The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Office of Acquisitions Services is issuing this Sources Sought Notice on behalf of the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Health Effects Laboratory Division (HELD)

ACQUISITION REQUIREMENT: NIOSH HELD has a requirement to obtain an Orbitrap Exploris 240 with IC and DP (Thermo Scientific Orbitrap Exploris™ 240 mass spectrometer) that meets the following salient characteristics:

General

• The mass spectrometer must utilize a Quadrupole Mass Filter consisting of segmented mass filter, providing variable and step-less precursor isolation width selection from 0.4 Da to full mass range.
• The mass spectrometer must be able to perform parallel filling and detection to increase duty cycle. Parallel Filling allows for the simultaneous injection and trapping of ions while previous ions are being detected in the analyzer. This overlap of ion filling and detection processes reduces the overall cycle time, allowing more samples to be analyzed in a shorter period without sacrificing resolution or sensitivity.

Sensitivity:

• MS/MS: 200 fg Reserpine on column yields S/N 100:1 RMS or better
• tSIM: 200 fg Reserpine on column yields S/N 250:1 RMS or better

Isolation and Fragmentation

The instrument must be able to isolate ions stepless between

• 0.4 Da and full mass range (between m/z 40 and m/z 400)
• 0.7 Da and full mass range (between m/z 400 and m/z 700)
• 1 Da and full mass range (between m/z 700 and m/z 1000)
• 1.5 Da and full mass range (between m/z 1000 and m/z 1500)
• 2 Da and full mass range (between m/z 1500 and m/z 2000)
• 3 Da and full mass range (between m/z 2000 and m/z 2500)
• Must have a straight ion routing multipole with axial field for Higher Energy Collisional Dissociation (HCD)

Mass Resolution

• Up to resolution of 240,000 (FWHM) at m/z 200 for all scan modes and both polarities
• Minimum resolution of 15,000 (FWHM) at m/z 200 for all scan modes and both polarities
• Dedicated resolution setting of 45,000 (FWHM) at m/z 200 for best TMT performance

Scan Speed

• Scan speed up to 22 scans per second (R=15,000 at m/z 200) in Full MS Scan or SIM mode
• Scan speed for MS/MS is up to 22 MS/MS scans per second at resolution (R=15,000 at m/z 200) in targeted or data-dependent mode

Mass Accuracy

• < 3 ppm RMS – with external calibration over 24 h and without any kind of mass re-calibration
• < 1 ppm RMS – with user-defined lock mass internal calibration
• < 1 ppm RMS – with internal calibration for at least 5 days

Dynamic Range

• Must be > 5,000:1 within one spectrum (single transient acquisition)

m/z Range

•  The mass spectrometer must operate in the m/z range of 40 – 6,000

Detection System

• Mass spectra must be capable of performing a non-destructive ion detection to preserve low-abundance ions and ensures highly sensitive detection.

ACQUISITION BACKGROUND: The acquisition of an Orbitrap Exploris 240 with IC and DP (Thermo Scientific Orbitrap Exploris™ 240 mass spectrometer) is integral to HELD’s ongoing and anticipated efforts to address the exposure assessment studies on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a group of human-made chemicals extensively used in various industrial and consumer products since the 1940s. The instrument is important for developing advanced analytical methods for PFAS screening and precise quantification. Its significance extends to other prospective projects with complex sample matrices and unknown chemical exposures. The Orbitrap Exploris 240 provides the capability to visualize sample compositions before conducting comprehensive method development research and analyses. Moreover, its strategic importance extends to the 'Sampling and Analytical Methods for Occupational PFAS Exposures' project. This project is crucial in understanding PFAS exposure in workplaces, with a specific emphasis on the development of targeted analytical methods. The integration of an Orbitrap into the initial stages of exposure screening is pivotal, facilitating both comprehensive non-targeted analyses and the efficient identification of diverse PFAS compounds.

HELD’s current and future research at NIOSH requires a high-resolution mass spectrometer (HRMS) with features that enable precise and simultaneous quantitation and identification of a wide range of analytes. This instrument will be used for generic research at NIOSH, analyzing samples from complex matrices such as air, solid surfaces, raw materials, blood, urine, and human and animal tissues. The HRMS must be robust, with specific sensitivities and resolution capabilities to detect low-abundance compounds in extremely complex matrices, ensuring accurate identification and quantification even in challenging samples. Additionally, it should be compatible with our existing Agilent HPLC system (high-performance liquid chromatography), allowing seamless integration of chromatographic separation techniques with mass spectrometry analysis.

In summary, NIOSH seek an HRMS instrument that possesses the capabilities and specifications as described in the acquisition requirement paragraph above that can support NIOSH’s research objectives.

SUBMISSION DETAILS:

The Government requests that interested parties who can provide the brand name product identified above (Orbitrap Exploris 240 with IC and DP (Thermo Scientific Orbitrap Exploris™ 240 mass spectrometer)) or equal that can satisfy the agency’s above mentioned salient characteristics submit the following information:

1. Name and address of company, with Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code and Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number. Any interested company must be registered with Central Contractor Registration (CCR).

2. Company Point of Contact Name, Department, phone number, and email address.

3. Address whether your company is a small business under the applicable NAICS code, including small business type(s)/certification(s) applicable to the NAICS code of this announcement. 

4. Please identify your product offering that is capable of meeting the Government’s required salient characteristics.

5. Please identify whether your product offering is a domestic end product as defined in Federal Acquisition Regulation subpart 25.003. 

Your response to this Sources Sought Notice shall be electronically submitted in either Microsoft Word or Portable Document Format (PDF), via email to the Contracting Officer, Serina Allingham, at [email protected] no later than 12:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Thursday, July 25, 2024.

Reference this Sources Sought Notice in the e-mail subject line and on all enclosed documents. Information and materials submitted in response to this request WILL NOT be returned. DO NOT SUBMIT CLASSIFIED MATERIAL OR PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION. All data received in response to this notice that is marked or designated as corporate or proprietary will be fully protected from any release outside the Government. Since this is a sources sought announcement, no feedback or evaluations will be provided to the respondents.

Providing a response to this notice neither qualifies respondents for, nor excludes respondents from, responding to any resulting Request for Proposal (RFP), if any.

DISCLAIMER: The intent of this notice is to conduct market research to identify potential sources capable of providing the supplies identified in this announcement for informational and planning purposes only. This is not an RFP It does not constitute a solicitation and shall not be construed as a commitment by the U.S. Government (USG) to issue an RFP in the future. Responses in any form are not offers and the USG is under no obligation to award a contract as a result of this announcement. The USG will not pay for or reimburse vendors for any information received or costs incurred in preparing a response to this market survey. Therefore, any costs associated with a submission are solely at the interested vendor’s expense. The USG is not liable for costs associated with this announcement. Any information or response prepared and submitted by a respondent to this sources sought/RFI is strictly VOLUNTARY. Nothing shall be construed herein or through this market research process to commit or obligate the Government to further action as a result of this research.