The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) /National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)/Division of National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (DHANES) in Hyattsville, MD, intends to award a sole source firm fixed price Purchase Order to Beckman Coulter, Inc. of Brea, CA.  The contractor will provide 24/7 maintenance services on three Coulter DxH 800 hematology instruments which perform  Complete Blood Count measurements as part of data collection in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). NHANES utilizes three mobile examination centers (MECs) which travel to 15 different locations across the United States. High quality, 24/7 maintenance for the DxH 800 hematology machines is critical to the mission of NHANES because of the importance of consistent standards ensuring the validity of data over time, the time sensitive nature of the project, difficulties presented in rescheduling patients and the impossibility of retesting.

In addition to providing 24/7 x 365 technical hotline support, a nationwide network of trained certified field service engineers and application specialists, comprehensive preventative maintenance visits in accordance with the manufacturing recommendations, factory qualified replacement parts and PROservice remote diagnostic capabilities, the contractor will designate a service representative to perform calibration and verification of the DxH 800 hematology machines when an MEC arrives at each site. Additionally, the designated service representative must be available to respond to requests for technical support in a timely manner should any malfunction occur at any time of day, night or weekend. Beckman Coulter is the only company that can meet NHANES’ maintenance requirements with regard to the proprietary DxH 800 hematology equipment in use. Attempting to utilize another maintenance company would risk the success of the program and the integrity of the data collected.

This Procurement is for Commercial Items as defined by FAR Parts 2 & 12.

This contract action is for supplies or services for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under the authority of FAR 13.106-1(b) (SAP) and 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1). 

This notice of intent is not a request for competitive quotations; however, all quotations/responses received within 15 days of the issuance of this notice will be considered by the government.

A determination by the government not to compete this proposed contract 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.

Any quotation/response must be emailed to Eric Sullivan at [email protected] before 3:00 PM Eastern Standard Time on  March 18, 2016.