JA - Guldmann Ceiling Lifts_Redacted Copy.doc

VHAPG Part 813.106 Simplified Acquisition Procedures: Soliciting from a Single Source

Attachment 1: Single Source Justification for SAP under the SAT

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Justification for Single Source (Brand-Name) Awards IAW FAR 13.106-1 For

Over Micro-Purchase Threshold but Not Exceeding the SAT ($250K)

Acquisition Plan Action ID: 36C250-25-AP-2277 / 36C250-25-AP-2123

1. Contracting Activity: Department of Veterans Affairs, VISN 10, in support of Aleda E. Lutz VA Medical Center, 1500 Weiss Street, Saginaw, MI 48602 2237: 655-25-2-059-0171 / 655-25-2-059-0153

2. Brief Description of Supplies/ Services required and the intended use/Estimated Amount:

The Aleda E. Lutz VA Medical Center (Saginaw VA) has a requirement to replace patient ceiling lifts in the morgue, nuclear medicine, surgery, and therapy gyms which have reached end of life. The Saginaw VA is requesting a total of five (5) Guldmann GH3+ system ceiling lifts manufactured by Guldmann, Inc. The following Guldmann GH3+ ceiling lifts are being requested:

1. Morgue (Room B125-1): Straight Track System GH3+ 605 lbs. SWL. w/Scale includes Hanger Bar.

2. Nuclear Medicine (Room 2257-1): 4x4 Room Covering System GH3+ 605 lbs. SWL. w/Scale and Hanger Bar (Includes 1 Mobilization and Tear Out).

3. Surgery (Room 3305B4-1): 4x4 Room Covering System GH3+ 605 lbs. SWL. w/Scale and Hanger Bar (Includes 1 Mobilization and Tear Out).

4. Therapy Gym (Room 1400-22): Room Covering System GH3+ 605 lbs. SWL. w/Trainer Module, Positioning Lock System and Hanger Bar. (Includes 1 mobilization and tear out).

5. Therapy Gym (Room B600-22): Straight Rail GH3+ 605 lbs. SWL. w/Trainer Module and Hanger Bar. (Includes 1 mobilization and tear out).

Purchase request includes the Guldmann 3G Program - 10 Year Annual Inspection/Preventative Maintenance and Extended Parts and Labor Warranty for all lifts and design/drafting fees for all lifts.

The manual handling of patients (handling patients without mechanical lifts) is dangerous for clinical staff. Workers Compensation defines a patient handling injury as an injury that happened as a result of forces caused by patient lifting, handling, repositioning, or assistance with mobility. This includes staff assisting falls and offering assistance with repositioning, standing, or transfer, as well as pushing patients on wheeled equipment. Since 2010, when the ceiling lifts were implemented in the VA Medical Center in Saginaw, Michigan, there has been an 84.6% decrease in patient handling injuries. In 2023-2024, the average VHA workers compensation cost for a patient handling injury was $7,044.26. Ceiling lifts also make staff more productive by enabling one staff member to transfer a patient instead of requiring two to four staff members as in manual handling. When comparing ceiling lifts to floor-based lifts, ceiling lifts are where the patient transfer is to take place, and therefore, less staff time is spent hunting down a floor-based lift. Additionally, ceiling lifts do not take up floor space, and the VA Medical Center in Saginaw, Michigan has limited floor/storage space for floor-based equipment. Lastly, moving a patient in a ceiling lift requires less force applied by the caregiver than moving a patient in a floor-based lift.

The manual handling of patients (handling patients without mechanical lifts) is dangerous for patients. The manual handling of a patient during a transfer is more likely to result in skin injury, joint injury, or a fall than transferring the patient with a mechanical lift. It is also more dignified and comfortable for the patient to be aided by one staff member and a lift than four staff members who “manhandle” the patient.

VHA Directive 1611 states “employees must utilize SPHM (Safe Patient Handling and Mobility) technology for routine and urgent patient handling tasks that require lifting over 35 pounds of patient weight.” SPHM technology is largely mechanical lifts and slings.

3. Unique characteristics that limit availability to only one source, with the reason no other supplies or services can be used:

Market research was conducted by the service identifying the Guldmann GH3+ patient ceiling lift system (manufactured in Denmark) as the only product in industry with the following capabilities and features:

Guldmann ceiling lifts are the only ceiling lifts that meet the clinical needs of our staff and patients and while working within the physical constraints of our medical center specifically our ceiling height. Guldmann’s ceiling lift scale is internal with patient weight displayed on a screen located on the hand control. An internal scale maximizes hanger bar height, maximizing lift functionality. This is important because our ceilings in Building 1 of Saginaw VA are quite low due to the age of the building. As an example, when the hanger bar height is lower due to an external scale, the patient’s buttocks might not clear to the table/chair/bed during the transfer. Additionally, if the hanger bar is too low when using a walking or gait training sling with the ceiling lift, a taller patient will hit their head on the hanger bar. Weight readout on the handheld screen is easier and safer for staff to control and read. Recording patient weights is needed for medical treatment decisions such as medication dosing and equipment selection. When the weight readout is near the lift motor, staff often must strain to read it.

