FBO ANNOUNCEMENT: PRESOLICITATION NOTICE, NOTICE OF INTENT

ACTION CODE: SPECIAL NOTICE

SUBJECT: Sole source – System for Concentrating Trace VOC

SOLICITATION NUMBER: NB647070-25-01845

RESPONSE DATE: 6/13/25

DESCRIPTION:

The National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST), Applied Chemicals and Materials Division (ACMD) is building the infrastructure to advance breathalyzers for law enforcement and clinical diagnosis. Exhaled breath contains volatile organic molecules (VOCs) with the potential to reveal exposure to drugs and toxins, infectious disease, and chronic disease, but determining someone’s “breathprint” requires accurate measurements of molecules with breath concentrations ranging from parts-per-billion (ppb) to parts-per-trillion (ppt). ACMD is developing breath surrogates containing VOCs that span a range of volatilities, chemical characteristics, and concentrations to provide device developers with tools to benchmark the performance of novel breathalyzers. This work requires characterizing the concentration accuracy that can be achieved for VOCs in mixtures whose composition matches the major features of exhaled breath, specifically its temperature, bulk composition, and humidity.

ACMD utilizes gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC-FID) to characterize breath surrogates with VOC concentrations at or above 5 parts-per-million (ppm), but an additional preconcentration system is required for breath surrogates with trace VOC concentrations. Systems developed to concentrate VOCs from air samples are most applicable to VOCs in humid breath samples, but there are also some different requirements due to the volatility of the VOCs of interest and the higher relative humidity of breath samples.  The two main requirements for this System for Concentrating Trace VOC are that the gas stream (humid air sample) must remain at 20 C or higher during the entire preconcentration process so that higher boiling molecules are not lost. The second requirement is that the system must utilize open tubular columns for trapping and focusing, not the older packed columns that cannot handle high relative humidity.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) intends to negotiate on a sole source basis, under the authority of FAR 13.106-1(b) (1), with Entech Instruments located in Simi Valley, CA, for the purchase of this equipment.

Sole Source justification is based on the following:

Market research has shown that the only manufacturer with the open tubular columns requirement capability listed above is Entech Instruments, Inc’s 7200CTS Preconcentrator System.   

Entech Instruments has stated “The 7200CTS pre-concentrator utilizes a patented system for performing VOC analysis that is not found from any other manufacturer. As such, we are the sole source authorized service/installation provider for these systems and the only source for material, replacement parts, or service contracts for these instruments within the United States or Canada. Our products and services are not sold through distributors domestically.”

NAICS code for this requirement will be 334516– Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing with a small business size 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 1:00AM EST on 6/13/25 will be considered by the Government.

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.

Inquiry POCs

[email protected]  Primary

[email protected]  Secondary

National Institutes of Standards and Technologies NIST Acquisition Management Division (AMD)

100 Bureau Dr. Mail Stop 1640

Gaithersburg, MD. 20899-1640