TITLE – SCIENTIFIC FREEZER

Quick Summary

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), Office of Acquisitions, is conducting a Sources Sought to identify small businesses capable of providing an Automated -80°C Ultra-Low Temperature (ULT) Freezer System for the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) in Bethesda, MD. This is a Total Small Business Set-Aside. Capability statements are due by April 24, 2026, at 10:00 AM EST.

Scope of Work

The NHLBI Biospecimen Core requires a state-of-the-art automated -80°C biospecimen freezer system to strengthen biospecimen stewardship, expand capacity for high-quality handling, processing, banking, storage, and distribution, and support all NHLBI Division of Intramural Research (DIR) programs. The system aims to centralize biospecimen processing and storage, streamline workflows, and reduce duplication, managing approximately 35,000 biospecimens annually. Key benefits include operational efficiency, modernized storage, improved data systems, resource optimization, regulatory compliance, collaboration, and scalability. An ROI analysis projects significant savings in labor, energy, and floor space, recovering investment in under five years.

Key Requirements

The vendor shall furnish, install, test, and train for a system meeting or exceeding the following:

• Environmental Performance: Maintain -80°C ± 3°C, with temperature stability of ± 1.5°C and homogeneity < 3°C. Must provide internal -80°C buffer for cold chain protection during I/O, and active humidity control to prevent frost.
• Capacity & Handling: Usable storage for ≥ 3.5 million FluidX 1.0 mL 2D-barcoded tubes. Support SBS and legacy labware formats (0.5 mL to 1.9 mL vials, Sarstedt, cryogenic vials, PAXgene RNA tubes, standard cryoboxes). Automated identification for barcodes and container height. Optimized picking throughput.
• Resilience & Monitoring: Dual-redundant refrigeration circuits, LN2 backup, independent environmental controls, and alarm/notification with external integration (e.g., REES Scientific).
• Software & Data Integrity: Web-based UI and RESTful API, cloud/cluster server hosting (NIH security compliant), onboard inventory management (LIMS-like), third-party integration capabilities, enterprise authentication support, comprehensive audit trails, and 21 CFR Part 11 compliance. Must support order management (partial fill, reprioritization) and automated consolidation/defragmentation.
• Physical Constraints: Entire system (including clearances) must fit within 52 ft x 15 ft footprint and not exceed 12 ft height.
• Installation, Testing, Training: On-site installation, Site Acceptance Testing (SAT) with clear pass/fail criteria (environmental, redundancy, barcode, pick/place, inventory, integration), and comprehensive on-site operator training.

Contract & Timeline

• Type: Sources Sought / Market Research
• Set-Aside: Total Small Business Set-Aside (FAR 19.5)
• Response Due: April 24, 2026, at 10:00 AM EST
• Published: April 17, 2026

Submission Instructions

Interested small businesses should submit a capability statement (not exceeding 7 pages) via email to Lynda Cole (Lynda.cole@nih.gov). The statement must include:

1. Name and address of vendor
2. Size and type of business (identify size standards)
3. Point of contact (name, title, phone, fax, email)
4. UEI number
5. Professional qualifications of experts and technical personnel related to requirements
6. Any other relevant information. Proprietary or confidential business data should not be submitted.

Additional Notes

This is not a solicitation and does not obligate the Government to award a contract. Responses will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including potential set-asides.