Intent to Sole Source - ORTHO Vision Equipment
Overview
Buyer
Place of Performance
NAICS
PSC
Set Aside
Original Source
Timeline
Qualification Details
Fit reasons
- NAICS alignment with historical contract wins in similar service areas.
- Scope strongly matches core technical capabilities and delivery model.
Risks
- Past performance thresholds may require one additional teaming partner.
- Potential clarification needed on staffing minimums before bid/no-bid.
Next steps
Validate eligibility requirements, assign capture owner, and schedule partner outreach to confirm teaming strategy before submission planning.
Quick Summary
The National Institutes of Health, Clinical Center (NIH-CC), specifically the Department of Transfusion Medicine (DTM), has issued a Notice of Intent (NOI) to sole source the procurement of an ORTHO Vision Analyzer and associated accessories. This equipment is critical for pretransfusion testing, including blood grouping and antibody detection, to ensure transfusion safety. The NIH-CC intends to negotiate with QuidelOrtho Sales Company, LLC.
Scope of Work
The requirement is for the procurement of an ORTHO Vision Analyzer, an Ortho Vision Table, a Printer, and a Validation kit. The vendor will also be responsible for maintaining the analyzer, providing warranty repair services, and performing preventive maintenance. The system must ensure reliability, ease of sample access, large volume capacity with a small physical footprint, and compatibility with liquid nitrogen supply cylinders. The estimated cost for this acquisition is $92,485.66.
Contract & Timeline
- Type: Notice of Intent (Special Notice) for a Firm-Fixed-Price acquisition.
- Proposed Contractor: QuidelOrtho Sales Company, LLC.
- Estimated Value: $92,485.66.
- Place of Performance: NIH Department of Transfusion Medicine, 9000 Rockville Pike Building 10, Room 2S217, Bethesda, MD 20892.
- Published Date: May 27, 2026.
- Response Due: May 29, 2026, by 12:00 PM Eastern Standard Time.
Acquisition Rationale
This acquisition is justified as a sole-source requirement under 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(1) and FAR 6.302-1 (only one responsible source), as well as FAR 8.405-6(a)(2) (items peculiar to one manufacturer). Quidel-Ortho Clinical Diagnostics technology is currently used by DTM for critical pre-transfusion testing, and Quidel-Ortho is the sole authorized provider for maintenance, repair, and reagents for their proprietary Ortho Vision Systems. Market research was not conducted among schedule holders due to the proprietary nature of the system.
Response Information
This is NOT a Request for Proposal. However, all responsible sources capable of providing the required equipment may submit a capability statement for consideration. Capability statements must be emailed to valerie.gregorio@nih.gov with the subject line "NOI-CC-OLAO-26-006399" by the response deadline. A determination not to compete this requirement, based on responses, is solely at the Government's discretion.