Liquid Nitrogen Delivery (LN2)

Sole Source Justification and Notice Authority: FAR 6.302-1 Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements

Contracting Activity: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)

Proposed Contractor: Roberts Oxygen

Description of Requirement: The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) intends to award a firm-fixed-price contract consisting of a one-year base period and two one-year option periods for the provision of bulk liquid nitrogen (LN2) supply, monitoring, and refill services.

Justification for Sole Source

Only One Responsible Source: Pursuant to FAR 6.302-1, Roberts Oxygen is the only known responsible source capable of providing the required bulk liquid nitrogen services while meeting NIDDK's compatibility, continuity of operations, and performance requirements.

System Compatibility: Roberts Oxygen currently provides the bulk liquid and gaseous nitrogen services supporting NIDDK research operations. Transitioning to another supplier would require replacement or modification of existing equipment and service interfaces, resulting in significant operational downtime, personnel retraining, and unacceptable risk to temperature-sensitive research materials and ongoing scientific operations.

Proven Performance: Roberts Oxygen has demonstrated reliable performance through consistent delivery, proactive monitoring, and timely replenishment of liquid nitrogen supplies, ensuring uninterrupted support for critical research activities.

Operational Requirements: Roberts Oxygen monitors tank levels and independently schedules deliveries to ensure that liquid nitrogen supplies remain uninterrupted and that neither bulk storage tank is depleted.

Capability Statements

This notice is not a request for competitive quotations. The Government intends to negotiate on a sole-source basis with Roberts Oxygen. Interested parties, including small businesses, 8(a) participants, HUBZone small businesses, service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSBs), veteran-owned small businesses (VOSBs), women-owned small businesses (WOSBs), and small disadvantaged businesses (SDBs), may submit a written capability statement demonstrating their ability to satisfy the Government's requirements.

Capability statements will be evaluated solely to determine whether a competitive procurement should be conducted. Submission of a capability statement does not obligate the Government to compete the requirement.