The trainer module and position lock on the rail system is needed to maximize patient mobility during physical and occupational therapy sessions. The trainer module and position lock, when paired with a walking or gait training sling, offers the patient confidence and security that they cannot fall while engaging in their therapy. This confidence and security allow the patient to push themselves to meet their therapy goals. The trainer module and position lock enable therapy exercises such as balance training and learning how to fall safely and recover oneself from a fall.

The longer it takes a ceiling lift to raise and lower its strap, the more time staff spend waiting when they could be providing care. The ceiling lifts we currently have installed have a lifting speed of 2 inches per second. Guldmann’s ceiling lifts have a lifting speed of 2.2 inches per second. The increase in lifting speed will increase productivity of staff operations.

Other patient ceiling lifts which were reviewed, including Arjo, Handicare/Savaria, Hillrom (Baxter), Etac, and EZ Way, do not offer the training module, positioning lock, or meet the minimum lift speed of 2.0 inches per second. The Handicare/Savaria A-Series lift was the only lift, other than Guldmann, with an internal scale with readout on the remote.

4. Description of market research conducted and results or statement why it was not conducted:

Market research was conducted which resulted in the conclusion that there are no domestically manufactured items capable of satisfying the requirement described in paragraph (2) above.

Searched VetCert using NAICS 339113 and received 935 results. None of the additional market research listed below resulted in any SDVOSB or VOSB manufacturers of patient ceiling lifts. Guldmann, Inc. confirmed they have one SDVOSB distributor, Premier Medical Distributors.

Searched Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS-NG) on February 25, 2025, using description “patient ceiling lift” and PSC Code 6515. 236 past procurement results were found, all for the Department of Veterans Affairs. A large number (88) of these procurements were with T F Herceg, Inc. (dba Surehands Lift & Care Systems), which provides home mobility solutions. Two of the most popular patient ceiling lift manufacturers within VA, Arjohuntleigh, Inc. and Guldmann, Inc., were also represented on this list, with six and five contracts respectively.

A sources sought notice (36C25025Q0299) was published on SAM.gov from February 13, 2025, through February 21, 2025, seeking any contractor, but especially SDVOSB’s and VOSB’s capable of providing lift systems meeting these requirements. See paragraph (3) above for supporting information on these requirements.

· There must be a lift offered from the manufacturer that can lift at least 600lbs.

· The transfer gate must be able to support at least 600lbs.

· The Morgue, Nuclear Medicine, and Surgery rooms must have a X-Y track system (room covering track system) in which the motor is mounted on a perpendicular moving rail that is attached to two parallel recessed fixed rails allowing the lift to travel in four directions (side-to-side and front-to-back).

· Therapy Gym Room 1400-22 must have a X-Y track system in which the motor is mounted on a perpendicular moving rail that is attached to two parallel recessed fixed rails allowing the lift to travel in four directions (side-to-side and front-to-back).

· The lifts must have a recessed room covering system. The positioning lock system will be needed on the system in Therapy Gym Room 1400-22. A transfer gait will be needed on the system in Therapy Gym Room B600-22 to transfer the Veteran from the room covering system to the straight rail.

· The track rails must be capable of accommodating stationary lock for lift unit and/or stationary lock for Traverse Rail with user capability via hand control to separately position and lock the motor and/or the traverse rail in designated location(s) when indicated for patient care activity.

· The hand control must be wired, with LCD screen capable of displaying patient weight and lift usage information for enable staff to easily read the patient’s weight.

· Scale must be internal to maximize hanger bar height and thus lift functionality.

· Lift must charge anywhere on the track via continuous AC charging.

· Lifting speed must be minimum 2 inches per second at maximum load capacity, with a soft/slow start and stop.

· Supplier must be able to provide a lift with automatic, hands free, dynamic body weight support and fall protection in real time during rehab or mobility sessions; clinical staff must be able to enter a specified “offload” weight directly into the hand control, after which the lift must continually offload the specified weight as patient moves and their center of gravity changes, without the need for staff to continue operating the hand control. Offload weight must be adjustable during a single session so that a patient can progress during that session.

Six vendor responses were received. Arjo lifts were researched, but Arjo does not offer some of required features, including an internal scale with readout on the remote, position lock, and the trainer module. Handicare lifts were also researched. Their A-Series ceiling lift, which is the only lift with the needed internal scale with readout on the remote, has a maximum lifting speed with load of 1.06 inches per second, which is less than the minimum 2 inches per second at maximum load capacity required by the Saginaw VA. Therapy Gym Room 1400-22 also needs a track rail system capable of accommodating stationary lock for lift unit and/or stationary lock for traverse rail with user capability via hand control to separately position and lock the motor and/or the traverse rail in designated location(s) when indicated for patient care activity. Handicare does not offer this technology.

Searched the Interagency Contract Directory portal on February 25, 2025, using keywords “patient ceiling lift”, with no results found.

