NASA/KSC intends to purchase the items from Oxford Instruments America, Inc. of Concord, MA. Oxford Instruments is the sole manufacturer of the required equipment needed for the EDS system being used for simultaneious elemental analysis data collection with a wave length dispersive spectrometer (WDS) on a Carl Zeiss scanning electron microscope. This equipment uses software proprietary to Oxford Instruments.

The Government intends to acquire a commercial item using FAR Part 12.

Interested organizations may submit their capabilities and qualifications to perform the effort in writing to the identified point of contact not later than 12:00 p.m. local time on September 23, 2014. Such capabilities/qualifications will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct this procurement on a competitive basis. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed effort on a full and open competition basis, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the government.

Oral communications are not acceptable in response to this notice.

All responsible sources may submit an offer which shall be considered by the agency.

NASA Clause 1852.215-84, Ombudsman, is applicable. The Center Ombudsman for this acquisition can be found at http://prod.nais.nasa.gov/pub/p ub_library/Omb.html .