Single Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer for Ion Chromatograph with Optional Ion Chromatograph

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This Request for Quotation (RFQ) HFP-2026-133210 is for a benchtop, unit mass resolution single quadrupole mass spectrometer system. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Human Foods Program requires this system, including delivery, installation, training, and warranty support, to be coupled with an existing ion chromatograph for analyzing food additives. An optional ion chromatograph is also available.

• Single quadrupole mass spectrometer system compatible with Thermo ICS-5000+ ion chromatograph and Chromeleon 7 CDS software.

• Heated electrospray ionization (HESI) probe.

• Mass-to-charge (m/z) range: 10 to 1250 u, unit mass resolution.

• Scan rate up to 20,000 Da/s; polarity switching ≤25 milliseconds.

• Dynode electron multiplier detector with dynamic range ≥10⁷.

• PC workstation with Windows 11, 1TB storage, Ethernet/Wi-Fi.

• Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) with minimum 15-minute runtime.

• Chromeleon 7 CDS with MS spectral license.

• Delivery within 60 calendar days of award.

• Installation within 10 business days of delivery by manufacturer-certified technicians.

• Two-day (24-hour) on-site training for up to 3 FDA personnel.

• One-year warranty including parts, labor, travel, and one preventive maintenance visit.

• System uptime ≥95% during the warranty period.

• Delivery and Installation: Within 60 calendar days of award.

• Warranty: One (1) year from Government acceptance.

• Place of Performance/Delivery: FDA Human Foods Program, 5001 Campus Drive, College Park, MD 20740.

• Award will be made on a Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) basis.

• Technical Acceptability is a pass/fail requirement, meeting all PWS requirements.

• Past Performance will be evaluated on an Acceptable/Unacceptable basis.

• Price will be evaluated for reasonableness.

• Quotations are due by the date and time listed in SAM.gov and must be submitted via email to Michele.Jackson@fda.hhs.gov.

• Questions deadline: May 20, 2026, 1:00 PM.

• Offerors must hold prices firm for 120 calendar days from the receipt date.

• This acquisition is set aside for small business concerns.

• Small business size standard for NAICS Code 334516 is 1,000 employees.

• Refer to Attachment I – Performance Work Statement (PWS) for detailed requirements.

• Refer to Attachment II – Pricing Chart for CLIN details.

• Offerors must provide make, model, manufacturer, country of manufacture for each part number, and compatibility confirmation.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is a template for contractors to provide past performance reference information for a project. It is intended to help the government evaluate a bidder's past performance.

• Contractor Information: Company name, address, website, DUNS/UEI, point of contact details.
• Project Overview: Project title, contract number, client agency, client POC, period of performance, contract value, and type.
• Scope of Work: Objectives, key tasks/deliverables, technologies used, team size.
• Relevance to Current Requirement: How the past project relates in scope, size, complexity, and applicable standards.
• Performance Outcomes: On-time/on-budget completion, quality of work, key achievements.
• Challenges & Resolutions: Significant issues encountered and how they were resolved.
• Customer Satisfaction: Overall rating, awards, CPARS.
• Subcontractors: Names and roles.
• Certifications / Compliance: Relevant certifications (e.g., security clearances, HIPAA, ISO).
• Certification: Signature block for the contractor representative.

Bidders must complete this form accurately and thoroughly to document their relevant past performance. The information provided will be used by the government to assess the bidder's capability and likelihood of successful performance on the current opportunity. Failure to provide complete information may negatively impact the evaluation.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This document is a Request for Quotation (RFQ) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Human Foods Program (HFP), Office of Chemistry and Toxicology (OCT), Division of Analytical Chemistry (DAC). The FDA requires a benchtop, unit mass resolution single quadrupole mass spectrometer system. This system is intended to integrate with an existing Thermo Scientific ICS-5000+ ion chromatograph and will be used for method development and validation for food additive analysis.

• Benchtop, unit mass resolution single quadrupole mass spectrometer system.

• Delivery, installation, training, and warranty support.

• Integration with existing Thermo Scientific ICS-5000+ ion chromatograph.

• Support for method development and validation for food additive analysis.

• Period of Performance: 08/01/2026 to 07/30/2027.

• Quotations are due by close of business on 05/27/2026 at 1300 ET.

• Refer to RFQ HFP-2026-132210 for specific details (not provided in this document).

• Not specified in this document.

• This is a request for information, and submitted quotations are not considered offers.

• The government is not obligated to pay for costs incurred in preparing quotations.

• Standard Form 18 (Rev. 6-95) is the prescribed form.

