Please read this notice carefully as it constitutes the only notice that will be published.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) intends to negotiate a one-time, sole-source, firm-fixed-price contract to JEOL USA, Inc., 11 Dearborn Road, Peabody, MA, 01960. The Government intends to negotiate with only one source under the authority of FAR 6.302-1, Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services will Satisfy Agency Requirements.

This notice will be distributed solely through the SAM.gov website. Interested parties are responsible for monitoring the SAM.gov website to ensure they have the most up-to-date information about the acquisition. The associated North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code for this procurement is 334516: Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing; and the Product Service Code is 6640: Laboratory Equipment and Supplies.

The FBI intends to award a non-competitive, sole-source contract to JEOL for a JSM-IT510 Series Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) with an Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) system, which will be procured under FAR Subpart 13.5, Simplified Acquisition Procedures. This acquisition will include: JSM-IT510 – High Vacuum, SEM; PV7600-SU-S – Octane Elect Super EDS System with APEX Analysis Standard Software, 70mm2, 127eV; MP-94321CS – Option JEOL Chamber Scope; Shipping Charges to Huntsville, AL; On-Site Installation and Proof of Performance Services; One Year Parts and Labor Warranty; and an Instrument Training Course for one FBI employee at JEOL’s facility. The estimated grand total is below the simplified acquisition threshold of $250,000.

The SEM/EDS is used by the FBI, Laboratory Division (LD), Explosives Unit (EU) personnel for the chemical analysis of explosives, chemical precursors, materials of unknown composition, and post-blast reaction products from an explosive device. The existing JEOL [JSM-IT300] SEM/EDS system at the Huntsville FBI Laboratory was procured via Purchase Order Number DJF141200P0012352 September 2014, and is actively used for forensic casework and is nearing the end of its lifecycle. Instrument redundancy is essential for continuity of operations, and this second instrument will be utilized to perform chemical analyses on evidence submitted. Only JEOL can meet the Government’s requirements, because the JSM-IT510 is the newest model available that is technically equivalent to the existing instrument. A system technically equivalent is essential for interoperability and consistency with current established and validated case-working procedures used by the EU. The current equipment is a JEOL JSM-IT300, and the new system must coordinate/connect/interface with the existing system by functioning as a redundant, technically equivalent instrument for interoperability and procedural consistency.

The technical requirements of the JSM-IT510 SEM/EDS that limits the availability to a sole-source acquisition are: The instrument must be a new scanning electron microscope with a silicon drift detector for energy dispersive X-ray analysis. The instrument must have the capability for high vacuum (HV) mode with a Tungsten filament and a HV resolution of 3.0 nm at 30 kV, 8.0 nm at 3 kV, and 15 nm at 1 kV. The instrument must include a Spare Wehnelt assembly with a pre-centered filament. The instrument must have a magnification range of 5X to 300,000X (print); 14X to ~840,000X (display). The instrument must be able to achieve an accelerating voltage of 300 V to 30 kV. The instrument must have an Everhart Thornley detector for secondary electron imaging. The instrument must have a five-axis asynchronous, motorized, mechanically eucentric stage. The instrument must include a large specimen chamber and stage in an appropriate shape/configuration and large enough to accommodate whole evidentiary items. The specimen stage must be mounted directly inside the chamber, (not on the door), in order to easily mount and maneuver large irregularly shaped samples. The SEM must incorporate a scan mode that inhibits charging artifacts with non-conductive samples. The vacuum system must incorporate a fully automated vacuum sequencing turbomolecular pump, roughing pump, and operating pressure of 10 -4Pa order. The stage must have a navigation system with an embedded top mount color camera that captures sample image for point and click sample navigation. The SEM needs a spring-loaded vise type holder for irregular shapes up to 3 inch diameter. The instrument must include a data system with high-end computer bundle for instrument control and data processing. The required EDS system is EDAX Octane Elect Super EDS System with APEX Analysis Standard Software, 70mm2, 127eV. The on-site instrument installation and applications support must be provided in Huntsville, AL and shall include all travel expenses. The instrument must have the following automatic functions: vacuum sequence, auto-focus, gun alignment, and auto-bias with manual override, stigma, brightness/contrast, and beam axis alignment.

This notice is published for information purposes only, and is not a request for competitive quotations. Interested parties may identify their interests and capability to respond to this requirement by contacting Bryan Lane via email only at bvlane@fbi.gov, no later than March 3rd, 2023 at 8:00 AM, (EST). Only emailed responses will be considered. No phone calls. Any response to this notice must show clear and convincing evidence that competition would be advantageous to the Government. Responses shall include the firm’s Unique Entity ID (UEI) number and their Business Size. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of whether to conduct a competitive procurement. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed award upon response to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. No reimbursement for any cost connected with providing capability information will be provided. The information provided herein is subject to change and in no way binds the Government to solicit for or award a contract.

Vendors must be registered in SAM, (effective July 29, 2012), to receive government contracts. The FBI utilizes a financial system that has a direct interface with SAM. Please ensure that your company’s SAM information is updated and accurate. This includes the TIN, EFT, DUNs, UEI, addresses, and contact information. The EFT banking information on file in SAM will be what the FBI uses to process payment to your organization.