Attachment 1 RPO 12 BRAND NAME ONLY Justification SAT-SAP_CO BC_Redacted.pdf

Effective Date: 12/30/2025 Revision: 02 Acquisition ID#: 36C257-26-AP-3041

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION UNDER SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURES FOR CERTAIN COMMERCIAL ITEMS IN ACCORDANCE WITH RFO 12.102(b)

BRAND NAME ONLY JUSTIFICATION

Acquisition Plan Action ID: 36C257-26-AP-3041

JOFOC: FY26 – NCO 17 – 1131

1. Contracting Activity: Department of Veterans Affairs, Network Contracting Office 17, located at 5441 Babcock Rd, Suite 302 San Antonio, TX 78240, in support of Veterans Integrated Services Network (VISN) 17, Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, located at 1901 S. 1st Street, Temple, TX 76504.

2. Nature and/or Description of the Action Being Processed: This procurement is for a new firm-fixed price contract utilizing simplified acquisition procedures at RFO 12.201-1 for new equipment. The statutory authority is 41 U.S.C. 1901, implemented by RFO 12.102(b). Central Texas VA Health Care System (CTVHCS) Pharmacy Service has a need to purchase eight (8) additional Pyxis MedStations for use in patient care areas. The Pyxis MedStation, part of the Pyxis System portfolio, is an automated medication dispensing system that supports decentralized medication management. These systems improve the accuracy and control of medication dispensing and support timely fulfillment of medication orders for patient wards, clinics, and community-based outpatient clinics throughout Central Texas. To ensure continuity of pharmacy services, these additional devices will help make patient medications readily available while enhancing the security and safety of medication dispensing in inpatient settings.

CTVHCS currently owns and leases over 80 Pyxis devices across Temple, Waco, Austin, and all CBOCs. These units are centrally networked on a single Pyxis server platform, and only additional devices from the same manufacturer can integrate with the existing system.

3. Description of Supplies/Services Required to Meet the Agency’s Needs: This procurement is for the acquisition and installation of 8 Pyxis MedStations to work with the Pyxis system that is currently installed and in use. The new Pyxis MedStations will expand the current system to all clinical areas and outpatient clinic areas that were not covered under previous purchases. The additional Pyxis MedStations are needed to ensure accurate dispensing of medication for quality patient care . This procurement supports established Pharmacy’s drug accountability and inventory management control programs and protocols assisting the Controlled Substances Inspection Program (CSIP) to ensure an effective control of inventory. The scope of the contract shall include equipment purchase and installation of Pyxis MedStation units.

Item

#/SKU

Description/Part Number* Qty Unit

323 MESR2B--0H--0N0U1M0B1V MEDSTATION,ES,MAIN,2DR 1 EA

324 AES-7---0H--0N3U4M0B0V MEDSTATION,ES,AUX,7-DRAWER 4 EA

343 AES-S --------------- MEDSTATION,ES,AUX,TOWER,SC 2 EA

323 MESR2B--0H--0N0U2M0B0V MEDSTATION,ES,MAIN,2DR 1 EA

Acquisition ID#: 36C257-26-AP-3041

4. Statutory Authority Permitting Restricted Competition:

RFO 12.201-1, Simplified Procedures. The statutory authority for applying the simplified procedures for commercial products and commercial service of FAR 12.201-1 is 41 U.S.C. § 1901 and is implemented by FAR 12.102(b) for restricting competition on this procurement. Competition is restricted on this procurement for the reason below:

(X) Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements (Brand Name Only)

( ) Unusual and Compelling Urgency ( ) Industrial Mobilization, Engineering, Developmental or Research Capability or Expert Services ( ) International Agreement ( ) Authorized or Required by Statute ( ) National Security ( ) Public Interest

5. Demonstration that the Contractor’s Unique Qualifications or Nature of the Acquisition Requires the Use of the Authority Cited Above (applicability of authority): Pyxis MedStations are proprietary to BD/CareFusion.

Only the OEM-manufactured equipment can interface with the existing Pyxis ES centralized server currently deployed across CTVHCS. Unique qualifications include:

The Pyxis ES platform is a closed, proprietary architecture.

Only Pyxis MedStations manufactured by BD/CareFusion can connect to the existing server and communicate with the Pyxis ES software and current equipment in use.

CTVHCS currently owns, leases, and utilizes over 80 Pyxis MedStations that are connected through a central Pyxis server and only equipment manufactured by BD/Carefusion can connect to the server and is interoperable with current equipment that is in use. If a different brand or product was procured, all devices would need to be replaced at an estimated cost of over .

All firmware, software updates, and Pyxis platform integrations must be performed by BD/CareFusion technicians.

The unique ability to integrate data from existing Pyxis units help protect medication types at all points of care and deliver the information caregivers need to improve pharmaceutical operations.

For these reasons, BD/CareFusion is the only responsible source capable of meeting VA’s requirements.

