Active

Contract Opportunity

Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs) are an official government contracting resource for small businesses. Find your local PTAC (opens in new window) for free government expertise related to contract opportunities.

Department of Veterans Affairs
Network Contracting Office (NCO) 16
Request For Information (RFI)

DISCLAIMER: THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE ONLY. THIS SYNOPSIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR QUOTE, PROPOSAL, OR BID. This notice is not a solicitation as defined by FAR 2.101, therefore it shall not be construed as a commitment by the Government to enter into a contract, nor does it restrict the Government to an acquisition approach. All information contained in this Request for Information (RFI) is preliminary as well as subject to amendment and is in no way binding on the Government. Information submitted in response to this notice is voluntary; the Government will not pay for information requested nor will it compensate any respondent for any cost incurred in developing information provided to the Government. The Government is requesting that restrictive or proprietary markings not be used in response to this notice. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized in the Federal Contract Opportunities website or GSA. It is the responsibility of the interested parties to monitor these sites for additional information pertaining to this RFI.

1. Title: - Reagents for the Biofire Torch- Little Rock VAMC

2. Purpose: The purpose of this RFI is to identify potential sources which will aid in defining the procurement strategy (e.g., set-aside, sole source, unrestricted) for a solicitation the VA intends on issuing shortly for the following:

Item No
Or Stock#
Description
quantity/Unit
423742
1 Biofire Respiratory Panel (RP2.1),30 TESTS IVD The FDA has issued an Emergency Use Authorization for the BioFire RP2.1. While the BioFire RP2.1 product is subject to an Emergency Use Authorization, BFDX reserves the right to stop selling the BioFire RP2.1 test at any time, including but not limited to upon the termination or expiration of the declaration justifying emergency use. BFDX is not guaranteeing the availability of any amount of the reagent panels set forth above or ordered by Customer, including but not limited to the BioFire RP2.1, and reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to apportion supply of the reagent panels among its customers in any such manner as BFDX deems appropriate.
6 KT
RFIT-ASY-0147
2 Biofire Blood Culture Identification Panel (BCID2), 30 tests - RFIT-ASY-0147

12 KT
RFIT-ASY-0116
3 FilmArray Gastrointestinal Panel, 30 TESTS-RFIT-ASY-0116
8 KT
FLM1-ASY-0130
4 GI VERIFICATION KIT - FLM1-ASY-013096-
1 EA

The anticipated Small Business Administration (SBA) size standard for the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 334513 is 750 Employees.
STATEMENT OF WORK
Reagents for the Biofire Torch

Location
Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System (CAVHS),
4300 West 7th Street, Little Rock, AR 72205,
Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Service

Ordering, Transportation, and Delivery of Services
Delivery of reagents and supplies for the BioFire Torch analyzer to Microbiology
Department, Room 2E-112 for the purpose of rapid identification of pathogenic
microorganisms in respiratory, gastrointestinal (GI), CSF and blood culture
specimens. These reagents are proprietary from BioFire and are the only
reagents and supplies that can be used on the BioFire Torch analyzer which is
currently owned by CAVHS.

Scope
CAVHS is requesting the purchase of reagents and supplies to perform rapid
identification of pathogenic microorganisms in respiratory, gastrointestinal (GI),
CSF and blood culture specimens. CAVHS currently owns the BioFire Torch
Analyzer.

Shipping Address:
Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System (CAVHS)
2200 Fort Roots Drive
Deliver to: Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Service (P&LMS)
North Little Rock, AR 72114

Responses Requested: The following questions must be answered in response to this RFI.
Answers that are not provided shall be considered non-responsive to the RFI:

a. Where are the requested items/equipment manufactured?

Vendor must attach documentation of this information to be viewed by the government to be considered as part of the Market Research and responsiveness to this Sources Sought notice

b. Are the requested items/equipment manufactured by a Small or Large business? Is the potential vendor in compliance with the Non-Manufacturer Rule (NMR)?

Vendor must attach documentation of this to be viewed by the government to be considered as part of the Market Research and responsiveness to this Sources Sought notice

c. Is the Vendor an authorized distributor with access to Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts which may be required in performance of this requirement?

The VA does not accept grey market items and therefore the Vendor must attach evidence of this access (Authorized Distributor letter) to be viewed by the government to be considered as part of the Market Research and responsiveness to this Sources Sought notice.
d. Name of potential Contractor that possess the capability to fulfill this requirement. Contractors shall also provide the following:

Point(s) of contact name: _______________________________________________
Address: ___________________________________________________
Telephone number: ___________________________________________
Email address: _______________________________________________

Company's business size: ________________________________________________
Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) #: _______________________________

e. Is your company considered a small business concern, SB, SDVOSB, VOSB, HUBZone, or 8A concern, with the requisite __________________ NAICS code?

Please provide proof of qualifications.

f. Is your company available under any Government Wide Agency Contract (GWAC), General
Services Administration (GSA) Schedule, Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ), and/or
Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA)?

If so, please identify the contract number for the Government to review as part of this Market Research.

7. Opportunity/Market Pricing: The Little Rock VA Medical Center is seeking information from potential vendors on their ability to provide the required items/equipment. THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. Small Business Concerns are encouraged to provide responses to this RFI in order to assist the Little Rock AR VAMC in determining potential levels of competition and general market pricing available in the industry. Therefore, vendors are requested to submit estimated market research pricing along with their responses to the above. The estimated pricing will be considered when determining the procurement strategy for the forthcoming solicitation.
8. Instructions and Response Guidelines: Questions regarding this RFI shall be submitted no later than 3:00pm (CST), Friday, October 27, 2023 via email to latonya.mack@va.gov

RFI responses are due by 11:00am (CST) Tuesday, October 31, 2023 size is limited to 8.5 x 11 inches, 12-point font, with 1-inch margins in Microsoft Word format via email to latonya.mack@va.gov. The subject line shall read: NO SOLICITATION EXISTS AT THIS TIME. There is no page limitation on subparagraphs 3(a) - 3(f).

VAMC as Market Research and will not be released outside of the Network Contracting Office (NCO) 16.

9. Contact Information:

LaTonya G Mack
LaTonya.Mack@va.gov

Your response to this notice is greatly appreciated!

Attachments/Links