Refrigerated Cooling System - Notice of Intent to Sole Source

This pre-solicitation Notice of Intent to Sole Source is issued by the United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Services (USDA-ARS) in accordance with FAR 5.2, Synopses of Proposed Contract Action. The intent of this pre-solicitation notice is for informational purposes only. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct a competitive procurement. This is a Notice of Intent to Sole Source only. This is NOT a Solicitation Announcement, Request for Quote (RFQ), Request for Proposal (RFP), or Invitation for Bid (IFB). It is also NOT an announcement for a forthcoming solicitation announcement, RFQ, RFP, or IFB nor does it restrict the Government as to its ultimate acquisition approach.No combined synopsis/solicitation, solicitation, or solicitation package is expected to be issued for this procurement at this time. This notice does not constitute any commitment by the Government. The Government assumes NO

financial responsibility for any costs incurred in providing a response to this notice. The Government will provide NO reimbursement for any costs associated with the preparation or submission of any information that is received in response to this notice. The USDA-ARS will NOT make an award on the basis of any responses received to this notice. Responses will be used by the Government to help determine the appropriate acquisition strategy decision for this and any future requirements similar to this one. Scope of Work: The USDA-ARS National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research (NCAUR) located at 1815 North University, Peoria, IL 61604 requires a Refrigerated Cooling System (RCS) in accordance with the attached Specifications. Only a single vendor was found that has the technical capabilities required to provide the required products. Were a request for competitive quotations issued it is anticipated that only a single quote would be received. As such, the USDA-ARS Midwest Area (MWA) Administrative Office's Acquisition and Personal Property/Fleet intends to make a firm fixed price, sole source award to: TA Instruments - Waters L.L.C. 159 Lukens Drive, New Castle, DE 19720 The anticipated period of performance is delivery within 60 days of award. The objective of the intended sole source award is to be provided a Refrigerated Cooling System (RCS). The NAICS for this requirement is 334516 (“Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing”) with a small business size standard of under 1,000 employees. The PSC for this requirement is 6640 (“Laboratory Equipment and Supplies”). The proposed award will be made using Simplified Acquisition and Sole Source Justification (SSJ) procedures citing the authority of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 13.106-1(b)(1) for purchases not exceeding the Simplified Acquisition Threshold (SAT). (i) Contracting Officers may solicit from one source if the contracting officer determines that the circumstances of the contract action deems only one source reasonably available. Qualifications: To be considered eligible, any vendors who respond to this notice must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) with a current and active registration at the time of their submission. A Unique Entity Identifier number (UEI#) is required in order to register in SAM. A vendor can contact SAM by calling 1-866-606-8220. NO EXCEPTIONS. Vendor must include their UEI# on their submission. Vendors should also include their SAM status as well as the business size and socio-economic status(es) for the applicable NAICS. Also, to be considered eligible, any vendors who respond to this notice must be registered in SAM under the specific NAICS listed as part of this notice OR qualify to be listed under the specified NAICS (i.e. provide the type of products and services that it covers). If a prospective vendor is NOT currently registered under the specified NAICS and qualifies to be registered under it then the vendor must update their SAM registration prior to providing a response. Response Instructions: This notice is NOT a request for competitive quotations. However, any interested and responsible vendors that regard themselves as capable of providing technically acceptable products and services that can fulfill the requirement stated on the SOW are invited to identify their interests and capability by submitting a response to this notice. Any submission in response to this notice must show clear and convincing evidence as well as be in sufficient enough detail to show that the vendor can provide products and services capable of meeting the Government’s need and that competition would be advantageous to the Government. Only electronic submissions made via email will be accepted. No verbal responses, information provided by phone, or responses submitted by USPS mail will be accepted. All responses must include the vendor’s UEI#. All responses must also include the title (“Refrigerated Cooling System - Notice of Intent to Sole Source”) and/or notice ID number (“12505B24Q0089NOITSS”) in the e-mail subject line, body, and/or attachments. Please email all responses to this notice in writing to Aaron Dimeo at aaron.dimeo@usda.gov by no later than 11:59 PM CT on Thursday, March 28, 2024. Disclaimers: This notice does NOT obligate the Government to make an award or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate.Respondents are also advised that the Government is under NO obligation to acknowledge receipt of information or provide feedback to the respondents about any of the information received. NO proprietary, sensitive, confidential, and/or classified information should be included with your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information if it is determined that competing the procurement is in the best interest of the Government. Any responses received by or before the deadline shall be considered by the Government. After completing a review and analysis of any responses that are received, the Government will determine whether to compete the procurement or proceed with making a sole source award to a single vendor. However, determination by the Government whether or not to compete this proposed award upon response to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. If NO responses are received by the date and time specified above, an award will be made without any further notice.