P03 36C249-26-AP-1010 Eyeglass Bridge Package_HCA.pdf

Request for SDVOSB Sole Source Justification IAW VAAR 819.7008

VHAPG Part 819.7008/7009 Sole Source Awards to SDVOSB/VOSB Page 1 of 6 Revision: 04 Effective Date: 11/15/2024

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Justification and Approval (J&A) For

Other Than Full and Open Competition

Acquisition Plan Action ID: 36C249-26-AP-1010 Bridge Eyeglass

1. Contracting Activity: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veteran Integrated Service

Network (VISN) 9, 1639 Medical Center Parkway, Suite 204 Murfreesboro, TN 37129

2. Nature and/or Description of the Action Being Approved: VISN 09 currently has Contract No. 36C24920D0032 with P.D.S. CONSULTANTS, INC. (hereafter referred to as P.D.S.), a U.S.

Small Business Administration (SBA) Dynamic Small Business Search (DSBS) tool certified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), for prescription eyeglass manufacturing. The current contract covers the manufacturing and delivery of both dress and safety prescription eyeglasses for Veteran beneficiaries of VISN 09. The current contract expires on 03/31/2026. A short-term bridge procurement is required while the Agency is developing and awarding a long-term national consolidated solution. The short-term bridge contract will ensure that there is no disruption in the availability of prescription eyeglasses for Veteran beneficiaries while the consolidated acquisition is being completed. Since this requirement entails direct patient care, ongoing services are required. An interruption of services is not an option as it would place Veteran patients at risk of not receiving care.

VA anticipates the award of new multiple, firm-fixed-price, IDIQ contracts resulting from national consolidated acquisition. VA further anticipates that the national consolidated acquisition should be completed by March 31, 2026, and implementation of the national contract is anticipated throughout 2026. The period of performance will include a 6-month base period as well as a 4-month option period, which will allow enough time for the long-term national solution to be awarded and will allow time for potential transition from the current contractor to a successor contractor. The estimated total value of the contract for the base period and option period is $4,887,500.00

3. Description of Supplies/Services Required to Meet the Agency’s Needs: The Department of VA has an ongoing program to provide prescription eyeglasses (both dress and safety) to eligible veterans. The provision of corrective eyeglasses is required for eligible veterans to meet their optic and low vision medical needs. The VA eye clinic prescribes corrective lenses based upon a medical exam. The clinical judgement and assessment are used to determine medical necessity in conjunction with VHA Directive 2008-070 (Prescribing Hearing Aids and Eyeglasses) and 39 CFR 17.149 (Sensory-Neural Aids). Eyeglasses are not an emergent service and follow the administrative standard for assessment and procurement practices. The Contractor shall provide all labor and materials necessary to provide prescription eyeglasses.

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Effective Date: 11/15/2024

The Contractor is to provide prescription eyeglasses according to contract specification for beneficiaries of the following sites of care and their entire catchment areas, within VISN 09.

Station ID Facility (Ordering Activity) Address

596 Lexington VA Medical Center – Troy Bowling Campus 1101 Veterans Drive Lexington, KY 40502 596 CBOC Somerset 163 Tower Circle Somerset, KY 42503 603 Robley Rex VA Medical center 800 Zorn Ave Louisville, KY 40206 603 CBOC Stonybrook 9208 Taylorsville Road Louisville, KY 40299 614 Lt. Col. Luke Weathers, Jr. VA Medical Center 116 North Pauline Street Memphis, TN 38105 614 CBOC Nonconnah 1869 Nonconnah Blvd Memphis, TN 38132 614 CBOC Jackson 180 Old Hickory Blvd Jackson, TN 38305

621 James H. Quillen Department of Veterans Affairs Lamont Street & Veterans Way, Johnson City, TN 37684

621 Knox County VA Clinic 1612 Downtown West Blvd, Knoxville, TN 37919 626 Tennessee Valley Healthcare System – Nashville Campus 1310 24th Avenue South Nashville, TN 37212 626 Tennessee Valley Healthcare System – Murfreesboro Campus 3400 Lebanon Pike Murfreesboro, TN 37129 626 CBOC Clarksville 782 Weatherly Drive Clarksville, TN 37043 626 CBOC Chattanooga 1208 Point Centre, Suite 100, Chattanooga, TN 37421

The estimated quantities included in the short-term bridge contract will be based on the line-item usage data under the current contract.

