The National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST) seeks information on vendors that are capable of providing maintenance and repair services on a Thermo Scientific X7 ICP-MS quadrupole mass spectrometer meeting the requirements discussed below. The purpose of this notice is to identify organizations capable of providing services which meet these requirements. This announcement is not a Request for Proposals or Quotes (RFP/RFQ) and does not commit the Government to award a contract now or in the future. The information contained in this notice is DRAFT only and as such, is subject to change prior to issuance of a solicitation. No solicitation is available at this time.

After results of this market research are obtained and analyzed, NIST may conduct a competitive or non-competitive procurement and subsequently award a contract. NIST is seeking responses from all responsible sources, including large and small businesses. This requirement is assigned a NAICS code of 811219 with a small business size standard of $20.5 Million.

Interested business organizations that believe they may be capable of meeting NIST's requirements detailed below should provide a capability statement demonstrating the ability of the Contractor to meet NIST's service requirements. Additionally, contractors should include information on their commercial pricing for services on similar equipment, with special focus on discussing whether the contractor offers annual fee service plans, or services rendered on a time and materials basis. Contractors may provide supplemental information at their discretion.

NIST owns a Thermo Scientific X7 ICP-MS quadrupole mass spectrometer, Serial Number X0372. NIST is seeking a one year and up to four option years of maintenance and repair services on this instrument. Services include:

Preventive Maintenance

a. Provide one (1) preventive maintenance visit during each one-year term of the service agreement. Scheduling of the visits shall be consistent with the maintenance requirements of the instrument as detailed in NIST's copies of the service and use manuals for the equipment.

b. The Contractor shall contact the NIST Technical Point of Contact (TPOC) to schedule a mutually acceptable date and time for the preventive maintenance visit. The scheduled maintenance visits may be made at the same time as an unscheduled service visit for corrective or other repairs if such a visit occurs within one month before a scheduled preventive maintenance visit. All visits must be scheduled, in advance with the NIST TPOC or designated representative. The contractor is responsible for initiating the scheduling of such visits.

System Enhancements

Install all commercial software upgrades for the purposes of instrument optimization not later than 60 days after any such update is released. Prior to completion of the installation , the Contractor shall test the equipment, review the equipment's performance, and take whatever steps are necessary to ensure the equipment is functioning in accordance with the manufacturers' specifications.

Service Calls

a. Respond to all service calls in the event of instrument failure which requires immediate repair. The contractor shall provide travel, labor, and any factory-certified parts that required replacement.

b. Respond to service calls Monday through Friday, during regular business hours only. A service technician shall provide on-site service at NIST Gaithersburg within a maximum three business day response time after the call is placed. No weekend service visits shall be required.

c. In the event that the Contractor is unable to resolve the problem during the service call, the Contractor shall provide telephone support and on-site support as needed to expedite a solution for NIST.

d. The contractor shall be responsible to obtain all parts required for all repairs and maintenance. The Contractor shall make a reasonable effort to secure parts within 24 hours after identifying the need for a replacement part for the covered equipment.

e. All parts shall be Original Equipment from the Manufacturer (OEM) or approved for use by the manufacturer.

f. All repairs must result in the equipment meeting manufacturer's specifications.

g. Any parts or components removed for replacement shall become the property of the Contractor unless otherwise agreed to by the parties. The Contractor shall remove the parts from the NIST campus at the time of the service call, or provide shipping instructions and return shipping information that NIST may return the parts to the Contractor within 3 days after the service visit is completed. The Contractor shall assume all charges and liability for all shipments.

Service Conditions

a. All service provided under this agreement must be provided by trained personnel who are fluent in the operation of the covered equipment. Service must be rendered on-site at the NIST Gaithersburg, MD campus located at 100 Bureau Drive, Gaithersburg, MD 20899.unless otherwise agreed by the parties.

b. In the event that a part needs to be repaired off-site, the Contractor shall be responsible for all packaging, shipping and transportation costs as well as liability for the shipment to and from NIST Gaithersburg.

Telephone Support

a. Provide unlimited telephone support for the covered equipment during regular business hours.

b. Telephone support must include response to questions about operating practices, application use, and service issues that can be diagnosed and resolved over the telephone.

Contractor's Minimum Qualifications
The Contractor shall provide qualified engineers or technicians during the performance of this requirement. Contractor personnel shall have at least two (2) years of experience providing maintenance for like models of the equipment. Contractor personnel must be US citizens to access the NIST, Gaithersburg, MD campus.

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