Purchase of a 1 Year (12-month) Thermo Unity Essential (Preventive Maintenance and Service) Plan Government¿s Notice of Intent to Sole Source: NAICS Code: 811219 Other Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) intends to negotiate, on a sole source basis, with Thermo Electron North America LLC (Thermo), 1400 Northpoint Pkwy, Ste 10, West Palm Beach, FL 33407, a firm fixed-price purchase order under Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 13 Simplified Acquisition Procedures (SAP) for the purchase of a 1 year (12-month) preventive maintenance and service plan (service plan) for the EPA's Thermo X Series II inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) (Serial # SN01263C) (X Series II ICP-MS), iCAP 6500 Duo View inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer (ICP-OES) (Serial # 20113207) (iCAP 6500 Duo View ICP-OES), Spectrasystem A/S Oven-Temp Cooler (Spectrasystem cooler) (Serial # 180160), P400 Pump 10ml/min (Serial # 25281) (P400 pump), and Degasser Module SCM1000 (degasser module) (Serial # 205399) located at the EPA¿s Office of Research and Development (ORD), National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL), Exposure Methods and Measurements Division (EMMD), Public Health Chemistry Branch (PHCB), Research Triangle Park (RTP), NC. The X Series II ICP-MS, iCAP 6500 Duo View ICP-OES, Spectrasystem cooler, P400 pump, and degasser module (Thermo instrument suite) make up a mission-critical suite of analytical instrument used extensively by EPA scientists for a variety of different research projects. There is a critical need for the Thermo instrument suite to be covered under one service plan to ensure proper functionality; Thermo is uniquely qualified to provide a service plan for the EPA's instrument suite for the following reasons: 1) Thermo is the manufacturer of the X Series II ICP-MS, iCAP 6500 Duo View ICP-OES, and Spectrasystem cooler; 2) Thermo service technicians are certified Thermo factory-trained technicians possessing proprietary knowledge and skills pertaining to the X Series II ICP-MS, iCAP 6500 Duo View ICP-OES, and Spectrasystem cooler; and 3) hardware, firmware and software associated with the X Series II ICP-MS uses technology that is proprietary to Thermo, instrument software notifications, updates, and bug fixes are proprietary to Thermo; and 4) the use of factory certified parts is essential for the generation of reliable data for future analyses and comparison of our past results that are used to develop EPA guidance and policy. For these reasons, the maintenance and servicing of the Thermo instrument suite by another organization is not feasible. This purchase order is therefore being directed, without competition, to Thermo. The circumstances permitting Other than Full and Open Competition at this time is FAR 13.106-1(b) Soliciting from a single source, only one responsible source and no other supplies or service will satisfy agency requirements. The intent of this notice is to state the Government's intention to sole source this acquisition and to determine if any other source(s) exist. Therefore, no solicitation (RFQ) is available. All interested parties who believe they can provide the required service should 1) fully explain their capabilities and qualifications in writing and submit same via FedConnect, a government web portal, within 10 days from the date of this announcement; and 2) must submit itemized pricing that is sufficient to make a determination that competition is feasible. Consequently, any responder(s) failing to provide the aforementioned data but instead choosing merely to submit a routine letter requesting a copy of the RFQ will not be honored. Offerors must submit all technical questions / responses concerning this synopsis electronically through FedConnect at www.fedconnect.net/Fedconnect/. This notice and any amendments will be available via the Internet at www.fedconnect.net/FedConnect/ . You must register with FedConnect as an interested party to submit questions and to view responses. Vendors can register with FedConnect at www.fedconnect.net/FedConnect/. For assistance in registering or for other FedConnect technical questions please call the FedConnect Help Desk at (800) 899-6665 or email at
[email protected]. FedConnect is a web portal that connects agencies and vendors to streamline the process of doing business with the federal government. Through FedConnect contractors will be able to receive, review and respond to contract pre- and post-award actions and documents such as correspondence, request for proposals, tasking instruments and contract modifications. The use of FedConnect also furthers the EPA¿s commitment to moving towards a paperless acquisition environment by reducing its carbon footprint and conducting its business in an ecologically friendly manner. There is no charge to use FedConnect. In addition, all vendors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM), as this facilitates registration for FedConnect. Please note that vendors MUST have their SAM profile set to ¿public,¿ otherwise FedConnect will not be able to access the SAM information required to validate vendor credentials. Registration may be completed and information regarding the registration process may be obtained at http://www.sam.gov. There is no charge for registration in SAM.