6. Description of Efforts Made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as deemed practicable: To ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as practicable, market research was conducted from April 2026 through May 2026, using multiple resources. This research included searches of Small Business Administration’s Dynamic Small Business Search (SBA DSBS), the General Services Administration (GSA) Schedule, the Veterans Affairs (VA) Supply Chain Master Catalog (SCMC), the National Acquisition Center (NAC) Contract Catalog Search Tool (CCST), the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Electronic Catalog (ECAT), the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS), the System for Award Management (SAM), Federal Prison Industries (UNICOR), and AbilityOne, as well as direct contact with the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), BD/CareFusion, and its authorized distributors, Four Points Technology, Veterans Healthcare Supply Solutions (VHSS), MicroTech, and Alvarez LLC.

Based on the results of the market research, this requirement can only be satisfied with BD/CareFusion brand Pyxis equipment. Five vendors are capable of fulfilling the requirement, the OEM, BD/CareFusion, and its authorized distributors, Four Points Technology, VHSS, MicroTech, and Alvarez LLC.

Acquisition ID#: 36C257-26-AP-3041

7. Determination by the CO that the Anticipated Cost to the Government will be Fair and Reasonable: The anticipated cost of the purchase order is expected to be fair and reasonable and will be determined through competition and by comparing to previously priced contracts for the same and similar equipment.

8. Description of the Market Research Conducted and the Results, or a Statement of the Reasons Market

Research Was Not Conducted: The following market research efforts summarize the steps taken to identify capable sources that could fulfill the requirements of this procurement.

• Direct Vendor Outreach: The Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), BD/CareFusion, was contacted in

April 2026. The OEM confirmed that Pyxis MedStations, the Pyxis ES platform, and all related programming, software integration, and firmware updates are proprietary. BD/CareFusion further confirmed that although authorized distributors may sell new Pyxis MedStations, the OEM works directly with those distributors to ensure that all programming and installation are performed in accordance with BD/CareFusion requirements. The OEM also verified that only Pyxis-brand MedStations can connect to the existing Pyxis ES centralized server currently deployed across CTVHCS. BD/CareFusion confirmed that no other manufacturer produces a medication dispensing system that can integrate with the Pyxis ES server, and replacing the entire installed system to adopt a different platform would exceed in cost and disrupt clinical operations.

• SBA DSBS: A search under NAICS 339112 identified multiple small businesses, however, none were manufacturers of automated medication dispensing systems compatible with the Pyxis ES system. No SDVOSB, VOSB, or other small business was identified that could provide an equivalent system or meet the interoperability requirements for expansion of the existing Pyxis infrastructure.

• GSA: Searches using the terms “Pyxis,” “CareFusion,” and “medication dispensing system” identified no available GSA contract line items containing all required equipment. No interchangeable or compatible alternate brands were identified.

• VA SCMC: Searches using “Pyxis” and “CareFusion” did not reveal any alternate medication dispensing products capable of integrating with the existing Pyxis ES server. No comparable systems were identified that could serve as substitutes.

• NAC CCST: Searches for “Pyxis,” “CareFusion,” and “medication dispensing system” produced no alternate manufacturers or substitute systems. No contract contains all required items.

• ECAT: Searches using the keywords “Pyxis,” “CareFusion,” and “medication dispensing” returned no results for compatible equipment.

• FPDS: Searches for “Pyxis” and “CareFusion” identified prior Government purchases of Pyxis equipment made exclusively to BD/CareFusion or its authorized distributors, confirming the proprietary and non-competitive nature of the system.

• UNICOR: A search for “medication dispensing system” returned no results.

• AbilityOne: A search for “medication dispensing system” returned no results.

• SAM.gov: Searches using “Pyxis,” “CareFusion,” and “medication dispensing system” did not identify any additional manufacturers or vendors capable of supplying a system compatible with the Pyxis ES platform currently in place at CTVHCS.

9. Any Other Facts Supporting the Use of Other than Full and Open Competition: Per the BD/CareFusion, BD/CareFusion equipment and software is proprietary and may only be purchased through BD/CareFusion or from its authorized distributors, Four Points Technology, VHSS, MicroTech, and Alvarez LLC.

10. Listing of Sources that Expressed, in Writing, an Interest in the Acquisition:

Four Points Technology (SDVOSB) Veteran’s Healthcare Supply Solutions (VHSS), (SDVOSB) MicroTech , (SDVOSB) Alvarez LLC, (SDVOSB)

11. A Statement of the Actions, if any, the Agency May Take to Remove or Overcome any Barriers to

Competition before Making subsequent acquisitions for the supplies or services required: Ongoing market

Acquisition ID#: 36C257-26-AP-3041 research will be conducted during the life of the contract to determine any market changes. Should the facility have a new requirement for similar products that do not require compatibility with existing equipment or should the current equipment reach its end of life, further market research will be completed to determine the availability of such products in the marketplace.

12. Requirements Certification: I certify that the requirement outlined in this justification is a Bona Fide Need of the Department of Veterans Affairs and that the supporting data under my cognizance, which are included in the justification, are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.