RFI 36C25627Q0059.pdf

Presolicitation Notice

*=Required Field Presolicitation Notice

SUBJECT* RFI - Lab EP Evaluator Subscriptions

GENERAL INFORMATION

CONTRACTING OFFICE’S ZIP CODE*

SOLICITATION NUMBER*

RESPONSE DATE/TIME/ZONE

ARCHIVE

SET-ASIDE

PRODUCT SERVICE CODE*

NAICS CODE*

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

POSTAL CODE

COUNTRY

77056-5643 36C25627Q0059

10-30-2026 10:00 CENTRAL TIME, CHICAGO,

USA

30 DAYS AFTER THE RESPONSE DATE

DA10

513210 Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System

2200 Fort Roots Drive North Little Rock, AR 72114

USA

CONTACT INFORMATION

CONTRACTING OFFICE ADDRESS Department of Veterans Affairs

Network Contracting Office 16 5075 Westheimer Road, Suite 750

Houston, TX 77056-5643 POINT OF CONTACT* Contract Specialist

Carmyn E Williams Carmyn.Williams@va.gov 713-799-0795

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

AGENCY’S URL

URL DESCRIPTION

AGENCY CONTACT’S EMAIL ADDRESS

EMAIL DESCRIPTION

DESCRIPTION

Pre-solicitation/Sources Sought Notice (PS/SSN) – LP Evaluator Subscription

Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, Network Contracting Office

(NCO 16)

The SSN is for market research and planning purposes only and shall not be considered an Invitation for Bid (IFB), a Request for Task Execution Plan, a Request for Quotation (RFQ), or a Request for Proposal (RFP). Additionally, there is no obligation on the part of the Government to acquire any products or services described in this SSN. Your response to this SSN will be treated only as information for the Government to consider. You will not be entitled to payment for direct or indirect costs that you incur in responding to this SSN. This request does not constitute a solicitation for proposals or the authority to enter negotiations to award a contract.

No funds have been authorized, appropriated, or received for this effort. Interested parties are responsible for adequately marking proprietary, restricted, or competition-sensitive information contained in their response. The Government does not intend to pay for the information submitted in response to this SSN.

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) for this requirement is 513210 – Software Publishers with a size standard of $47 million and a Product Service Code (PSC)

DA10.

1. PURPOSE: The Network Contracting Office (NCO) 16, located at the Galleria Financial Center, 5075 Westheimer Rd, Ste 750, Houston, TX 77030, hereby issues the following Sources Sought to Request for Information (RFI) with the intent of determining the contractor interest, capabilities, and qualifications of potential businesses to continue access to EP Evaluator Release 12 Clinical Laboratory Statistical Analysis commercial off-the-shelf software for participating medical center and outpatient clinic laboratories.

The Contractor shall provide annual subscription renewals for EP Evaluator Release 12 Clinical Laboratory Statistical Analysis software for the participating VISN 16 medical centers and outpatient clinic laboratories.

The Government is in no way obligated to do business with or enter any form of contract with any person, firm, or other entity that receives or responds to this announcement.

2. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this PS/SSN/RFI is to find qualified contractors with the ability to provide annual subscription renewals for the EP Evaluator Release 12 Clinical Laboratory Statistical Analysis software.

3. RESPONSES REQUESTED: NCO 16 requires all the following information and questions answered in this PS/SSN/RFI. Questions and information that are not provided shall be considered nonresponsive to the PS/SSN/RFI, and the contractor may not be considered as part of this market research.

a. Contractors shall provide their points of contact’s name(s), address(es), telephone number(s), and email address(es), and the company’s business size, SAM Unique Entity Identification (UEI) Number.

b. Is your company a small business, SDBs, HUBZone, or 8A concern? Please provide proof of qualifications.

c. Is your company considered small under the NAICS code: 513210?

d. Are you an authorized distributor/seller for the software listed in the draft SOW?

If not, please provide evidence/authorization/agreement from the OEM.

e. Is your software name brand or equal to what the Government is seeking?

Please communicate how the software is equal to, if not brand name.

f. Include your capability statement, a list of active contracts for commercial, federal, state, and local governments, like this requirement. The list of contracts shall provide communication on the government requirement, illustrating the capability for comparison.

g. For this requirement, is your company available under any of the following:

i. Government Wide Agency Contract (GWAC)

ii. General Services Administration Services (GSA)

iii. Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ)

iv. Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA)

If so, please list the contract number and SIN.

4. OPPORTUNITY: NCO 16 is seeking information from potential contractors on their ability to meet this requirement. THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT FOR INFORMATION (SSN/RFI) ONLY. Small business concerns are encouraged to respond to this Sources Sought to assist NCO 16 in determining potential levels of competition available in the industry. Contractors shall possess the capability to meet all requirements and objectives.