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

This Performance-Based Statement of Work (PBSOW) outlines the requirements for acquiring, delivering, installing, training, and providing warranty support for a benchtop, unit mass resolution single quadrupole mass spectrometer (SQ-MS) system. The system is intended for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Human Foods Program (HFP), Office of Chemistry and Toxicology (OCT), Division of Analytical Chemistry (DAC) to address an analytical capability gap in food additive analysis.

• Core Functionality: Develop, validate, and transfer robust analytical methodologies for food additive quantitation using hyphenated ion chromatography-mass spectrometry (IC-MS).

• Integration: The new SQ-MS system must integrate with the existing Thermo Scientific ICS-5000+ ion chromatography system.

• Optional Component: An optional replacement ion chromatograph system is included to ensure analytical continuity due to the existing system's end-of-service life.

• Key Applications: Method development for food additives (e.g., bromate in baked goods, iodate in salt), enhancing analytical sensitivity and selectivity, and enabling trace-level quantitation in complex food matrices.

• System Integration: Seamless integration with existing IC, bidirectional data communication, zero data loss, stable operation, and complete method transfer capability.

• Analytical Sensitivity: Detection of ions (m/z 10-1250), unit mass resolution, ≥10-fold signal-to-noise ratio improvement over current detection methods, dynamic range ≥10^7, scan rate up to 20,000 Da/s, and polarity switching within 25 ms.

• Operational Flexibility: Stable electrospray operation across various flow rates (single digit μL/min to 2 mL/min), compatibility with 100% aqueous and 100% organic mobile phases, and multiple scan modes (full scan, SIM, simultaneous full scan/SIM).

• Reliability: System availability ≥ 95% during warranty, Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) ≥ 720 hours.

• Period of Performance: To be determined.

• Location: 5001 Campus Drive, College Park, MD 20740.

• Delivery: Within 60 days of contract award to the specified location during approved hours.

• Installation: Completed within 60 days of contract award, including software configuration and performance verification.

• Training: Two days (24 hours total) on-site training for up to 3 FDA personnel, with a minimum of 50% hands-on content.

• Warranty: One year parts and labor, including one preventative maintenance visit, with a response time ≤ 48 hours for service calls and resolution of critical failures within 5 business days.

• Compliance: Equipment must be new, current production, ISO 9001 manufactured, meet safety certifications (UL, CE, FCC), be RoHS and REACH compliant, and comply with Buy American Act and Section 508 accessibility.

• Security: U.S. citizenship or work authorization, potential background checks, and adherence to FDA IT security requirements.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is Attachment II, a Pricing Chart for the Thermo Scientific ISQ EC Single Quad Mass Spectrometer (Part# ISQEC-IC). It requires bidders to provide detailed pricing information for both core and optional items, along with specific confirmations and delivery timelines.

Overall Purchase Order Amount Sheet:

• Bidder company information (name, POC, UEI)
• Quotation validity (>= 120 days)
• Confirmation of compatibility with Thermo ICS-5000+ and Chromeleon 7 CDS
• Proposed delivery timeline (within 60 days of award)
• Confirmation of ability to provide on-site installation, training, and a one-year warranty as specified in the PSW
• Confirmation of Manufacturer Country of Origin inclusion
• Fields for Total Cost (Core Items) and Total Evaluated Cost (Core and Optional Items)

Core Items Sheet:

• Detailed list of core components for the Thermo Scientific ISQ EC Single Quad Mass Spectrometer, including part numbers, descriptions, manufactured country, quantity, unit of issue, unit price, and total price.
• Includes items such as the mass spectrometer, various valves, software licenses, fittings, tubing, cables, installation kits, auxiliary pumps, columns, PC workstation, onsite support, warranty, calibration solutions, and assembly kits.
• Specific line items for One-Year Warranty (Parts, Labor, Preventive Maintenance), On-Site Training, Installation Services, and Delivery Services.

Optional Items Sheet:

• Detailed list of optional components and services, including part numbers, descriptions, manufactured country, quantity, unit of issue, unit price, and total price.
• Includes items such as dual pumps, eluent organizers, eluent generators, degassers, autosamplers, vial trays, temperature modules, conductivity detectors, automation managers, USB hubs, cables, viper kits, vial kits, standards, eluent generator cartridges, and trap columns.
• Specific line items for Service, Installation, Application Support, Year 2 and 3 Warranty, Onsite Support, Preventive Maintenance Warranties, On-Site Training, Installation, and Delivery.

Bidders must complete this pricing chart accurately to provide a quote for the specified mass spectrometer system. It outlines all required core components and available optional items, along with critical service and support requirements. The information provided in this chart will be crucial for proposal evaluation and contract award.