The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)/Animal Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS) intends to establish a sole source Blanket Purchasing Agreement (BPA) with Biomerieux, Inc., for various laboratory testing supplies at the USDA, AMS, Science and Technology, National Science Laboratory (NSL), located at 801 Summit Crossing Place, Suite B, Gastonia, NC 28054-2193. (See attached list of representative supplies) Calls will be firm fixed price and will be issued to fulfill anticipated repetitive needs of the NSL for testing supplies used in analyzing potentially hazardous samples and specimens. Biomerieux’s brand name products must be used in order to be fully compatible with the NSL’s testing equipment. Market research seems to indicate that other companies’ similar products, or products lacking the particular feature, do not meet, or cannot be modified to meet, the Agency’s current needs. Accordingly, the Agency has determined that Biomerieux is the only supplier that can furnish testing supplies that are fully compatible with the NSL’s equipment and will not cause service-related issues. This procurement is being conducted in accordance with FAR 6.302-1. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 423490, and the size standard is 100. This Notice of Intent is not a request for competitive proposals. No solicitations documents are available and telephone requests will not be honored. However, if a firm believes it can meet the requirements it must furnish information about its products as well as three (3) references from other customers who are using these products to the Contracting Officer by 3:30 p.m. Central Time (CT) on Friday, October 31, 2008. Supporting evidence must be furnished in sufficient detail to demonstrate the ability to comply with the above requirement. Responses received after the response date or without the required information will be deemed nonresponsive to the synopsis and will not be considered. Capability statements may be sent to: Daniel M. Kline, Contracting Specialist, USDA-APHIS-MRPBS, ASD Procurement Branch, Butler Square Building, 5th Floor, 100 N. 6th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55403, or via email @
[email protected] or fax @ (612) 336-3550. Responses received will be evaluated however; a determination by the Government not to compete the proposed BPA based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. If no responses are received, APHIS will proceed with the sole source BPA with Biomerieux Inc.