5. INSTRUCTIONS AND RESPONSE GUIDELINES: Sources Sought responses are due by Friday, 30 October 2026 at 10:00 AM CST via email to Carmyn.Williams@va.gov.

Telephone requests or inquiries will be accepted.

Public information will not be provided and shall be utilized to the full extent possible.

This is a New Requirement.

The subject shall read: 36C25627Q0059 RFI-Sources Sought-LP Evaluator Subscription. NO SOLICITATION EXISTS AT THIS TIME. There is no page limitation on subparagraphs 3(a) – 3(g).

Please provide the information you deem relevant to respond to the specific inquiries of the Sources Sought. Information provided will be used solely by NCO 16 as “market research” and will not be released outside of the NCO 16 Purchasing and Contract Team.

The Sources Sought notice does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP), Invitation for Bid (IFB), or Request for Quotation (RFQ), and it is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to enter a contract, nor will the Government pay for the mailto:Carmyn.Williams@va.gov information submitted in response to this request. All information contained in this Sources Sought is preliminary as well as subject to modification and is in no way binding on the Government.

6. CONTACT INFORMATION: Carmyn E Williams, Contract Specialist Carmyn.Willaims@va.gov

Your responses to this notice are appreciated.

THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE QUOTES/PROPOSALS; however, any firm that believes it can meet the requirements may provide answers, responses, and give written notification before the response is due date and time. Supporting evidence and responses must be provided in detail to demonstrate the ability to perform the requirements.

Draft Statement of Work (SOW)

1. BACKGROUND - The Veterans Integrated Service Network 16 (VISN 16) requires continued access to Evaluation Protocol (EP) Evaluator Release 12 Clinical Laboratory Statistical Analysis commercial off-the-shelf software for participating medical centers and outpatient clinic laboratories.

The software supports statistical analyses required for clinical laboratory operations and accreditation activities. These activities include requirements associated with the College of American Pathologists (CAP), the Joint Commission laboratory accreditation program, the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA), and VHA Handbook 1106.

EP Evaluator Release 12 has Department of Veterans Affairs Technical Reference Model approval. The software is currently loaded on laboratory personnel computers by local VA Office of Information and Technology staff. The computers are connected to the VA network.

This requirement consolidates the participating laboratories’ annual subscription renewals under a single VISN procurement. The period of performance for each subscription shall be December 16, 2026, through December 15, 2027.

2. SCOPE - The Contractor shall provide annual subscription renewals for EP Evaluator Release 12 Clinical Laboratory Statistical Analysis software for the participating VISN 16 medical centers and outpatient clinic laboratories identified in Section 2.1.

The consolidated requirement consists of:

a. Eight base network license subscription renewals; and

b. Twenty-four additional user license subscription renewals.

Each site’s subscription shall permit concurrent use up to the total number of licenses purchased for the respective health care system.

mailto:Carmyn.Willaims@va.gov

The subscription shall include:

a. Full use of the licensed software;

b. Technical support;

c. Product support;

d. Software upgrades;

e. Software updates;

f. Access to previously entered data and saved reports for historical purposes;

g. Access to recorded training sessions covering available modules and analyses;

and

h. Access to prerecorded webinars.

The Contractor shall provide an electronic EP Evaluator subscription renewal code for each site subscription. Renewal codes shall be transmitted electronically to the VISN Clinical Systems Program Office for distribution to the respective laboratories.

2.1 Applicable Product Groups and Participating Laboratories - The following product groups shall provide subscription renewals for the identified laboratories.

ED-EE-S-NET-BASE Network and ED-EE-ADD Network License Additional User:

• Alexandria VAMC, 2495 Shreveport Hwy 71N, Pineville, LA 71360;

• Jackson VAMC, 1500 E Woodrow Wilson Dr, Jackson, MS 39216; and

• Shreveport VAMC, 510 E Stoner Ave, Shreveport, LA 71101.

EE-P-NET-BASE Network and EE-P-NET-ADD Additional User:

• Biloxi VAMC, 400 Veterans Blvd, Biloxi, MS 39531;

• Fayetteville VAMC, 1100 N College Ave, Fayetteville, AR 72703;

• Houston VAMC, 2002 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX 77030;

• Little Rock VAMC, 4300 W 7th St, Little Rock, AR 72205; and

• New Orleans VAMC, 2400 Canal St, New Orleans, LA 70119.

3. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

3.1 Commercial-Off-the-Shelf Software – EP Evaluator Release 12 shall be provided as a commercial-off-the-shelf software subscription and shall support full product functionality throughout the period of performance.

3.2 VA Technical Approval – EP Evaluator Release 12 shall maintain the functionality associated with the version approved under the VA Technical Reference Model.

3.3 Operating Environment – The software shall operate on laboratory personnel computers connected to the VA network. Installation and loading of the software on VA equipment shall be performed by authorized local VA Office of Information and Technology staff.

