# INTENT TO AWARD TO A SINGLE SOURCE - OPENTRONS ROBOT

Canonical: https://abierto.us/opportunities/d5825c5377c8494a81f0d0b92ea7745d

- Solicitation number: 26-471
- Notice type: Special notice
- Status: Closed. Deadline was September 8, 2026 at 8:00 AM EDT
- Department: Department of Commerce
- Agency: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- Contracting office: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (n-NATIONALOCEANICANDATMOSPHERICADMINISTRATION)
- NAICS: 334516 Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing
- Product or service code: 6640 Laboratory Equipment and Supplies
- Place of performance: Maryland
- First posted: August 24, 2026
- Last posted: August 24, 2026
- SAM.gov: https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/d5825c5377c8494a81f0d0b92ea7745d/view

## Description

THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION’S (NOAA) ACQUISITION & GRANTS OFFICE, WESTERN ACQUISITION DIVISION-BOULDER, (AGENCY), INTENDS TO NEGOTIATE AND AWARD A PURCHASE ORDER, ON A SOLE SOURCE BASIS, UNDER AUTHORITY OF FAR 6.103-1, WITH OPENTRONS FOR AN OPENTRONS FLEX LIQUID HANDLER ROBOT AND 3 YEARS OF SERVICE TO AUTOMATE EDNA METABARCODING WORKFLOWS TO BE DELIVERED/PERFORMED AT THE NATIONAL SYSTEMATICS LABORATORY, SMITHSONIAN MUSEUM SUPPORT CENTER, 4210 SILVER HILL ROAD, SUITLAND, MARYLAND 20746.

THE SOLE SOURCE DETERMINATION IS BASED ON NOAA’S REQUIREMENT THAT OPENTRONS IS THE ONLY VENDOR THAT MANUFACTURES AND DISTRIBUTES THIS OPENTRONS FLEX LIQUID HANDLER ROBOT. OPENTRONS IS THE ONLY VENDOR THAT SATISFIES THE LAB’S CRITICAL TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS, SPECIFICALLY THE NEED FOR AN OPEN-SOURCE PYTHON API FRAMEWORK FOR SHARING CUSTOM GENOMICS PROTOCOLS, END-USER MODULARITY THAT ALLOWS FOR TOOLLESS EQUIPMENT SWAPPABILITY, AND AN INTUITIVE INTERFACE DESIGNED FOR BIOLOGISTS RATHER THAN ROBOTICS ENGINEERS.

**PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE:** DATE OF AWARD TO 3 YEARS FROM DATE OF AWARD.

THIS PRESOLICITATION NOTICE 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 OR A REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IN WRITING TO THE IDENTIFIED POINT OF CONTACT WITHIN 15 DAYS AFTER PUBLICATION OF THIS PRE-SOLICITATION NOTICE.

SUCH REQUESTS AND 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.

## Publications

- August 24, 2026: Special notice, due September 8, 2026 at 8:00 AM EDT. Notice d5825c5377c8494a81f0d0b92ea7745d. https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/d5825c5377c8494a81f0d0b92ea7745d/view

## Points of contact

- Heather Mahle, heather.mahle@noaa.gov, 3233721750

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Source: SAM.gov Contract Opportunities bulk extract. Confirm deadlines on SAM.gov before responding. Cite https://abierto.us/opportunities/d5825c5377c8494a81f0d0b92ea7745d.