TECAN FLUENT 780 ROBOTIC LIQUID HANDLER PURCHASE

SAM.gov

SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE

Solicitation Number:  75N98026Q00955

Title:  Tecan Fluent 780 Robotic Liquid Handler Purchase

Classification Code:  6640

NAICS Code:  334516

Description:  Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing

This is a Small Business Sources Sought Notice. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals, proposal abstracts, or quotations.

The purpose of this notice is to obtain information regarding: (1) the availability and capability of qualified small business sources; (2) whether they are small businesses; HUBZone small businesses; service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses; 8(a) small businesses; veteran-owned small businesses; woman-owned small businesses; or small disadvantaged businesses; (3) their size classification relative to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for the proposed acquisition.

Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set-aside is possible. An organization that is not considered a small business under the applicable NAICS code should not submit a response to this notice.

This notice is issued to help determine the availability of qualified companies technically capable of meeting the Government requirement and to determine the method of acquisition.  It is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract.  Responses will not be considered as proposals or quotes.  No award will be made as a result of this notice.  The Government will NOT be responsible for any costs incurred by the respondents to this notice.  This notice is strictly for research and information purposes only.

Background:  

Fold‑switching proteins play key roles in autoimmune disease, cancer, and viral pathogenesis, including SARS‑CoV‑2. Understanding how and why these proteins adopt multiple structures will improve our ability to model protein behavior across biology. Yet experimentally validating fold‑switching remains extremely challenging, and our computational predictions now generate hundreds of candidates that require systematic testing.

A Tecan liquid handler with the Te‑Chrome module will transform this workflow by enabling high‑throughput purification and multi‑condition screening of predicted targets. What currently takes weeks or months per protein can be evaluated in parallel, freeing time and resources while greatly expanding experimental scope. Automated assay setup, mutational library assembly, and reproducible multi‑condition testing will ensure consistent, scalable progress—even for difficult targets—and generate high‑quality negative and positive data that refine predictive algorithms.

By accelerating the discovery and characterization of fold‑switching proteins, this system directly supports NIH’s mission to advance fundamental biological knowledge and uncover mechanisms underlying human disease. The methodologies developed will also benefit the broader scientific community by enabling more diverse and ambitious protein research in both academic and industrial settings.

Purpose and Objectives:

The purpose of this acquisition is to provide a Tecan Fluent 780 Robotic Handler to the National Library of Medicine.

Project requirements:

A full list of the required equipment can be found in Attachment A.

Anticipated period of performance:

Anticipated delivery date is 30 days after receipt of order.

Requested Response:

The intent of this sources sought notice is to define the procurement strategy (e.g. set-aside, sole source, unrestricted) for a solicitation that is intended to be posted soon. Interested contractors are requested to respond by (1) identifying how their proposed product meets or exceeds the project requirements listed above; and (2) providing product literature, white papers, or capability statements that demonstrate their bona fide ability to supply such an item within the time frame described above.

In addition, please state your business size status and whether you are the manufacturer or authorized distributor of the item you propose.

Please note that NIH is particularly interested in small business sources. If you are a small business, please state the type of small business (small business; HUBZone; service-disabled, veteran-owned; 8(a); veteran-owned; woman-owned; or small disadvantaged businesses) and your size classification relative to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for the proposed acquisition. Your responses to the information requested will assist the Government in determining the appropriate acquisition method, including whether a set-aside is possible.

The respondent must also provide their DUNS number, organization name, address, point of contact, and size and type of business (e.g., 8(a), HubZone, etc.), pursuant to the applicable NAICS code and any other information that may be helpful in developing or finalizing the acquisition requirements.

The information submitted must be must be in an outline format that addresses each of the elements of the project requirements and in the capability statement /information sought paragraphs stated herein.  A cover page and an executive summary may be included but is not required.

The response must include the respondents’ technical and administrative points of contact, including names, titles, addresses, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail addresses.

All responses to this notice must be submitted electronically to the Contracting Officer.  Facsimile responses are NOT accepted.

The response must be submitted to Kevin Alvarez, Contracting Officer, at e-mail address kevin.alvarez@nih.gov.

The response must be received on or before August 11, 2026, 9:00am, Eastern Time.

Disclaimer and Important Notes:  This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response. The Government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization’s qualifications to perform the work.

Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a presolicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published at SAM.gov. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation.

Confidentiality: No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s).