Justification and Approval.pdf

This is a Justification and Approval (J&A) document for a sole source procurement by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The VA is executing a four-month emergency bridge contract with RLS USA Inc. to provide radiopharmaceutical support services for the Nuclear Medicine Program within the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System (SLVHCS) Diagnostic Imaging department. The contract period runs June 1, 2026 through September 30, 2026, with an estimated value of $845,129.00. The procurement is necessary because the current contract with RLS USA Inc. expires May 31, 2026, and this bridge contract ensures uninterrupted patient care while a competitive five-year procurement is completed. Radiopharmaceuticals are radioactive materials essential for diagnostic imaging and therapeutic treatment, particularly for oncology and cardiac conditions, and must be dispensed by a licensed nuclear pharmacy operating under Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulations. RLS USA Inc. is the sole qualified source due to its proximity to SLVHCS ensuring timely delivery of short-lived radioactive materials, ability to provide the full range of required diagnostic and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals, and established processes with validated protocols and regulatory compliance already in place. The justification cites unusual and compelling urgency under 41 USC §3304(a)(2) as the statutory authority for the sole source award. The VA will conduct future market research to enable competition for subsequent acquisitions.