Notice of Intent to Award Sole Source NIH NIAID

This is a Notice of Intent and not a request for competitive proposals. However, any responsible source that believes it can meet the requirement may submit a capability statement, proposal, or quotation by the date and time listed in this posting. The NIH/NIAID intends to award a firm-fixed-price sole source contract to Sartorius Corporation for the Yearly Service Contract (10/1/2025 – 9/30/2026) for the Sartorius Octet RH96 instrument, Serial Number FB-70620.

The required service plan includes priority technical support, preventive maintenance (two PMOQ per year with certification), parts and labor for repairs, and software upgrades. This acquisition will be conducted under the authority of FAR 13.501(a)(1)(ii), Sole Source Acquisitions, in accordance with 41 U.S.C. 1901, as only one responsible source is capable of providing the required services.

The Sartorius Octet RH96 is a proprietary system, and only the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), Sartorius Corporation, possesses the proprietary software, diagnostic tools, genuine replacement parts, and trained technicians necessary to properly maintain, calibrate, and repair the instrument to factory specifications. Using an alternate service provider would risk invalidating warranties, compromising data integrity, and causing unacceptable delays in critical vaccine research programs.

Failure to obtain OEM service support would significantly risk instrument downtime, disrupt ongoing vaccine research, and jeopardize data quality and regulatory compliance. The Octet RH96 is a cornerstone technology for real-time biomolecular interaction analysis in vaccine development at the VRC.

Proposed Contractor: Sartorius Corporation 545-1 Johnson Avenue Bohemia, NY 11716 The responsible contract office for award will be:

Contracting Office Address: NIH/NIAID 5601 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20852