Notice of Intent: The USDA, ARS, SEA intends to award a sole source procurement to Agilent Technologies, Inc., 2850 Centerville Road, Wilmington, DE 19808-1610, as they are the sole source for this type of instrument pursuant to the authority of 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(l ) and FAR 13.106-1(b)(1)(i) Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements.

The award will be for the purchase of a Femto Pulse System and Femto Pulse Verification. Includes the Femto Pulse instrument, computer and monitor, controller and analysis software, capillary array, and installation/familiarization services. The system has the unique ability in detection limits as it has demonstrated sensitivity for fragments of at least 50 fg/μL for DNA fragments. It has high resolution with sizing accuracy of ≤5% and sizing precision of ≤2%. The system has the flexibility to switch between 2 different gel/application types without stopping in-progress instrument operation. More importantly the Femto can analyze large gDNA smears and fragments through 165 kb using pulsed field separation or to analyze NGS smears, fragments, cfDNA, total RNA, and mRNA using direct field electrophoresis and the proposed vendor is the only known distributor of this equipment. The proposed vendor is the sole patent holder, manufacturer and distributor of this equipment.

The Government intends to award a firm fixed price Purchase Order on or about August 22, 2019, using Simplified Acquisition Procedures. This Notice of lntent is not considered a Request for Quotation (RFQ) nor is it a Request for Proposals (RFP). No solicitation document is available and telephone requests will not be honored. Interested persons may identify their interest and capability to respond to this requirement. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract based on responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. The Government will consider all responses received by 2:00 PM central time, August 21, 2019. Information received will be considered solely for determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. Inquiries will only be accepted via email to the points of contact listed:

Place of Performance:
USDA-ARS
141 Experiment Station Road
Stoneville, MS 38776

Primary Point of Contact:
Jessica Pacheco
Contract Specialist
[email protected]

Secondary Point of Contact:
Nicholas Langley
Contract Specialist
[email protected]