Notice of Intent to Sole Source – Agilent Technologies
Overview
Buyer
Place of Performance
NAICS
PSC
Set Aside
Original Source
Timeline
Qualification Details
Fit reasons
- NAICS alignment with historical contract wins in similar service areas.
- Scope strongly matches core technical capabilities and delivery model.
Risks
- Past performance thresholds may require one additional teaming partner.
- Potential clarification needed on staffing minimums before bid/no-bid.
Next steps
Validate eligibility requirements, assign capture owner, and schedule partner outreach to confirm teaming strategy before submission planning.
Quick Summary
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center (CC), Department of Transfusion Medicine (DTM), Infectious Diseases Section has issued a Notice of Intent to Sole Source for the acquisition of an Agilent SureScan Microarray Scanner. This procurement, valued as a fixed-price purchase order, is intended for Agilent Technologies to support ongoing clinical research and diagnostic assay development in Bethesda, MD. Responses from interested parties are due by May 5, 2026, at 11 AM EST.
Scope of Requirement
The NIH requires the Agilent SureScan Microarray Scanner, including all necessary hardware, proprietary software, and installation components. This equipment is critical for supporting clinical research and the development of diagnostic assays for hepatitis viruses and other transfusion-transmissible pathogens. The acquisition falls under Product Service Code 6515 (Medical Instruments, Equipment, and Supplies) and NAICS Code 339112 (Surgical and Medical Instrument Manufacturing).
Sole Source Justification
The NIH justifies this sole source award to Agilent Technologies based on several factors:
- Proprietary Compatibility: The scanner is uniquely designed to integrate with existing Agilent microarray platforms and feature extraction software, which are currently in use and essential for validated workflows.
- Data Continuity and Integrity: Current research projects rely on datasets generated using Agilent systems, and introducing a different scanner would compromise longitudinal studies and reproducibility.
- Unique Technical Capabilities: The Agilent scanner offers critical features such as dual-laser scanning optimized for Cy3 and Cy5 dyes, high sensitivity for low-abundance nucleic acid detection, and built-in ozone protection, which are not equivalently available elsewhere.
- Workflow Integration: Existing laboratory protocols, staff training, and bioinformatics pipelines are specifically configured for Agilent platforms, making a transition to another system highly disruptive.
Contract & Timeline
- Type: Notice of Intent to Sole Source (Fixed Price Purchase Order)
- Set-Aside: None (Sole Source)
- Response Due: May 5, 2026, 11 AM EST
- Published: April 28, 2026
- Place of Performance: Bethesda, MD 20892 USA
Additional Notes
This is a notice of intent, not a request for quotation, and a solicitation document will not be issued. The acquisition is being conducted under FAR Part 13 – Simplified Acquisition Procedures, Subpart 13.106-1(b)(1), which allows for sole source awards when only one source is reasonably available. Interested parties may identify their interest and capabilities, but the government retains discretion on whether to compete the requirement. Comments should be submitted to Kristin Nagashima at Kristin.nagashima@nih.gov.