Opportunity
SAM #75N98026Q00273
Sole Source Service/Maintenance Agreement for CEM Discover 2.0 and Liberty Blue HT12/Razor Systems
Buyer
NIH Office of Logistics and Acquisition Operations
Posted
April 28, 2026
Respond By
May 08, 2026
Identifier
75N98026Q00273
NAICS
811210
The National Institutes of Health (NIH), through the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) Early Translation Branch (ETB) Chemistry, is seeking a sole source, one-year service and maintenance agreement for two proprietary laboratory instruments from CEM Corporation. - Sole source procurement for service/maintenance of CEM Discover 2.0 and Liberty Blue HT12/Razor microwave-assisted chemical synthesis systems - Equipment serial numbers: Discover 2.0 (N3308), Liberty Blue HT12/Razor (LB2403; HA1128; DA3755; RZ1025; Laptop ST:523QRG3) - OEM: CEM Corporation is the only authorized provider due to proprietary technology - Service agreement includes: - Unlimited service visits and troubleshooting - Parts replacement with OEM parts and accessories - One annual preventative maintenance visit (cleaning, part verification/replacement, efficacy testing) - 24-hour telephone troubleshooting support - Fast response time, travel, and labor included - Service by CEM factory-trained engineers - Equipment supports multiple drug discovery projects at NCATS - Place of performance: Rockville, Maryland (NCATS ETB Chemistry) - Contracting office: NIH OLAO, Bethesda, MD - Period of performance: One year upon award acceptance - NAICS code: 811210 (Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance) - Not set aside for small businesses
Description
Special Notice – Notice of Intent to Sole Source
SOLICITATION NUMBER: 75N98026Q00273
TITLE: Service/Maintenance Agreement renewal for the Discover 2.0 & Liberty Blue HT12/Razor microwave-assisted chemical synthesis systems made my CEM Corporation
RESPONSE DATE: May 8, 2026, at 11:00 am EST.
PRIMARY POINT OF CONTACT:
Jaddua Johnston
Phone: 240-569-0006
INTRODUCTION:
THIS IS A PRE-SOLICITATION NON-COMPETITIVE (NOTICE OF INTENT) SYNOPSIS TO AWARD A CONTRACT WITHOUT PROVIDING FOR FULL OR OPEN COMPETITION (INCLUDING BRAND-NAME).
The purpose of this action is the renewal of a service agreement for the Discover 2.0 and Liberty Blue HT12/Razor bench‑top microwave reactors designed for small‑scale organic and medicinal chemistry synthesis used by the NCATS Early Translation Branch (ETB) Chemistry. This request is intended to begin a new coverage agreement including one preventative maintenance visit. Current PO for this service agreement is PO #: 75N95C24P00096
These instruments are being used for multiple projects in our chemistry lab, including but not limited to, TR000192-10 Selective Inhibitors of ALDH1A1; TR000436-04 Identification of ALPK1 inhibitors; TR000251-09 qHTS to Identify Inhibitors of NNMT1; TR000106-10 qHTS to Identify Inhibitors of DYT1 Inclusion Formation
NORTH AMERICAN INDUSTRY CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (NAICS) CODE and SET ASIDE STATUS
NAICS code 811210 Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance @ $34 million. This acquisition is NOT set aside for small businesses.
REGULATORY AUTHORITY
This acquisition will be conducted using FAR Part 12 – Acquisition of Commercial Items in conjunction with FAR Part 13 – Simplified Acquisition Procedures, as applicable. The resultant contract will include all appropriate provisions and clauses in effect through the current Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC).
STATUTORY AUTHORITY
This acquisition is being conducted under the authority of:
FAR 6.302-1 – Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements (41 U.S.C. 3304(a)(1))
DESCRIPTION OF REQUIREMENT:
PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES:
We require a service/maintenance agreement for the Discover 2.0 and Liberty Blue HT12/Razor systems. The Liberty Blue system allows scientists to produce high-purity peptides, and the Discover 2.0 is a microwave reactor that aids in performing any organic or inorganic synthetic chemistry. Full function of this equipment is necessary for the continuity and standardization of NCATS research. The service agreement must include unlimited service visits (with troubleshooting and parts replacement coverage) preventative maintenance visits, original equipment manufacturer parts and accessories, and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) factory trained service engineers.
