P03_ FAR 13.5 Sole Source Justification - BC Signed prnt_Redacted.pdf

VHAPG Part 813.5 Simplified Acquisition Procedures for Certain Commercial Items Attachment 1: Request for Sole Source Justification >SAT-$7.5M under FAR13.5

Effective Date: 11/15/24 Page 1 of 4

REVISION: 01

Acquisition ID#: 36C241-25-AP-5349

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION UNDER SIMPLIFIED PROCEDURES FOR CERTAIN COMMERCIAL

ITEMS IN ACCORDANCE WITH FAR 13.5

Acquisition Plan Action ID: 36C241-25-AP-5349

1. Contracting Activity: Department of Veterans Affairs, VISN 1, NCO 1, Northampton Medical

Center, 421 North Main Street, Leeds, MA 01053-9764.

2237: 631-25-4-7077-1124.

2. Nature and/or Description of the Action Being Processed: This is a brand name only, non-personnel service and supply contract to provide equipment and services for the installation and procurement of 58 Likoguard ceiling lift systems to expand and replace VAMC Northampton’s current fleet in accordance with FAR 13.5 Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items and specifically FAR 13.501 Special Documentation Requirements, where acquisitions conducted under Simplified Action Procedures are exempt from the requirements of FAR Part 6, but still require a justification using the format of FAR 6.303-2.

This will be awarded as a new firm fixed price contract. The contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, supplies, facilities, transportation, tools, materials, supervision, and other items and non-personnel services necessary to perform the installation and procurement of said ceiling lifts.

3. Description of Supplies/Services Required to Meet the Agency’s Needs: Northampton

VAMC is seeking to expand and replace its ceiling lift systems with existing Hill -Rom/Lyko ceiling lift infrastructure. The contractor shall include all equipment, accessories, materials, installation services, and training services specified in the Performance Work Statement (PWS) document. Overhead track ceiling lift systems primarily serve the function of safely transporting veterans from one area to another when veterans do not possess the ability to transport themselves. Providence VA HCS is requesting procurement and installation of 58 ceiling lift systems.

Estimated value:

Period of performance: 9/30/2025-9/30/2026.

4. Statutory Authority Permitting Restricted Competition:

FAR 13.5 Simplified Procedures for Certain Commercial Items. The statutory authority for applying the Simplified Procedures for Commercial Items of FAR 13.5 is 41 U.S.C. § 1901 and is implemented by FAR 13.106-1(b)(2) for restricting competition on this procurement.

Effective Date: 11/15/24 Page 2 of 4

Acquisition ID#: 36C241-25-AP-5349

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

( ) 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 ):

VAMC Northampton is standardized to Hill-Rom Liko Series ceiling lift models. The facility has invested significant resources to build out infrastructure specific to Hill -Rom Liko Series ceiling lifts, such as ceiling tracks, charging solutions, and the lifts themselves to support their fleet of Liko series ceiling lifts. The initial building of this infrastructure required construction and structural analysis at the point of care, often in patient rooms, to hang the lift tracks on the Unistrut and install additional electrical for charging the lift. Ceiling lift rails are only compatible with anchors installed by the same manufacturer – there does not exist any solution on the market for installing ceiling lifts on a different manufacturer’s supports.

Additionally, the construction required to install the rails and electrical of a different series ceiling lift would incur significant and unnecessary monetary costs across the healthcare system. In addition to procuring the ceiling lift itself, entirely new ceiling lift infrastructure would subject the structure of the facility to more stress as it would require new drilling into the cement to anchor the new support system. As a result, switching brands would require medical centers to install entirely new support systems in patient rooms, incurring large monetary costs and risks to their patient population due to construction. Therefore, healthcare centers with existing ceiling lift infrastructure must continue to procure that manufacturer’s ceiling lift hardware, or otherwise risk incurring significant monetary costs and imposing risks to their patient population.

Furthermore, VAMC Northampton is completely standardized to the Liko series of patient lifts. Introducing a new model/manufacturer produced lift would require the training of clinical staff to the new model, and risk increasing clinical errors as staff are switching from one model to another. Ceiling lifts are technical pieces of clinical equipment that have the potential to harm or injure the patient if used incorrectly. Training is required to ensure the equipment is being used effectively and safely. Additional training hours would be necessary if any other ceiling lift model were procured other than the models to which they are currently standardized. In addition, owning multiple different models of ceiling lifts would increase the risk of a clinical mistake occurring, which must be avoided as much as possible due to ceiling lifts inherently putting veterans in a compromised position.

Effective Date: 11/15/24 Page 3 of 4

Acquisition ID#: 36C241-25-AP-5349

6. Description of Efforts Made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as deemed practicable: A pre-solicitation notice will be posted stating competition will be made among the OEM and its two exclusive SDVOSB authorized distributors, Geo- Med LLC and Electra-Med Corporation.

7. Determination by the CO that the Anticipated Cost to the Government will be Fair and Reasonable: Multiple quotes are expected to be received to establish fair and reasonable pricing and best value to the Government. Furthermore, there exists procurement history within the VHA to compare pricing of the Likoguard Ceiling Lifts being procured.

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

Reasons Market Research Was Not Conducted: Multiple SDVOSBs were identified via searches on DSBS, Sam.gov with NAICS 339113. A narrower search with keywords “Likoguard” and “ceiling lifts” produced zero results. A search on FPDS with keyword “Hillrom ceiling lifts” resulted in 1 SDVOSB – The Janz Corp. AddsUp was also searched and multiple SDVOSBs were listed. SCMC was utilized to search with keyword “Liko patient lifts” produced results that were not relevant. GSA Advantage was also searched with keywords “Likoguard” and “Hillrom ceiling lifts” produced zero results. A market research survey was sent to OEM Baxter and only two authorized distributors were identified, SDVOSBs Electra- Med Corporation and Geo-Med, LLC.

9. Any Other Facts Supporting the Use of Other than Full and Open Competition : N/A

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

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: Currently, there are no actions to be taken to foster competition for future acquisitions of these types of supplies due to the standardization of lifts and infrastructure investments at the VAMC Northampton facility to support the LikoGuard Ceiling Lifts being procured.

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.

Name Date Title Facility

CONOR

OLEJARZ

Digitally signed by CONOR

OLEJARZ

Date: 2025.09.08 14:11:32 -04'00'

Effective Date: 11/15/24 Page 4 of 4

Acquisition ID#: 36C241-25-AP-5349

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.

Date Ashley Kenyon Contracting Officer NCO 1 / RPO East

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

Sheryl Anthony Date Branch Chief

NCO 1 / RPO East

ASHLEY KENYON

Digitally signed by ASHLEY

KENYON

Date: 2025.09.08 14:43:43 -04'00'

SHERYL ANTHONY

Digitally signed by SHERYL

ANTHONY

Date: 2025.09.08 15:00:51 -04'00'