This is a notice of Intent to Sole Source, not a request for proposals.  A solicitation document will not be issued and proposals will not be requested.

HHS, SUPPLY SERVICE CENTER, PERRY POINT, MARYLAND, intends to award a Firm-Fixed Price Contract to Life Technologies Inc., 3175 Staley Road, Grand Island NY 14072 to provide PN: 10966083BW, Platinum TAQ DNA Polymerase kit, 5000 reactions per kit.    The proposed contract action is for the BioWatch Laboratory Operations.  The incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2021-03.

The associated North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code is 325413.   Interested vendors may identify their interests and capabilities to the requirement no later than 10:00 am EST, April 13, 2021 by email only to [email protected] (NO PHONE CALLS).   The Government will consider all responses, but a determination not to compete this action is solely under the discretion of the Government. This action is under the authority of 41 United States Code (U.S.C.) 253(c) (3)(B) as set forth in Federal Acquisition Regulation  (FAR) 6.302-1(a)(2)(ii) [Sole Source Follow On contract], FAR 6.302-2(a) [Unusual and Compelling Urgency], and 6.302-4(b)(2) [International Agreement] .

Sole Source Justification:
The BioWatch program laboratory screening assays that are provided by the DoD DBPAO have been developed, produced, and used by different government agencies/researchers for years. The DoD DBPAO procedures were optimized and validated using the Platinum™ Taq DNA Polymerase enzyme kits from ThermoFisher Life Technologies (formerly lnvitrogen).
The DoD DBPAO has tested and determined that only ThermoFisher Life Technologies’ Platinum™ Taq DNA Polymerase enzyme kit successfully meets DoD and BioWatch requirements.
ThermoFisher Life Techologies’ Platinum™ Taq DNA Polymerase enzyme kit meets the required chemistry for the program need and only ThermoFisher Life Technologies (formerly lnvitrogen) manufactures this product.
Several ThermoFisher Life Technologies (formerly lnvitrogen) patents cover the unique enzyme in the Platinum™ Taq DNA Polymerase enzyme kit that is required for DoD DBPAO real-time polymerase chain reactions (PCRs). Platinum™ Taq DNA Polymerase is a chemically modified form of Taq DNA Polymerase. In addition to the patents covering Platinum™ Taq DNA Polymerase, ThermoFisher Life Technologies (formerly lnvitrogen) owns U.S. Patent No.s 5,079,352; 5,789,224; 5,618,711; and 6,127, 155 - all titled "Thermostable Polymerases" and foreign equivalent patents that cover this enzyme.