Special NoticePosted Aug 27, 2026·Responses due Sep 2, 2026

Intent to Sole Source: Opsytec Dr. Gr�bel GmbH UV Equipment and Calibration Services

Forest Service · USDA-FS, CSA EAST 6

Stage
Early notice (sources sought, presolicitation or special notice)
NAICS
334515
Value
Not stated
Solicitation
1174144
Set-aside
No Set aside used
PSC
6625
Place
PA, USA
Contact
Jordan Wheelock (Michael.Wheelock@usda.gov)
CSV Email

Capture briefs (a one-page, shareable copy of this page) are part of Pro. The CSV here holds the notice, its timeline and past awards.

Where this opportunity stands

Every notice posted under solicitation 1174144 in this department, oldest first.

Early notice
  • Aug 27, 2026 · this notice
    Special Notice
Solicitation
None posted
Award
Not yet. Typical award: Oct 19, 2026 to Jan 14, 2027, middle of the range Nov 20, 2026.
Measured from 92 past early notices at Forest Service that later posted an award (middle half of cases, counted from Aug 27, 2026).

Next steps for this stage

Standard steps for the notice type; not advice about this buyer.

  • Answer the notice: this is when the requirement can still be shaped.
  • Contact the contracting officer named on the notice.
  • Check who won similar work; they are the likely bidders.

What the notice says

SPECIAL NOTICE: NOTICE OF INTENT TO SOLE SOURCE General Information Document Type: Special Notice Notice Sub-Type: Intent to Sole Source / Only One Responsible Source Requisition Number: 1174144 Product Service Code (PSC): 6636 (Environmental Chambers and Related Equipment) NAICS Code: 334516 (Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing) Place of Performance: USDA ARS Eastern Regional Research Center, 600 E Mermaid Ln, Wyndmoor, PA 19038 Statutory Authority The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Northeast Area (NEA), intends to negotiate a sole-sourc… (show all)

e, firm-fixed-price contract with Opsytec Dr. Gr�bel GmbH (UEI: HQ2KD3G82EP2), located at Am Hardtwald 6-8, D-76275 Ettlingen, Germany. This acquisition is conducted under the authority of FAR 13.106-1(b)(1) and AGAR 413.106, which permits soliciting from a single source for purchases not exceeding the Simplified Acquisition Threshold (SAT) when the Contracting Officer determines that only one source is reasonably available to satisfy agency requirements. Description of Requirement & Salient Characteristics The USDA-ARS Characterization and Interventions for Foodborne Pathogens Research Unit requires the procurement of a laboratory-grade UV-LED Irradiation Chamber (Model: BSL-01i ECO+), complete with an integrated UV-MAT touch irradiation controller, an RMD sensor calibrated to 405 nm, specialized PC operating software, and an internal sample heating/cooling plate. This system will be utilized to conduct non-thermal biological research evaluating the precise inactivation effects of blue light (specifically at a 405 nm wavelength) on foodborne pathogens across various agricultural commodities. The government has verified that the following baseline technical specifications are mandatory to support active research configurations: Wavelength Operations: Must operate at a true 405 nm blue light spectrum. Irradiance Range: Dynamically variable and adjustable from 0 to 800 mW/cm� with intensity scaling increments from 1% to 100%. Thermal Tracking: Integrated heating/cooling mechanism operating within non-thermal limits from 10�C to 40�C to preserve sample biological integrity during testing. Data Log Metrics: Built-in sensor loop measuring irradiance constantly with digital data recording rates scalable from 1 second to 1 hour. Physical Footprint: Benchtop laboratory configuration conforming strictly to the available facility spatial limitations of 40 x 30 x 50 cm. Operator Safety: Interlocked enclosure operational layout to ensure strict radiation shielding for laboratory personnel. Market Research & Justification Summary In accordance with FAR Part 10 and USDA Desk Book guidance, market research was conducted from January through March 2026. A comprehensive review of peer-reviewed scientific literature and direct inquiries across established commercial channels (including Fisher Scientific, GSA Advantage!, and alternative equipment developers) confirmed that zero domestic or international alternatives can fulfill these combined parameters. Alternative systems operate exclusively on traditional UV wavebands, lack high-output dynamic variance tuning, or fail to meet the mandatory structural benchtop dimensions necessary for safe deployment within the active testing facility. Opsytec Dr. Gr�bel GmbH is the sole market source capable of supplying this specialized instrumentation package without causing extensive project delay or a critical loss of scientific capability. Submission Instructions & Response Deadline This announcement does not constitute a Request for Quotes (RFQ) or a Request for Proposals (RFP), and no formal solicitation package is available. However, in compliance with FAR and AGAR public notice transparency standards, the government will evaluate capability statements received from interested market sources to determine if a competitive acquisition strategy should be pursued in the future. Entities believing they can fully satisfy the government�s stated requirements must submit a comprehensive technical capability statement. Submissions must include detailed technical documentation, manufacturer specifications, and explicit verification that their system meets every mandatory salient characteristic listed above. All capability statements must be submitted electronically via email to the Contract Specialist , Michael J. Wheelock, at Michael.Wheelock@usda.gov. Responses must be received in full no later than 01:00 A.M. EST on September 2, 2026. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed action based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government.

Who won similar work

8 award notices on SAM.gov in the last 24 months. Match: Same agency (Forest Service), same industry group (NAICS 3345).

WinnerAwardsValueLast
MET ONE INSTRUMENTS, INC.1$750KAug 29, 2025
Suncore Distribution LLC1$232KMar 28, 2025
AGILENT TECHNOLOGIES INC · $A1$79KSep 24, 2026
SEILER INSTRUMENT AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY1$75KSep 17, 2026
ARHAB LLC1$39KApr 30, 2026
VCLOUD GOV INC.1$30KFeb 6, 2026
DATA DETECTION TECHNOLOGIES INC1$23KSep 30, 2026
COMSIS SOLUTIONS LLC1$23KSep 30, 2026

Value counts single-winner awards. "Shared" awards are multiple-award contracts that list every winner with the same total ceiling; that ceiling is not one company's win, so it is not added in.

Latest awards

Competitive landscape

For the 8 most frequent past winners above. Lobbying is matched by the company's exact name or exact ticker; agencies are as named on the filings.

  • 0 of these past winners lobbied U.S. Forest Service since 2024 (0 filings)
  • 0 of their lobbyists list a past U.S. Forest Service job
  • No corporate PAC money from them to the overseeing committees since 2024
  • 0 foreign-agent (FARA) registrations
See who and the source records with Pro

Policy around it

Bills the past winners named while lobbying this agency's issues, rules from the department, and executive orders that name the agency, last 12 months.

  • 0 bills named on the past winners' lobbying filings
  • 15 rules from the department in the last 12 months
  • 0 executive orders naming the agency in the last 12 months
See who and the source records with Pro

Market

For past winners matched exactly to a listed company. Insider trades are open-market buys and sells (Form 4) in the last 90 days, shown as facts; our own study found insiders do not reliably buy ahead of awards.

  • 1 of the past winners are listed companies
  • 0 insider buys and 1 insider sells at them in the last 90 days
See who and the source records with Pro

Sources: SAM.gov notices and award notices; Senate LDA lobbying filings; FEC filings; FARA; Federal Register; congress.gov; SEC Form 4. Every row above links to its record.

Companies are matched to tickers by exact name only. A company we could not match shows no market rows; that is a miss, not a finding.