JUSTIFICATION AND APPROVAL REDACTED.pdf

This is a Request for Sole Source Justification (>SAT) from the Department of Veterans Affairs for a regulated medical waste (RMW) collection and disposal contract. The Department of Veterans Affairs Network Contracting Office in Ridgeland, Mississippi seeks to award a six-month firm-fixed-price contract to the incumbent vendor, SDVOSB Hamilton Alliance Inc., covering the period April 1, 2026 through September 30, 2026. The contract covers regular pickup, transportation, and disposal of regulated medical waste including pathological, biohazard, trace chemotherapy, and sharps waste at the Veterans Healthcare System of the Ozarks (VHSO) facility in Fayetteville, Arkansas and three Community-Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) in Joplin and Springfield, Missouri, and Fort Smith, Arkansas.

The justification cites unusual and compelling urgency under 41 USC §3304(a)(2) as the statutory authority for sole source award, emphasizing the critical need to prevent service interruption as the current contract approaches expiration. The contractor must comply with directives from the VA, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Department of Transportation (DOT), as well as applicable state and local regulations. The contracting officer has determined that anticipated costs align with current market rates and past expenditures, ensuring fair and reasonable pricing. Market research identified multiple capable SDVOSB vendors; however, the immediate need to maintain uninterrupted essential services justifies the short-term award to the incumbent vendor, with a full and open competitive process planned for the long-term contract to encourage diverse vendor participation.