These are specialized laboratory machines that help us make new drug ingredients faster, more consistently, and at lower development cost.
Period of Performance:
Period of Performance: one year upon acceptance of award.
SCOPE OF WORK
General Requirements:
Independently and not as an agent of the Government, the Contractor shall furnish all the necessary services, qualified personnel, material, equipment, and facilities, not otherwise provided by the Government as needed to perform the Statement of Work below:
Service/Maintenance Agreement for the following systems with the below coverage:
Discover 2.0 (SN#N3308)
Liberty Blue HT12/Razor (LB2403; HA1128; DA3755; RZ1025; Laptop (ST:523QRG3))
One (1x) Preventative Maintenance performed annually on covered instrument/system
Inspection stickers will be affixed to each unit at the time of inspection
An equipment status report will accompany the certificates, providing an overview of inspection findings
Specific Requirements:
Specifically, the NCATS ETB Chemistry Program requires the following maintenance support for the equipment detailed below:
One (1x) scheduled on-site preventative maintenance (PM) visit should include:
Cleaning of instrument
Part verification and replacement
Efficacy testing
24-hour telephone troubleshooting support
Fast response time
Travel, labor, and parts included in cost of agreement
LEVEL OF EFFORT:
All PM work and all service work must be completed by a CEM factory trained engineer.
GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITIES
NCATS will provide access to the facility.
DELIVERY OR DELIVERABLES
None
REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
None
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Travel is not NCATS responsibility.
All PM work and all service work must be completed by a CEM factory trained engineer.
Travel:
Key Personnel:
Information System Security Plan:
Data Rights:
Section 508—Electronic and Information Technology Standards:
Publications and Publicity:
Confidentiality of Information:
CONTRACTING WITHOUT PROVIDING FOR FULL OR OPEN COMPETITION (INCLUDING BRAND-NAME) DETERMINATION
The determination by the Government to award a contract without providing for full and open competition is based upon the market research conducted. Specifically, CEM Corporation is the only vendor in the marketplace that can provide the services required by NCATS. The equipment is proprietary to its manufacturer, CEM Corporation, and this company is the sole provider of maintenance for this equipment.
In accordance with FAR part 10, extensive market research was conducted to reach this determination. Additionally, contacts with knowledgeable individuals both in industry and Government, as well as reviews of available product literature, revealed no other sources. Finally, a review of the GSA Advantage, Dynamic Small Business Search, and previous government acquisitions returned no results that meet all of the requirements. Therefore, only CEM Corporation is capable of meeting the needs of this requirement.
The intended source is:
CEM Corporation
3100 Smith Farm Road
Matthews NC 28104
CLOSING STATEMENT
THIS SYNOPSIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS. However, interested parties may identify their interest and capability to respond to this notice.
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. All responsible sources may submit a capability statement, proposal, or quotation which shall be considered by the agency. The information received will normally be considered solely for the purposes of determining whether to proceed on a non-competitive basis or to conduct a competitive procurement. This notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response.
Responses to this notice shall contain sufficient information to establish the interested parties' bona-fide capabilities for fulfilling the requirement and include: unit price, list price, shipping and handling costs, the delivery period after contract award, the prompt payment discount terms, the F.O.B. Point (Destination or Origin), the Dun & Bradstreet Number (DUNS), the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), and the certification of business size. All offerors must have an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) www.sam.gov.
All responses must be received by the closing date and time of this announcement and must reference the solicitation number, 75N98026Q00273. Responses must be submitted electronically to Jaddua Johnston, Contract Specialist at Jaddua.Johnston@nih.gov.