Summary: Sole Source Justification for Abbott Affinity m Reagents

This document is a Sole Source Justification under Simplified Procedures for Commercial Products and Commercial Services submitted by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Network Contracting Office 23. The acquisition (36C263-27-AP-0518) supports the Iowa City VA Health Care System and involves a new, open-market, sole-source contract for Brand Name Only Abbott Affinity m reagents and consumables. The government intends to award a firm-fixed-price contract directly to Abbott Laboratories Inc., the manufacturer and sole source provider, with a total estimated value of $748,477.20 covering one base year (10/01/2026 – 09/30/2027) and three one-year option periods (through 09/30/2030). The annual requirement is valued at $187,119.30.

The Iowa City VA Health Care System already owns an Abbott Affinity m analyzer and requires compatible Brand Name Only Abbott products to operate it, as equal products from other manufacturers would not function on the existing government-owned platform. The required supplies include reagents, assay kits, controls, calibrators, and consumables for HCV, HIV-1, HR HPV, STI, Respiratory 4-Plex, and HSV 1 & 2/VZV testing. Abbott advised that its open-market pricing is more advantageous than pricing available through the VA National Acquisition Center Federal Supply Schedule contract and will remain firm with no annual increases throughout the four-year period. Market research, including a Sources Sought Notice posted August 24 through September 3, 2026, and a subsequent Notice of Intent to Sole Source (September 3-14, 2026), identified no alternate capable sources. The justification confirms Abbott as the only identified firm capable of providing the supplies without requiring the government to replace or duplicate its existing analyzer platform and validated testing capability.