Bridge Contract:

• Base ( 6 months) : 04/01/2026 – 09/30/2026 = $2,932,500.00

• Option Period (4 months) 1: 10/01/2026 – 01/31/2027= $1,955,000.00

10 months total with an estimated contract value of $4,887,500.00

4. Statutory Authority Permitting Other than Full and Open Competition: 41 USC §3304(a)(5), 38 U.S. Code § 8127(c), as implemented by FAR 6.302-5 (Authorized or Required by Statute). COs may use the non-competitive (sole source) procedures authorized in VAAR 819.7008 (DEVIATION) or VAAR 819.7009 (DEVIATION)- up to $5,000,000. Check the specific VAAR clause used below:

(x ) 819.7008 Sole source awards to a certified service-disabled veteran-owned small business; or ( ) 819.7009 Sole source awards to a certified veteran-owned small business

5. Demonstration that the Contractor’s Unique Qualifications and/or Nature of the Acquisition Requires the Use of the Authority Cited Above (applicability of authority Under 38 USC 8127(c), VA has the authority to award a contract to an SDVOSB concern using procedures other than competitive procedures if three conditions are met: (1) the SDVOSB is determined to be a responsible source with respect to performance of such contract

VHAPG Part 819.7008/7009 Sole Source Awards to SDVOSB/VOSB Page 3 of 6

Effective Date: 11/15/2024 opportunity; (2) the anticipated award price of the contract, including options, will not exceed $5,000,000; and (3) in the estimation of the Contracting Officer, the contract award can be made at a fair and reasonable price that offers best value to the U.S.

The proposed contract is a short-term bridge contract with total performance period of 10 months, while the long-term national solution is being worked. This proposed short-term bridge contract will allow for continued services. Interruption of services is not an option. The incumbent contractor, P.D.S. is an SBA verified SDVOSB vendor who has been providing prescription eyeglass manufacturing and optician services to VISN 09 since 2014. As such, the incumbent would not require a transition period for this proposed short-term bridge contract.

Award of a follow-on short-term bridge contract to P.D.S will allow for continued services while the national consolidated procurement is being completed. Without this short-term bridge contract, Veteran beneficiaries of VISN 09 would not have access to prescription eyeglasses. Moreover, due to the complexities involved in the transition to another contractor who could provide the same or similar services, care would undoubtedly be disrupted and any gap in the continuity of services would have a detrimental impact on the Veterans. It is therefore necessary to provide continuous services from the incumbent contractor until national consolidated procurement is completed.

P.D.S., a verified SDVOSB concern, has been determined to be responsible in accordance with the general responsibility standards outlined in FAR 9. P.D.S., a prescription eyeglass manufacturer, has relevant experience providing prescription eyeglass manufacturing and is currently doing so in VISN 09 since 2014. Furthermore, P.D.S. can meet the requirement in its entirety immediately upon award of the short-term bridge contract.

P.D.S. has certified that it will comply with the requirements of the Buy American Statute and the applicable Limitations on Subcontracting. P.D.S. has certified it is a small manufacturer under applicable NAICS code 339115. P.D.S. is a certified SDVOSB within the SBA DSBS as confirmed by the Contracting Officer on 11-3-2025.

The estimated dollar value is $4,887,500.00 for the base period and option period. The anticipated award price of the short-term bridge contract will not exceed the $5 million dollar threshold.

