Attachment 0001 Government Questions To Industry.docx

Government’s Questions To Industry Government’s Questions To Industry

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS (VA)

Nebulizers - Compressors and Accessories Recomplete FY26 Procurement Program

SECTION A: MARKET RESEARCH DATA

A.1 RESPONDENT INFORMATION

1.1 Company’s Legal Business Name:

1.2 Company’s Physical Address:

1.3 Company's URL:

1.4 Company's Primary Point of Contact (POC) Name:

1.5 Company's Primary POC’s Title:

1.6 Company's Primary POC’s Phone No.:

1.7 Company's Primary POC’s Email Address:

1.8 Company's System For Award Management UEI:

1.9 Company's Cage Code:

1.10 Company's Business Size For NAICS Code: 339112:

1.11 Company’s Socioeconomic Subgroup Status:

1.12 Company’s Status (Manufacturer or Reseller/Distributor):

A.2 RESPONDENT PRODUCT INFORMATION

2.1 Company’s Products: Please complete the table below by providing detailed information for each product your company is offering for potential acquisition by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Include all known technical characteristics, performance specifications, and any additional descriptive information that supports market research efforts. Ensure that each field is completed as thoroughly as possible to facilitate accurate review. If a particular field does not apply, enter "N/A".

(List As Necessary) Company’s Product Offerings

(List As Necessary) Company’s Product Offerings

SECTION B: GOVERNMENT’S QUESTIONS TO INDUSTRY

B.1 INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPONDENTS:

Respondents are respectfully requested to provide clear, concise, and complete answers to the Government’s Questions to Industry. Each response should be based on the Respondent’s current capabilities, product offerings, market experience, and understanding of the requirement. When preparing responses, please adhere to the following guidelines:

· Provide answers in the order in which the questions are presented by the Government.

· Ensure each response is specific, factual, and directly addresses the question asked.

· When applicable, identify whether the information provided reflects existing capabilities, planned capabilities, or capabilities that would require additional development or integration.

· If a question does not apply to your company or product line, indicate “N/A” and briefly explain why.

· If a response relies on assumptions, dependencies, or conditions, clearly identify them.

· Where the Government requests technical, performance, or functional detail, provide sufficient information to support meaningful market research.

· If additional supporting documents are submitted (e.g., capability statements, product sheets, technical data), clearly reference which question(s) they apply to.

· Proprietary information should be clearly marked as such in accordance with applicable regulations.

· The Government requests that all responses be complete, accurate, and submitted in a manner that facilitates effective market research and acquisition planning.

B.2 GOVERNMENT’S QUESTIONS TO INDUSTRY

2.1 Industry Landscape and Trends:

a. How would you characterize current market trends for nebulizers, compressors, and related accessories? Do you anticipate market expansion, contraction, or stabilization over the next 3–5 years?

b. Are you seeing changes in the availability of raw materials, manufacturing capacity, or distribution channels that could affect product availability?

c. How many qualified manufacturers and distributors currently supply these products in the U.S. market, and do you anticipate the number increasing or decreasing? What is driving that change?

d. Are there emerging technologies or design innovations that may affect product life cycles or future demand?

2.2 Supply Chain Reliability & Risk:

a. Can you describe your supply chain resilience? Specifically, what risk mitigation measures are in place to ensure continuous availability of compressors, nebulizers, and consumable accessories?

b. Have you experienced supply chain disruptions in the last 24 months? If so, what were they, and how did your organization address them?

c. What are typical lead times for manufacturing and delivery? How do you handle surge demand or emergency supply needs?

d. Are there any foreseeable risks (e.g., regulatory changes, component shortages) that may impact availability or pricing over the next fiscal years?

