The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) intends to negotiate on a sole source basis, under the authority of FAR 13.501, with:

TESCAN USA

765 Commonwealth Drive, Suite 101

Warrendale, PA 15086

The sole source justification is based on the following:

In 2010, NIST purchased a TESCAN MIRA3 scanning electron microscope. This instrument was selected to become the foundation on which NIST developed a custom software package called SEMantics whose primary purpose is to add computer automated particle analysis capabilities to the microscope. In recent years, the TESCAN MIRA3 has been replaced by the TESCAN MIRA4 and the MIRA3 is no longer commercially available.

The TESCAN MIRA4 provides an implementation of the SharkSEM API and the RCA routines that is largely compatible with the MIRA3 implementation. Our arrangement with our other agency partner requires us to support RCA through DTSA-II and SEMantics for the partner laboratories. The specifications for the instrument are thus designed for automated particle analysis and to match the instruments installed in the other laboratories. As a result, we must purchase a Tescan MIRA4 SEM with the hardware and software needed to support the partner laboratories.

Extensive market research has concluded that this instrument is manufactured by TESCAN Brno s.r.o., a wholly owned-subsidiary of TESCAN GROUP, and that TESCAN USA Inc., also a wholly owned subsidiary of TESCAN GROUP, is the official and sole U.S.A. representative for TESCAN GROUP and TESCAN Brno s.r.o. As such, all TESCAN products, supplies, accessories and parts can be obtained, installed, and guaranteed in the USA only from TESCAN USA Inc. There are no other authorized resellers of their products and the propriety software needed for TESCAN products, and this software is not made available to outside parties. Furthermore, other vendors identified during market research could not meet a number of requirements.

Given these facts, TESCAN USA is the only source reasonably available to fulfill the requirement.

The resulting purchase order will be a Firm Fixed Price purchase order. The NAICS Code is 334516- Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing with a size standard of 1000 employees.

No solicitation package will be issued. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive quotations; however, interested parties who regard themselves as capable of fulfilling these requirements are invited to submit responses to the Government for consideration. Responses received by 1:00 pm EST May 22, 2024 will be considered by the Government. Responses must be submitted via email to the Government point of contacts listed below:

A determination by the Government not to compete the proposed acquisition based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement.

Attachments/Links