36C24125Q0868_1.docx

Sources Sought Notice Sources Sought Notice

GENERAL INFORMATION

SET-ASIDE

Veterans Health Administration Network Contracting Office 1 200 Springs Road Bedford MA 01730

POINT OF CONTACT*

Contracting Officer Emily Hatcher Emily.hatcher@va.gov email only

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

Central Biorepository

150 S. Huntington Avenue

Jamaica Plain MA

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

AGENCY CONTACT’S EMAIL ADDRESS

EMAIL DESCRIPTION

DESCRIPTION

Sources Sought #36C24125Q0868 THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE ONLY: This announcement is seeking information from the industry, which will be used for preliminary planning purposes for procurement. No proposals are being requested or accepted with this synopsis. THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION FOR PROPOSALS AND NO CONTRACT SHALL BE AWARDED FROM THIS SYNOPSIS. THIS IS STRICTLY MARKET RESEARCH.

The purpose of this Sources Sought is to gain knowledge regarding interest, capabilities, and qualifications of various members of industry to provide and install a replacement system for the existing outdated Milli-Q Direct 8 Water Purification System at the VA Boston HC System Central Biorepository, including spare parts and warranty.

To maintain compatibility with the existing Milli-Q Direct 8 infrastructure and avoid extensive renovations or downtime, the replacement system must: Integrate fully with the current plumbing, reservoir configuration, drain routing, electrical supply, and bench layout; match or exceed the Direct 8’s production capacity, water quality specifications, and operational functions, and prevent the need to purchase unrelated proprietary reservoirs, fittings, electrical components, or bench modifications. In addition, the replacement system sought is required to be compatible with the existing system’s footprint to minimize impact on existing infrastructure and operational research disruption. Please see compatibility requirements listed below.

All interested firms must be registered in SAM (System for Award Management) to be eligible for the award of Government contracts. Interested parties responding to this Sources Sought request shall submit the following information at a minimum:

(1) Company name and address point of contact with phone number and SAM UEI.

(2) Documentation relating to capability of performance, including installation in a hospital environment, training, and a current point of contact and phone number.

(3) Socio-economic status to identify the business class as being a large business, SDVOSB, VOSB, small business, Woman Owned, etc.

(4) Detailed specifications of proposed product and installation including product part number, delivery, and support., cost estimate, estimated performance time, and country of manufacture.

Any SDVOSB/VOSB firms responding to this Sources Sought Notice must also provide proof of certification from SBA prior to submission of offers to a solicitation.

This market research is for informational and planning purposes. This is not a solicitation and does not obligate the Government to issue a solicitation. Please be advised that the government will not pay any costs for responses and information submitted. All submissions must reference Sources Sought #36C24126Q0806 and be submitted via email to emily.hatcher@va.gov.

The replacement system must meet or exceed the performance, interface, and installation characteristics listed below and must integrate with the laboratory’s current configuration.

1. System Capability

· Must produce both Type I (ultrapure) and Type III (reverse-osmosis or pretreated) laboratory-grade water.

· Must achieve Type I water resistivity up to 18.2 MΩ·cm and low total organic carbon (TOC) suitable for sensitive research applications.

· Must provide a continuous production rate similar to or greater than the existing Milli-Q Direct 8 (approximately 8 liters/hour).

· Must include point-of-use dispensing capability or an equivalent mechanism.

2. Feed Water and Operating Requirements

· Must operate using potable tap water as feed, within standard laboratory feed-water parameters (conductivity, pressure, and pH ranges suitable for RO-based systems).

· Must function within a typical laboratory feed pressure range of approximately 1–6 bar (15–90 psi).

· Must include or be compatible with pretreatment solutions to handle chlorine, hardness, or particulates as needed.

3. Installation Compatibility (Critical Requirement) The replacement system must be compatible with the existing Milli-Q Direct 8 installation footprint and utilities, including:

Reservoir Compatibility

· Must connect to the current reservoir or provide a fully compatible replacement reservoir.

· Must interface with standard laboratory reservoir fittings, tubing diameters, and level-sensor configurations similar to those used on the Direct 8.

Plumbing

· Must be compatible with existing feed-water plumbing, quick-connect fittings, and tubing sizes currently used by the Direct 8.

· Must allow use of the existing drain line for waste/reject water without requiring facility modification.

Electrical

· Must operate on standard laboratory power (approximately 100–240 VAC, 50/60 Hz) and must not require installation of dedicated circuits or new electrical infrastructure.

Bench / Physical Footprint

· Must fit within the same bench-top or under-bench footprint as the current system or offer wall-mount options that do not require major remodeling.

· Must be modular enough to integrate into the current working area without structural modification.

4. Consumable Management and Traceability

· Must offer automated identification and tracking of consumables, including cartridges and filters, to ensure proper installation, compatibility, and timely replacement.

· Must support auditability by providing automatic alerts and basic traceability for consumable replacement history.

5. Reliability and Serviceability

· Must be designed for reduced maintenance frequency compared with the current 2010-era system.

· Must allow routine maintenance (filter changes, sanitization, troubleshooting) to be performed without specialized tools or facility disruption.

· Must have readily available consumables and service parts.

RESULTS INFORMATION: Respondents will not be notified of the results, and it is at the discretion of the Government to utilize results. Firms responding to this Sources Sought announcement, who fail to meet all requirements as stated above, and who fail to provide ALL the required information requested, will not be used to help the Government make the acquisition decision, which is the intent of this Sources Sought announcement.

Sources Sought Notice