The Contracting Officer has determined that award will be made to P.D.S. at a fair and reasonable price. The Contracting Officer utilized the pricing under the current contract as well as other procurements of prescription eyeglass manufacturing where prices were previously determined to be fair and reasonable to assist in the determination that the pricing for this short-term bridge contract is fair and reasonable.

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Effective Date: 11/15/2024

6. Description of Efforts Made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as deemed practicable, including whether a notice was or will be publicized as required by FAR Subpart 5.2 and, if not, which exception under FAR 5.202 applies:

The Contracting Officer’s determination to award a short-term bridge contract on a sole source basis is a business decision wholly within the discretion of the Contracting Officer. Procuring the short-term requirement on a competitive basis is not feasible. VA has statutory authority to procure this requirement from a verified SDVOSB concern on a sole source basis IAW 38 USC § 8127(c). It is in the Government’s best interest to solicit from the incumbent contractor P.D.S. for the short-term bridge contract to ensure there is no interruption of services while the national consolidated acquisition is going through the procurement process.

7. Determination by the CO that the Anticipated Cost to the Government will be Fair and Reasonable: The Contracting Officer has determined the offered pricing for the short-term bridge contract is fair and reasonable based on a comparison to historical pricing data for these same services in VISN 09. The unit prices in the short-term bridge contract will remain the same as the unit prices included in the current contract. The existing prices under the current contract were determined fair and reasonable prior to award.

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

Reasons Market Research Was Not Conducted: Market research indicates that the incumbent P.D.S. is an SBA verified SDVOSB and available to begin performance under the short-term bridge contract on 4/01/2026. Separate market research has been performed as part of the national consolidated acquisition.

P.D.S is manufacturing the prescription eyeglasses according to the veteran’s prescription therefore, the NMR does not apply.

Buy American Statute compliant as the eyeglasses are manufactured per prescription in U.S.

and meet the FAR definition of U.S.-made end product IAW FAR 25.003.

9. Any Other Facts Supporting the Use of Other than Full and Open Competition: None. VA has statutory authority to procure this requirement from a verified SDVOSB concern on a sole source basis in accordance with 38 USC 8127(c).

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

Known interested SDVOSB sources include:

1. P.D.S Consultants Inc. (the incumbent)

2. Superior Optical Labs

3. JL Optical Inc

4. AB Martin Services, Inc.

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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:

VA intends that the national consolidated acquisition will result in the award of IDIQ contracts to multiple SDVOSB vendors on a competitive basis.

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.

13. Approvals in accordance with the VHAPM Part 806.3 OFOC SOP:

a. Contracting Officer or Designee’s Certification (required): I certify that the foregoing justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Jeannette Morphew Date

b. One Level Above the Contracting Officer (Required over the SAT but not exceeding $750K): I certify the justification meets requirements for other than full and open competition.

John MCccomas Date Branch Chief

Jeannette Morphew Digitally signed by Jeannette Morphew Date: 2025.12.02 10:56:30 -06'00'

JOHN

MCCOMAS

Digitally signed by

JOHN MCCOMAS

Date: 2025.12.02 12:46:52 -06'00'

VHAPG Part 819.7008/7009 Sole Source Awards to SDVOSB/VOSB Page 6 of 6

Effective Date: 11/15/2024

Robert Kellner Date

Division Chief

c. Director of Contracting (Required with HCA approval): I certify the justification meets requirement for other than full and open competition.

Susan Nagel Date Director of Contracting Network Contracting Office 9

d. VHA RPO HCA Review and Approval: I have reviewed the foregoing justification and find it to be complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief and recommend approval (if over $75 million) or approve ($750K to $75 million) for other than full and open competition.

Date

VHA Head of Contracting Activity (HCA)

ROBERT KELLNER Digitally signed by ROBERT KELLNER Date: 2025.12.08 13:51:59 -06'00'

ROBERT KELLNER Digitally signed by ROBERT KELLNER Date: 2025.12.11 11:02:03 -06'00'

VHAMINBergD2 Typewritten Text 12/12/2025