Service Contract Renewal OXFORD INSTRUMENTS

NOTICE OF INTENT – SOLE-SOURCE ACQUISITION

Notice No.: 75N98027Q00045

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), intends to award a Firm-Fixed-Price Purchase Order to Oxford Instruments (Witec Instruments) for Service Contract for WiTec Raman

Microscope Systems, Model: Alpha 300+, Serial No. 100-1200-2268.

Description of the Requirement

Service contract is essential for preventive maintenance, calibration and timely repairs of Witec Alpha 300R Raman microscope. Oxford Instruments Inc. (formerly known as Witec Instruments Inc) is the sole provider of genuine spare parts for these instruments and only qualified Oxford Instruments technicians can perform maintenance and repair of the equipment. A contract with a third-party repair/maintenance service will void Oxford service contract, and significantly increase the risk of disruptions in SPB/NICHD/NIH mission in the case of serious instrument failure.

Contractor shall perform the following:

PM – 1 Annual Preventative Maintenance (and/or Calibration) on-site Field Service Engineer Visit – covers PM parts, labor, travel expense.

TECHNICAL SUPPORT –Access to Helpdesk and Technical Support included with priority response time during standard business hours Monday-Friday 8:30AM-5PM EST, excluding Federal Holidays.

Technical Remote Support subject to connectivity and availability.

LABOUR: Labor and Travel Expenses for all on-site FSE visits are included.

PARTS – Includes replacement parts

CONSUMABLES: consumables are not covered -however, a 10% OFF SILVER Contract discount applies towards all consumables via

Oxford Instruments Online Store, Link to eStore: https://estore.oxinst.com/us

SOFTWARE: Software fault or bug fixes are included. Software Updates are also included.

Contractor shall provide OEM certified parts for all preventative maintenance and service repairs, except for consumables, at no additional cost to the Government. Shipping and handling parts under warranty or contract shall not be charged to the Government.

Contractor shall provide an OEM service technician to perform all preventive maintenance inspections, service repairs and technical support.

Justification for the Proposed Sole-Source Acquisition

The Government intends to solicit from a single source pursuant to FAR 6.302-1, Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements.

Oxford Instruments Inc. is the manufacturer of the WTIec alpha300R Raman microscope and the sole provider of alignment and maintenance services currently deployed at the SPB / NICHD. As the manufacturer, Oxford Instruments maintains the proprietary hardware, firmware configurations, calibration specifications, replacement parts inventory required to support the WTIec alpha300R microscope.

The WTIec alpha300R system, including its hardware, software, firmware, calibration and alignment processes, and supporting documentation, is proprietary to Oxford Instruments Inc. Maintenance services must be performed using manufacturer-approved procedures and replacement components to preserve compatibility with the existing hardware and software, and retain manufacturer support. To the Government's knowledge, no other vendor possesses the proprietary technology, replacement components, or integrated calibration/alignment capabilities necessary to provide maintenance services that are fully compatible with the existing WTIec alpha300R Raman microscope.

Response Information

This notice is not a request for competitive quotations or proposals. However, interested parties that believe they can meet the Government's requirements may submit a capability statement demonstrating their ability to provide the required preventive maintenance and remedial repair services for the specified instrument and meet all applicable technical and operational requirements.

The Government will review timely submissions to determine whether another responsible source is capable of satisfying the requirement and whether a competitive acquisition is appropriate.

The Government anticipates making an award approximately five (5) calendar days after the closing date of this notice, unless the Government determines that another responsible source can satisfy the requirement.

Capability statements must be submitted electronically to Verne.Griffin@nih.gov no later than 9:00 a.m. EDT on November 9, 2026.

Please reference Notice No. 75N98027Q00045 in the subject line of the submission.