Opportunity: Intent to Sole Source Electron Microscope Access

In accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 13, Simplified Acquisition Procedures and Part 6.302-1, the Department of Energy (DOE), National Energy Technical Laboratory (NETL) intends to award a purchase order on a sole source basis to Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) for electron microscope access. This is considered a sole source to CMU because, to the best of the NETL’s knowledge, based on market research conducted, CMU is the only known source that can provide open access and usage of Scanning and Transmission Electron Microscopes and is located within close proximity to the NETL Pittsburgh site. NETL requires usage of the Center for Electron Microscopy at CMU which will be done by NETL employees and they will work congruently with trained staff. No known potential alternate sources exist which could satisfy NETL's requirement for this specific equipment, a facility that allows for external users, and that is located near the NETL Pittsburgh site. This notice of intent is not a request for quote/proposal. Any interested party that believes it is capable of meeting the NETL requirement described herein may identify themselves and must provide evidence of their capability to fulfill the requirement being requested by 3:00 PM ET on August 19, 2016. Responses must be submitted in writing to Lucas Payne via email at lucas.payne@netl.doe.gov no later than the time and date noted above. Telephone responses and requests will not be received. A determination by the Government not to compete this requirement based on responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. The North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code for this effort is 611310 and the business size standard is $27.5M.