L-Glutamic Acid

NON-COMPETITIVE
COMBINED SYNOPSIS / SOLICITATION

Title: L-Glutamic Acid

(i) This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested, and a separate written solicitation will not be issued.

(ii) The solicitation number is 75N98026Q01122 / PCA-NIMH-04010. This solicitation is issued as a Notice of Intent (NOI) for a non-competitive combined synopsis/solicitation to award a contract or purchase order without providing for full and open competition (including brand-name, if applicable).

This acquisition is conducted under the authority of FAR 12.603, Streamlined Solicitation for Commercial Products or Commercial Services, and is not expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. Additional authority includes 41 U.S.C. 1901 and FAR 6.302-3(a)(2)(ii).

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), Office of the Director, Office of Acquisitions, intends to negotiate and award a firm-fixed price on a non-competitive basis to Sigma-Aldrich Inc., 3050 Spruce St., Saint Louis, Missouri 63103 for the requested L-Glutamic Acid (2,4 ¹³C2-99%). 

(iii) The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2026-01 dated March 13, 2026.

(iv) The associated NAICS code is 325180 – Other Basic Inorganic Chemical Manufacturing, and the small business size standard is 1,000 in number of employees. This requirement is not a set-aside for small business.

(v) Description of Requirement:
This requirement is to obtain a special Sigma-Aldrich Inc., 13C2 L-Glutamic Acid 2,4 99%,1x1 gram.   The Magnetic Resonance (MR) Spectroscopy  Unit  and  Core  have  been  conducting  several  in  vivo  carbon-13 (1*3C)  spectroscopy  projects  with  infusion  of  13C  labeled  chemicals.  Because natural abundance of 1*3C is only 1% and is too weak to be detected.  Therefore, we need to use chemicals with enriched 13C to increase 13C signal intensity. With these 13C labelled chemicals, we will be able to detect brain metabolism and to accurately measure the concentrations of several important metabolites. The 13C MR spectroscopy methods developed in our group is and will be applied to many other research groups in NIMH and NIH for various neural science studies. Without this chemical, the institute will lose a powerful method in neural science research.

 (vi) Delivery Location:
NIH, NIMH, 10 Cener Drive, Bldg. 10, Bethesda, MD 20892

(vii) [Reserved, if needed]

(viii) FAR 52.204-7, System for Award Management, applies to this acquisition.

(ix) The provision at FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors—Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition. Add any additional instructions as required.

(x) The provision at FAR 52.212-2, Evaluation—Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition.

(a) A written notice of award or acceptance of an offer, issued to the successful offeror within the time specified in the offer, shall result in a binding contract without further action by either party. The Government reserves the right to accept any offer (or part of an offer) before the expiration date, whether or not discussions are conducted, unless a written notice of withdrawal is received prior to award. 

(xi) FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions—Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition.

(xii) Additional contract requirements or terms and conditions, as determined necessary by the Contracting Officer and consistent with customary commercial practices: None.

(xiii) The Defense Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS) is not applicable to this requirement.

(xiv) Submission Requirements:
Responses must include sufficient information to demonstrate the respondent’s capability to provide the required product or service. Price quotations shall include, at a minimum: unit price, list price, shipping and handling costs, delivery timeframe after award, delivery terms, prompt payment discount terms, F.O.B. point (destination or origin), product or catalog numbers, product descriptions, and any other relevant information.

Evaluation factors may include, but are not limited to: past performance, technical capability, price, delivery, special features, trade-in considerations, expected lifecycle, warranty, maintenance availability, and environmental or energy efficiency considerations.

Respondents claiming to be manufacturers or authorized resellers of a specified brand-name product must provide:
(a) Product, catalog, model, and/or part number(s);
(b) Product description;
(c) Documentation demonstrating that the offered item meets all required salient characteristics;
(d) Quantity;
(e) Estimated price or cost;
(f) Shipping, handling, and/or installation charges; and
(g) Delivery timeframe after receipt of order.

Responses must also include the Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), and business size certification. All offerors must be actively registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) at www.sam.gov.

All responses must be received by Tuesday, September 8, 2026 @ 10:00 AM eastern daylight time (EDT) and must reference announcement / solicitation number: 75N98026Q01122 / PCA-NIMH-04010 with response submitted electronically to email address of tonia.alexander@nih.gov.  Late submissions shall be treated in accordance with the solicitation provision at FAR 52.212-1(f). 

(xv) Point of Contact:
Tonia Alexander, at tonia.alexander@nih.gov.