Automated Cell Culture System with Integrated Refrigeration

SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE

Solicitation Number: 75N98026Q00027
Title: Automated Cell Culture System with Integrated Refrigeration
Classification Code: 6640 – Laboratory Equipment and Supplies
NAICS Code: 339112 – Surgical and Medical Instrument Manufacturing
Size Standard: 1,000 Employees

DESCRIPTION

This is a Sources Sought notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations. The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding the availability and capability of qualified sources to provide a potential commercial product supply requirement.

This notice is issued solely for market research purposes in accordance with FAR Part 10 to: - Assess the availability of commercial products capable of meeting the Government’s requirements; - Determine the most appropriate acquisition strategy, including potential small business set-asides; and - Identify the availability of domestic end products manufactured in the United States in sufficient and reasonably available commercial quantities and of satisfactory quality.

This notice does not constitute a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or to award a contract. Responses will not be considered proposals or quotations, and no award will be made as a result of this notice. The Government will not be responsible for any costs incurred in responding to this notice. Small businesses are encouraged to respond.

For equipment/supply requirements, responses must include the place of manufacturing (i.e., address if the supply/equipment is a domestic end product and include country of manufacture). Small business respondents must also address the size status of the manufacturer under the applicable NAICS code (Non-Manufacturer Rule, if applicable).

BACKGROUND

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the nation’s leading medical research agency and the primary Federal agency whose mission is to seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and to apply that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce illness and disability.

The National Eye Institute (NEI), part of NIH, is dedicated to eliminating vision loss and improving quality of life through vision research.

Within NEI, the Unit on Ocular Stem Cells and Translational Research (OSCTR) conducts research using induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)–derived adherent cell cultures that are highly sensitive to handling variability and contamination. To support reproducible outcomes and high-throughput research, OSCTR requires an automated cell culture system that minimizes manual intervention, ensures consistent handling conditions, and integrates with existing laboratory infrastructure.

PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this Sources Sought notice is to identify vendors capable of providing a commercially available automated cell culture system with integrated refrigeration that meets the Government’s minimum requirements.

The Government anticipates acquiring one (1) automated cell culture system meeting the salient characteristics described below. The reference to the NESTOR Cell Automation System is for descriptive purposes only to indicate the required level of quality, performance, and functionality. Offers of equal products will be considered if all salient characteristics are met.

PROJECT REQUIREMENT (SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS)

The automated cell culture system shall meet or exceed the following requirements:

1. Performs automated media exchange, feeding, sampling, washing, passaging, differentiation/maturation, and harvesting for mammalian adherent cell cultures.
2. Compatible with commonly used laboratory consumables, including T-flasks and multi-well plates, without requiring proprietary or manufacturer-exclusive vessels.
3. Compact benchtop footprint suitable for space-constrained laboratory environments.
4. Sterile liquid handling suitable for live mammalian cell culture applications.
5. Automated passaging and cell splitting using enzymatic or mechanical methods.
6. Programmable, repeatable workflows with minimal operator intervention.
7. Compatible with standard CO₂ incubators and does not require a fully enclosed robotic workcell.
8. Purpose-built for automated live cell culture applications.
9. Integrated refrigeration capable of storing at least four reagents within manufacturer-recommended temperature ranges.
10. Integrated battery backup supporting critical system functions for up to twenty-four (24) hours.
11. Environmental compatibility with standard mammalian cell culture conditions (e.g., ~37 °C, humidified CO₂ environment).
12. Support for sensitive adherent mammalian cell cultures, including stem-cell–derived cell types.
13. Automated protocol versioning and time-stamped run logs.
14. Data export capability in commonly used, non-proprietary formats.
15. User access controls to prevent unauthorized protocol modification.
16. Built-in or validated decontamination capability for fluid paths.
17. Sterilizable or disposable fluid-contact components.
18. Minimum two-year manufacturer warranty covering parts and labor.

CAPABILITY INFORMATION REQUESTED

Interested vendors shall submit a capability statement addressing their ability to provide a commercial product meeting the requirements above. Responses should be concise and limited to information necessary for market research purposes.

Capability statements shall include:

1. Product Identification
   • Manufacturer name
   • Product model name/number
   • Indication whether the respondent is the manufacturer, authorized distributor, or reseller
2. Technical Capability
   • A point-by-point response describing how the proposed product meets or exceeds each salient characteristic
   • Identification of any deviations, if applicable
3. Commercial Availability
   • Commercial status of the product
   • Estimated delivery lead time ARO
   • Warranty terms
4. Manufacturing and Origin
   • Place of manufacture (country of origin)
   • Confirmation whether the product qualifies as a domestic end product
5. Small Business Information
   • Business size under NAICS 339112
   • Manufacturer size status for purposes of the Non-Manufacturer Rule, if applicable
6. Contracting Vehicles (if applicable)
   • Identification of any applicable GSA Schedule, Government-wide, HHS-wide, or NIH-wide acquisition contracts through which the product may be acquired
7. Company Information
   • Company name
   • Unique Entity ID (UEID)
   • Physical address
   • Primary technical and administrative points of contact (name, title, phone number, and email address)

The Government requests that no proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information be included in responses.

RESPONSE INSTRUCTIONS

One (1) electronic copy of the response shall be submitted in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format.

Responses shall not exceed ten (10) pages.

All responses must reference Solicitation Number 75N98026Q00027 and be submitted electronically.

Responses shall be submitted to:
Deborah Blyveis, Contract Specialist
Email: deborah.blyveis@hhs.gov

Responses must be received no later than:
Friday, February 19, 2026, at 3:00 PM Eastern Time

Facsimile responses will not be accepted.

DISCLAIMER

This Sources Sought notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or pay for any information submitted. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. The Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of responses or provide feedback. A presolicitation synopsis and solicitation may be issued via www.sam.gov at a later date.