in response to this notice.