SAM #75N98027R00019

NIH NICHD market research for a Lonza 4D-Nucleofector system or domestic equivalent

NIH NICHD is seeking market information on a Lonza 4D-Nucleofector system or a functional domestic equivalent for cell-transfection research. - Government buyer: National Institutes of Health (NIH), Office of the Director, Office of Acquisitions; Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), Section of Cell Cycle Regulation. - Notice status: Sources-sought market research only; it is not a solicitation or commitment to award. - OEMs and vendors: Lonza and Lonza Walkersville, Inc. are named. The Government is also interested in responses from authorized Lonza distributors or resellers and domestic manufacturers offering a functional equivalent; no other companies are named. - Equipment requested: One Lonza 4D-Nucleofector Core Unit (part number AAF-1003B) and one 4D-Nucleofector X Unit (part number AAF-1003X). - Warranty: One additional year of manufacturer-backed warranty coverage for each unit, beyond the minimum one-year manufacturer warranty, for two years of total coverage per unit. - Key requirements: Support electroporation-based transfection of mammalian cells, including sensitive cell types; handle 20–100 μL samples; and deliver nucleic acids and other specified reagents. Include software and protocols and remain compatible with Lonza reagents, Nucleocuvette consumables, and established workflows. A domestic equivalent must demonstrate comparable performance and workflow continuity without experimental re-validation. - Services: Delivery and installation at NIH Bethesda, plus on-site or virtual training for up to five NIH personnel on operation, software, routine maintenance, and basic troubleshooting. Training must occur within 30 days of installation. - Timing and response information: Delivery, installation, and training must be completed within 12 months after award. Respondents are asked for capability statements and applicable technical, authorization, country-of-origin, and Buy American Act information; optional non-binding pricing may be provided.

Description

1. Disclaimer

THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE ONLY. This notice is issued solely for information and market research planning purposes. It does not constitute a Request for Quotation (RFQ), Request for Proposal (RFP), or Invitation for Bids (IFB), nor does it restrict the Government to a particular acquisition approach. No contract or purchase order will be awarded from this announcement, and the Government will not reimburse respondents for any costs incurred in preparing a response.

2. Background and Purpose

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), Office of the Director, Office of Acquisitions,, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), Section of Cell Cycle Regulation, has a requirement for a Brand-Name Lonza 4D-Nucleofector® System consisting of the following:

4D-Nucleofector Core Unit, Part No. AAF-1003B – Quantity (1) EA 4D-Nucleofector X Unit, Part No. AAF-1003X - Quantity (1) EA

       3. One-year warranty extension for each unit.

Or a functional domestic equivalent, to support ongoing NIH-funded research involving the genetic manipulation of mammalian cells.

Because NICHD's ongoing studies rely on previously validated electroporation pulse-code workflows, experimental protocols, and Nucleocuvette™ consumables established on a prior-generation Lonza Nucleofector platform, the Lonza 4D-Nucleofector® System is the primary known platform capable of ensuring experimental reproducibility and data continuity without requiring costly and time-consuming protocol re-optimization or re-validation.

The Office of Acquisitions is conducting market research to identify qualified vendors—including small businesses, authorized distributors, and domestic manufacturers—and specifically seeks market information to determine:

1. Authorized Lonza Sources: The availability of Lonza Walkersville, Inc. or authorized distributors/resellers (including small businesses, HUBZone, 8(a), SDVOSB, WOSB, and Small Disadvantaged Businesses under NAICS 334516) capable of supplying new Lonza equipment with full manufacturer-backed warranties.

2. Buy American Act (FAR Part 25) Compliance: The availability of any domestic end products manufactured in the United States capable of meeting all functional, warranty, training, and legacy workflow-continuity requirements outlined in Section 3 without requiring experimental re-validation.