2.3 Product Quality, Standards & Regulatory Compliance:

a. What quality assurance processes and testing protocols do you use to ensure consistent product performance and safety?

b. Are your products FDA-cleared (as applicable), and do they comply with all relevant ISO or ANSI standards?

c. How do you maintain product uniformity across production lots?

d. Are you able to support the VA’s need for end-user familiarization and standardization, including training materials, instructions, or technical support?

e. What is the Country of Origin of the end products you anticipate offering to the Government for sale for this requirement? For your situational awareness, the successful Offerors to this requirement shall deliver only domestic end products for this acquisition (see FAR Clause 52.225-1, Buy American Act), except to the extent that it specified delivery of foreign end products in the provision to be incorporated into the future solicitation entitled "Buy American Certificate" (see FAR Provision 52.225-2).

[List as necessary] The delivery of end products from a Designated Country is a requirement of this acquisition (see FAR Clause 52.225-5). The Contracting Officer has determined that the World Trade Organization Government Procurement Agreement (WTO GPA) and Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) apply to this acquisition. Unless otherwise specified, these trade agreements apply to all items in the Schedule. The Contractor shall deliver under this contract only U.S.-made or designated country end products except to the extent that, in its offer, it specified delivery of other end products in the provision entitled "Trade Agreements Certificate" (see FAR Provision 52.225-6).

[List as necessary]

2.4 Commercial Practices & Distribution Models:

a. What is the standard commercial distribution model for your nebulizers and accessories? Do you ship directly to distribution centers, medical facilities, or end users?

b. Are you able to support large‑scale, continuous stocking programs similar to the VA’s DLS structure?

c. What packaging, labeling, or logistics requirements do you typically support in your commercial markets?

d. Do you offer product kitting (compressor + tubing + mask/mouthpiece + filters) and, if so, what configurations are standard in the industry?

2.5 Pricing, Competition & Market Dynamics:

a. How competitive is the current commercial market for nebulizers and compressors? Are there dominant suppliers, or is the market highly fragmented?

b. What primary cost drivers affect the pricing of these products?

c. What is the typical commercial warranty period for nebulizers and compressors, and do extended warranties affect pricing?

d. Do you seeing price volatility in any product lines, components, or accessories?

e. What are the economic trends that have an impact on the products and or services, including its raw materials or major components? What is the future projection?

f. How do sustainability requirements impact your products?

g. Are there other foreign influences on the industry the United States should be aware of?

h. Are there impacts to your business from Tariffs? Please explain.

2.6 Manufacturing Capacity & Scalability:

a. What is your typical production capacity for nebulizers, compressors, and accessories?

b. How quickly can you scale production to meet increased federal demand?

c. Do you anticipate any capacity constraints over the next several years?

d. Are your manufacturing facilities domestic, international, or mixed? How does this impact delivery times and risk?

2.7 Small Business Participation:

a. Are there small businesses within the supply chain capable of manufacturing or distributing these products?

b. Are you partner with small businesses or SDVOSBs under commercial distribution agreements or other arrangements?

2.8 Product Lifecycle, Maintenance & Support:

a. What is the standard life expectancy of your nebulizers and compressors under normal use?

b. What maintenance, replacement parts, or consumables are required over the product’s service life?

c. What customer support resources (e.g., troubleshooting, manuals, technical documentation) do you provide to large health systems?

2.9 Commercial Availability & Standardization:

a. Are your products sold commercially without Government-unique specifications or modifications?

b. Are there commercial equivalents that might reduce costs or increase standardization across VA?

c. Are you able to provide consistent product configurations over multi‑year contract periods?

d. Does your supply exceed demand or vice versa?

2.10 Feedback on VA Procurement Structure:

a. What challenges or opportunities do you see in the VA’s current stocking and distribution model through DLS?

b. What contract length, ordering structure, or minimum commitments best align with your commercial business model?

c. What improvements could the VA make to better support industry participation and competition?

d. What influences does the United States Federal Government as a buyer have on supply and demand?

