Maintenance Agreement - Qexac

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This solicitation is for an Annual Preventative Maintenance and Repair Service contract for Thermo Scientific Q Exactive Focus and Q Exactive Basic Mass Spectrometers coupled with Liquid Chromatographs (LCs) located at the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) Midwestern Laboratory in St. Louis, MO. The objective is to ensure the continuous operational readiness of critical analytical systems used in food safety testing.

• Preventative maintenance (PM) visits for the Q Exactive Focus and Basic units, including cleaning, oil replacement, and calibrating.

• Comprehensive record of performance testing and parts replaced during scheduled maintenance.

• Documentation of onsite repairs, including root cause analysis and "essential physical characteristics" of parts replaced.

• Records demonstrating training and certification of employees or agents performing repairs and/or PMs.

• Factory certified parts, labor, and travel for remedial repair.

• Two business days onsite response time for remedial repairs.

• Priority access for technical support inquiries.

• 25% discount on fixed price services.

• Firmware and software updates.

• E-Support technical resources containing software, application, and service bulletins.

• This is anticipated to be a Firm-fixed-price contract.

• The contract will consist of one (1) one-year base period and four (4) one-year option periods, for a total duration not to exceed five (5) years.

• Period of Performance: July 11, 2026, to July 10, 2031.

• Offerors must submit a complete quotation organized into three distinct factors: Technical Approach, Price, and Past Performance.

• Technical Approach will be evaluated on the depth, feasibility, and completeness of the proposed methodology.

• Price will be evaluated to determine if it's fair and reasonable.

• Past Performance will be evaluated using the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS) and other sources.

• Award will be made to the offeror representing the best value to the Government.

• Quotations are due no later than June 19, 2026, at 17:00 PM Eastern Standard Time.

• Questions are due no later than June 12, 2026, at 12:00 PM Eastern Standard Time.

• This acquisition is unrestricted.

• The services are exempt from the Service Contract Labor Standards (SCLS).

• Offerors must provide pricing for all items to be considered responsive.

• The contract is subject to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

Statement of Work (SOW) / Performance Work Statement (PWS)

To procure an annual preventative maintenance and repair service contract for laboratory instruments used by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) Midwestern Laboratory (ML).

This contract covers preventative maintenance and repair services for four Thermo mass spectrometers (one Q Exactive Focus and three Q Exactive Basic systems) coupled with Liquid Chromatographs (LCs). Services include:

• Onsite repair and preventative service visits.

• Provision of repair and preventative service parts.

• Factory-certified parts, labor, and travel for repairs.

• Hardware and application telephone support.

• Priority access for technical support inquiries.

• Firmware and software updates.

• E-Support technical resources.

• Response Time: Two business days onsite response for remedial repairs.

• Preventative Maintenance: One visit per instrument per contract year.

• Service Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 6:00 pm CST, excluding Federal Holidays.

• Telephone Troubleshooting: Maximum of one full working day before opening a service call.

• On-site Service: Unlimited on-site service calls and travel times. All labor, travel, and non-consumable parts included.

• Parts: New parts meeting manufacturer specifications. Contractor must maintain adequate inventory.

• Documentation: PM service reports within 5 business days of visit; Emergency repair records within 3 business days of instrument return to service.

• Base Period: 1 year, with 4 option years.

• Location: USDA-FSIS-OPHS Midwestern Laboratory, 7654 Natural Bridge Road, Saint Louis, MO 63121.

• Personnel: Contractor must use only trained and certified employees/subcontractors. Proof of recent training/certification required.

• Security: Compliance with facility access, identification, badging, escort, and background investigation requirements. Safeguarding Government property and sensitive data is mandatory. Non-disclosure agreements may be required.

• IT Security: Strict adherence to policies regarding network connections, device usage, and malware scanning for external storage devices.

• Section 508 Compliance: All Information and Communications Technology (ICT) products and services must comply with Revised Section 508 ICT Accessibility Standards. Vendors must provide Accessibility Conformance Reports (ACRs) and ensure compliance through testing and documentation.