3. Technical Requirements and Salient Characteristics

To meet the Government's minimum requirements, the proposed system must satisfy all functional and technical specifications from the Statement of Work alongside the laboratory's workflow-continuity constraints:

Core Control Unit: The system shall include a Lonza 4D-Nucleofector® Core Unit (or a domestic equivalent central control unit) capable of controlling and operating advanced electroporation-based transfection protocols. Small-Volume Transfection Module: The system shall include a Lonza 4D-Nucleofector® X Unit (or a domestic equivalent functional module) capable of processing small-volume samples (specifically ranging from 20 µL to 100 µL) and supporting transfection of primary cells and other difficult-to-transfect cell types. Nucleic Acid & Reagent Delivery: The system shall support delivery of plasmid DNA, RNA, siRNA, CRISPR/Cas9 reagents, and other nucleic acid-based materials into mammalian cells. Optimized Transfection Performance: The system shall provide optimized electroporation programs designed to maximize transfection efficiency while maintaining high post-transfection cell viability. Sensitive Cell Applications: The system shall support research applications involving primary cells, stem cells, immune cells, and other sensitive cell populations that are not efficiently transfected using conventional lipid-based methods. Software and Protocols: The system shall include manufacturer-provided software and protocols necessary for operation of the instrument. Warranty Coverage: The system shall include a minimum one-year manufacturer warranty and one-year warranty extension coverage for both the Core Unit and X Unit (two years total coverage). Warranty coverage shall begin upon Government acceptance of the equipment and continue in accordance with the manufacturer's warranty terms. Consumable & Legacy Protocol Continuity: If proposing Lonza equipment, the system shall be 100% compatible with commercially available Lonza Nucleofector® reagents, Nucleocuvette™ consumables, and existing pulse-code workflows previously developed and validated on a prior-generation Lonza Nucleofector platform. If proposing a domestic alternative, the vendor must demonstrate that its system and consumables achieve equivalent transfection efficiency and post-transfection cell viability across NICHD's existing mammalian cell workflows without requiring protocol re-optimization or experimental re-validation. Delivery, Installation, and Training: Equipment must be delivered to NIH Bethesda (Building 49) and installed, with on-site or virtual user training for up to five (5) NIH personnel completed within 30 days of installation (covering system operation, software functionality, routine maintenance, and basic troubleshooting). All delivery, installation, and training shall be completed within the 12-month period of performance from award.

4. Capability Statement Submission Instructions

Interested organizations that believe they can meet all requirements outlined in Section 3 are invited to submit a tailored Capability Statement (no more than 5 pages) containing the following information:

1. Company Profile: Organization name, mailing address, primary Point of Contact (name, title, email, and telephone number), SAM.gov Unique Entity ID (UEI), and CAGE code.

2. Business Size & Socioeconomic Status: Business size under NAICS 334516 (1,000-employee size standard) and applicable socioeconomic designations (e.g., Small Business, Woman-Owned, Veteran-Owned, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned, HUBZone, 8(a)).

3. Contract Vehicles: Identification of any existing federal contract vehicles held by the vendor through which this equipment can be ordered (e.g., GSA Multiple Award Schedule), or confirmation of open-market availability.

4. Country of Origin (COO): Explicit identification of the manufacturing country of origin for all proposed hardware components and confirmation of whether the system qualifies as a domestic end product under the Buy American Act (FAR Part 25).

5. Technical Capability & Authorization:

Product brochures, technical specifications, and catalog numbers demonstrating compliance with every requirement in Section 3. If proposing Lonza equipment: Documentation confirming status as an Authorized Distributor/Reseller eligible to provide new equipment and manufacturer-backed warranties. If proposing a domestic alternative: Technical evidence proving equivalent transfection performance and workflow continuity with existing NICHD mammalian cell protocols without requiring experimental re-validation.

6. Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) Pricing (Optional): Non-binding budgetary pricing estimate for market research purposes.

5. Place of Performance:

NIH, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20892

6. Submission Deadline and Contact Information

Please submit electronic Capability Statements in PDF or Microsoft Word format via email to Tina Robinson at robinsti@mail.nih.gov no later than November 18, 2026, at 11:00 AM EST. Telephone inquiries will not be accepted.

Capability Statements must reference Notice Number 75N98027R00019. Email submissions and any questions must be sent to robinsti@mail.nih.gov and include Notice Number 75N98027R00019 in the subject line. Capability Statements and attachments will not be returned to the sender. This synopsis is for information and planning purposes only and shall not be construed as a commitment by the Government, nor will the Government pay for information solicited.

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