SECTION C: GOVERNMENT’S CLOSING REMARKS

C.1 INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPONDENTS:

1.1 Disclaimer: The questions from the Government to Industry is issued solely for information and planning purposes and does not constitute a solicitation. All information received in response to this request for information that is marked as proprietary will be handled by the Government accordingly. In accordance with FAR 15.201(e), responses to this notice are not offers, quotes, bids, or proposals and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Participation by Industry in the Government's market research effort is entirely voluntary, Respondents are not permitted to invoice the Government for the expenses incurred in preparing responses to the Government's Questions, all responses submitted to the Government shall be prepared at the Respondent's own expense. A central tenet of acquisition reform is to significantly improve the quality of market research by conducting a market and industry survey.

One of the main benefits of solid market research is to materially improve the Government’s understanding of the current state of the marketplace, including commercial/Government best practices, industry capabilities, innovative delivery approaches, commercial market service levels, and performance strategies and measures. Respondents' submitted to the Government will not be returned to the Respondent, but all responses will be retained by the Government in the official contract file to document the results of the market research effort for this procurement.

1.2 Response Submittal Instructions:

1.3 Next Steps: The Government has issued the Government’s Questions to Industry as part of the Request for Information (RFI) process to gather market intelligence and assess industry capabilities. Upon the closing date for the receipt of all RFI responses from industry, the Government will undertake a comprehensive review and analysis of all submissions received. This analysis will be used to:

a. Refine Requirements – Incorporate relevant industry feedback to clarify technical specifications, performance objectives, and anticipated deliverables.

b. Inform Acquisition Strategy – Evaluate potential procurement approaches, contract types, and timelines to ensure alignment with mission objectives and market conditions.

c. Mitigate Risk – Identify potential challenges, constraints, or dependencies that may impact project execution.

Following completion of the RFI analysis, the Government anticipates proceeding with the development and issuance of a formal solicitation (e.g., Request for Proposal [RFP] or Request for Quotation [RFQ]). The solicitation will reflect the refined requirements and evaluation criteria informed by the RFI stage.

Industry stakeholders will be notified via the designated Government Point of Entry procurement Internet portal of the anticipated release date for the solicitation and any associated pre-solicitation activities, such as Industry Days (scheduled for July 14-16, 2026 at the VA’s DLS facility in Golden, Colorado) to be inclusive of Industry Days Participant question-and-answer periods and/or one-on-one engagements with the VA’s Board of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs).

1.4 Closing Remarks:

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) thanks all industry partners for their interest in the upcoming VA Nebulizers – Compressors and Accessories FY26 Procurement Program and the associated Industry Days.

The VA values the time, attention, and professional engagement demonstrated by prospective vendors throughout this early stage of the acquisition process. Your awareness and consideration are instrumental in supporting the VA’s planning efforts and helping ensure a competitive procurement environment that benefits the Veterans we serve. The Government appreciates industry’s participation in this market research effort and values the insights provided to support the successful execution of this procurement. We also appreciate the continued attention from capable suppliers and look forward to your participation as this requirement moves toward formal solicitation. Future updates and instructions will be communicated exclusively through the Governmentwide Point of Entry (GPE). Thank you for your interest in partnering with the Department of Veterans Affairs.

1.5 Respondent’s Certification:

a. Step (1): Enter the personal identification information in the text fields provided of the company official who is submitting this response.

b. Step (2): Convert the Microsoft WORD document into an Adobe PDF document.

c. Step (3): Attached a digital signature and enter the date the document was signed in the date block provided.

d. Step (4): Return the signed/dated PDF document as an attachment to an email message addressed to the Contract Specialist, John Overstake at email address john.overstake@ va.gov.

e. Step (5): The Government is establishing a suspense date for completion and submission of this Request For Information Input of not more than five (5) business days from the date of its receipt at your company.

Name of Submitting Company Official:

Title of Submitting Company Official:

Digital Signature of Company Official:

Date Signed:

*** PRE-DECISIONAL ***

***This is NOT a Request for Quote, Invitation for Bid, or a Request for Proposal***

*** PRE-DECISIONAL ***

This is NOT a Request for Quote, Invitation for Bid, or a Request for Proposal