J--NOTICE OF INTENT TO SOLE SOURCE

The Bureau of Land Management, Cheyenne, Wyoming, intends to award on a sole source basis to Oxford Instruments America, Inc., Concord, Massachusetts for maintenance. The purpose of the Oxford Instruments x-ManX EDS is to identify clay minerals, other industrial minerals, rare earth elements (REE) and hard rock minerals and their respective amounts on a percentage basis of the ions emitted during bombardment with the electron beam from the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). It requires annual preventive maintenance during which time instrument calibration and performance is checked against factory standards and software upgrades are factory installed. Preventive maintenance of delicate instrumentation is an essential component of the x-ray detector. Due to the circumstances that using any other contractor for maintenance, if one could be found, would void all manufacturer¿s warranty on the equipment. No solicitation package will be available. No telephone or fax requests will be accepted. Any response to this notice must show clear and convincing evidence that competition would be advantageous to the Government. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract based on this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Detailed capabilities must be submitted no later than August 15, 2018. The North American Industry Classification for this procurement is 811219 with a size standard of $20.50.