An internet search conducted on February 25, 2025, using keywords “patient ceiling lift manufacturers”, resulted in over 10 pages of search results. The top search results were Guldmann, Hillrom (Baxter), Lifeway Mobility, Arjo, Etac, and Savaria Patient Care.

· Guldmann: Meets all requirements.

· Hillrom (Baxter): Ceiling lifts to not have the training module, positioning lock, or the internal scale with readout on the remote. Does not meet the lifting speed requirement.

· Lifeway Mobility: Lifeway Mobility provides professional installation of ceiling lifts for home use.

· Arjo: Ceiling lifts to not have the training module, positioning lock, or the internal scale with readout on the remote.

· Etac: Ceiling lifts to not have the training module, positioning lock, or the internal scale with readout on the remote. Does not meet the lifting speed requirement.

· Savaria Patient Care: Savaria (Handicare) A-Series ceiling lift, which is their only lift with the needed internal scale with readout on the remote, only has a maximum lifting speed with a load of 1.06 inch/s. Does not have a trainer module.

Searched SBA Dynamic Small Business Search (DSBS) tool on February 25, 2025, using NAICS 339113 and keywords “patient ceiling lift”, and received two results, Options HME, Inc. and AIP Mobility Plus, LLC. The capabilities statements from these two vendors appear to indicate they offer mobility solutions primarily for home or small business use, not hospitals or medical centers.

Searched VA Supply Chain Master Catalog (SCMC) on March 11, 2025, using keywords “patient ceiling lifts”, and 26 results were found. Of the 26 results, 19 were for service-related actions. All RPOC actions were service-related actions. The only non-service results are various ceiling lifts manufactured by EZ-Way and distributed by Apex Integrated Distribution, LLC under FSS contract 36F79721D0118 and 3 Meter 90mm Kwiktrak manufactured and sold by Arjo for Arjo ceiling lifts on FSS contract V797D-50430. EZ Way lifts do not have the training module, positioning lock, internal scale with readout on the remote, and do not meet the lifting speed requirement.

Reviewed OMB Memorandum M-19-13 Category Management: Making Smarter Use of Common Contract Solutions and Practices, and it was determined that this requirement cannot be satisfied through Best in Class Contracting.

Searched VA National Acquisition Center on February 25, 2025, for “patient ceiling lift” with no results found.

Searched Defense Logistics Agency Electronic Catalog (ECAT) using keywords “patient ceiling lift” and one result was found from The Janz Corporation under contract SPE2D120D0010. The description is for a UPLYFT patient transfer chair between bed and wheelchair and must be connected to a compatible mobile floor hoist, overhead freestanding gantry system with motor or ceiling track with motor. This product would not meet the needs of the Saginaw VA, as it does not appear to be complete system.

Searched the Interagency Contract Directory portal on February 25, 2025, using keywords “patient ceiling lift”, with no results found.

Searched System for Award Management (SAM) on February 25, 2025, using keywords “patient ceiling lift” and PSC Code 65. Seven results were found for the past year. Result #1 (36C24525Q0228) is a sources-sought for BK HTM Ceiling Lifts, result #2 (36C25724Q0927) is an updated combined/synopsis solicitation for Arjo brand-name or equal ceiling lifts, results #3 and #4 (36C24625Q0142) is a notice of intent to sole source a Guldmann GH3+ ceiling lift, result #5 (36C26224Q1698) is an award notice with Premier Medical Distributors, LLC and a combined synopsis/solicitation for Guldmann GH3+ ceiling lifts (brand-name or equal), result #6 (36C25524Q0429) is a solicitation for 4 patient ceiling lifts, and result #7 (36C24824Q1101) is a cancelled pre-solicitation notice.

Searched the U.S. Food and Drug Administration website on February 25, 2025, using keywords “patient ceiling lift”, which included seven results. Only one entry pertained to patient ceiling lifts and that was a patient lift safety guide.

Searched GSA Advantage on February 25, 2025, using keywords “patient ceiling lift”. Six search results were found, but only two were for patient lifts, and these were power-driven mobile lifts, not ceiling lifts.

Reviewed Med Surg Prime Vendor (MSPV) product listing on February 25, 2025, using keywords “patient ceiling lift”, with no results found.

Searched Category Management (CM) Quick Decisions Dashboard on March 11, 2025, with keywords “patient ceiling lift” and received two results that included GSA Employee Relocation Resource Center Service Fee Estimator and GSA FAS ITC IT Services DATA XPRESS. The results did not include information about patient ceiling lifts.

Market research listed above concluded that there are no completely domestic manufactured items capable of satisfying the requirements described in paragraph (2) above. The VA Rule of Two is not attainable. The SBA Rule of Two is attainable. Based on the market research provided above, this acquisition will be set-aside for small business for Guldmann, Inc. brand-name only patient ceiling lifts.

Revision: 01

Effective Date: 11/15/2024 Acquisition ID# 36C250-25-AP-2277 / 36C250-25-AP-2123