Filtering Instrument for DNA Observation (FIDO) for NOAA Research eDNA Sampling

This Sources Sought Notice is for market research purposes only and does not constitute a Request for Proposal or Quotation. It is not considered to be a commitment by the Government to award a contract nor will the Government pay for any information provided; no basis for claim against the Government shall arise as a result from a response to this Sources Sought Notice or Government use of any information provided.

Pursuant to Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Overhaul (RFO) Part 10 (Market Research), the purpose of this notice is to:

1. Determine if sources capable of satisfying the agency's requirements exist.
2. Determine whether the acquisition should utilize any of the small business programs in accordance with RFO Part 19.

Pursuant to RFO Part 6 and RFO Part 19, competition and set-aside decisions may be based on the results of this market research. This notice in no way obligates the Government to any further action.

Requirement: This notice is issued by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Western Acquisition Division (WAD), Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (PMEL), Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL), and Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML)  to identify sources capable of providing the following:

NOAA requires the procurement of specialized eDNA sampling instrumentation and technical development services. This procurement provides critical infrastructure required to execute scientific research and fulfill NOAA mission objectives to modernize surveys and sustain long-term ocean observations. Acquiring this advanced, autonomous eDNA sampling system will enable high-throughput sample collection while maximizing agency efficiency and resources. PMEL, in collaboration with GLERL and AOML, requires the customization and enhancement of MBARI’s Filtering Instrument for DNA Observations (FIDO) system to meet specific NOAA operational requirements.

This procurement covers the development of an automated multi-sampler module compatible with MBARI’s FIDO system, the procurement of three FIDO systems equipped with these modules, and associated system demonstrations and training. To meet NOAA requirements, the project will incorporate at least three sampling channels capable of drawing directly from Niskin bottle samplers and/or multiple bulk sample sources. The contractor must provide NOAA staff with Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and hands-on training for the FIDO system and multi-sampler module. Data from collected samples will support NOAA’s eDNA goals associated with fisheries, harmful algal blooms (HABs), invasive species, and biodiversity management actions, as well as broader human and ecosystem health initiatives.

A Firm-Fixed-Price contract is anticipated for award.

See DRAFT Attachment 1 – Statement of Work for further details on this requirement.

Anticipated Final Delivery Date: The anticipated final delivery date is 28 September 2028. 

NAICS Code/Size Standard: The applicable NAICS Code is 541690, Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services, and the size standard is $19,000,000.

Submission of Information: Companies having capabilities necessary to meet or exceed the stated requirements are invited to provide information to contribute to this market survey/sources sought notice.

Companies may respond to this Sources Sought Notice by using the Google Portal Link below.

https://forms.gle/93eoNf8dQnZCR5E79

Responses shall be received no later than 20 August 2026 at 12:00 PM Mountain Time.

Interested parties: Need to be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM).  Failure to submit sufficient detailed information may result in considering a company as not a viable source and may influence competition and set-aside decisions. Regardless of the information obtained from this Sources Sought Notice, the Government reserves the right to consider any arrangement as deemed appropriate for this requirement.

Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response to this Sources Sought Notice. The Government reserves the right to use any information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate, including using technical information provided by respondents in any resultant solicitation.

After a review of the responses received from this notice, a pre-solicitation notice and solicitation may be published on the Governmentwide Point of Entry (GPE). It is the potential offeror's responsibility to monitor the GPE for release of any future solicitation that may result from this Sources Sought Notice. Responses to this Sources Sought Notice will not be considered adequate responses to any resultant solicitation.