3.4 Data Entry and Import – Raw laboratory data may be:

• Entered manually into the statistical analysis report by a laboratory technologist;

• Imported through Government-owned Data Innovations middleware; and/or

• Imported through spreadsheets.

3.5 Information Security and Privacy – The software shall not contain or collect personally identifiable information or protected health information. The contractor shall not:

• Access the VA network;

• Remotely connect to VA systems;

• Access VA laboratory computers;

• Perform work on site; or

• Receive personally identifiable information (PII) or protected health information

(PHI) in connection with this requirement.

All Contractor support shall be provided by telephone or email.

3.6 Historical Data – The subscription shall maintain electronic access to previously entered data and saved reports for historical, operational, and accreditation-related purposes.

3.7 User Access Controls – The software shall permit the definition of user groups to control access to specific projects and data.

3.8 Data Protection – The software shall include built-in backup and restore functionality.

4. SPECIFICATIONS – EP Evaluator Release 12 shall perform the statistical analyses and support the clinical laboratory functions described below:

4.1 Method Comparison and Assay Performance – The software shall support method comparison analyses for quantitative, semiquantitative, and qualitative assays including:

1. Comparisons between two (2) laboratory instruments;

2. Comparisons among multiple laboratory instruments;

3. Correlations between laboratory equipment and point-of-care testing equipment;

4. Evaluation of new and existing test methods;

5. Accuracy calculations;

6. Precision calculations;

7. Linearity analysis;

8. Carryover analysis;

9. Sensitivity analysis;

10. Limit of blank determinations; and

11. Limit of quantitation determinations.

4.2 Coagulation Analysis – The software shall:

1. Calculate and validate International Normalized Ratio calculations;

2. Establish geometric means;

3. Support manual International Normalized Ratio checks; and

4. Determine factor sensitivity for coagulation assays.

4.3 Calibration and Reference Intervals – the software shall provide:

1. Calibration verification statistical analysis; and

2. Statistical analysis to establish or verify reference and normal ranges.

4.4 Assay Evaluation – The software shall support:

1. Analysis and evaluation of assay carryover;

2. Analysis and evaluation of assay interference; and

3. Evaluation of assay bias.

4.5 Laboratory Management – The software shall provide functionality to:

1. Track laboratory cost per test;

2. Maintain an incident tracking log;

3. Support inventory management for reagents, controls, calibrators, and related laboratory supplies;

4. Track and maintain competency assessments for laboratory technologists, technicians, and phlebotomists; and

5. Track and maintain competency assessments for nursing staff supporting ancillary testing programs.

4.6 Statistical and Reporting – The software shall provide:

1. Histograms;

2. Descriptive statistics;

3. Composite reporting;

4. Six Sigma metrics; and

5. Professional reports that are ready for review, signature, and filing in accordance with clinical laboratory accreditation requirements.

4.7 User Assistance – The software shall include a comprehensive online user help guide.

4.8 CLSI Protocols – The software shall implement the following Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute protocols:

1. EP5-A, Evaluation of Precision Performance of Clinical Chemistry Devices, Approved Guideline;

2. EP6-A, Evaluation of the Linearity of Quantitative Measurement Procedures; A Statistical Approach, Approved Guideline;

3. EP9-A, Method Comparison and Bias Estimation Using Patient Samples, Approved Guideline;

4. EP9-A3, including the advanced method comparison option and updated outlier detection algorithm provided in EP Evaluator Release 12;

5. EP12-A, User Protocol for Evaluation of Qualitative Test Performance, Approved Guideline;

6. C28-A2, How to Define and Determine Reference Intervals in the Clinical Laboratory, Approved Guideline;

7. GP10-A, Assessment of the Clinical Accuracy of Laboratory Tests Using Receiver Operating Characteristic Curves, Approved Guideline;

8. EP10-A, Preliminary Evaluation of Clinical Chemistry Methods, Approved Guideline;

and

9. EP7-A, Interference Testing in Clinical Chemistry, Approved Guideline.

5. MAINTENANCE

5.1 Technical and Product Support – The Contractor shall provide technical and product support by email or telephone, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays, from 9:00 AM through 8:00 PM Eastern Standard Time or Eastern Daylight Time, as applicable.

5.2 Scope of Support – Support shall include:

1. Software troubleshooting;

2. Technical product assistance; and

3. Technical clinical assay performance evaluation assistance provided by a clinical chemist or an individual with equivalent qualifications.

5.3 Software Upgrades and Updates – The Contractor shall provide all applicable software upgrades and updates released during the period of performance. Upgrades and updates shall be furnished by compact disc or Hypertext Markup Language download, as applicable.

The subscription shall provide continued use of the software and access to full product functionality during the period of performance.

5.4 Contractor Access Restrictions – Maintenance and support shall not require Contractor personnel to:

1. Travel to a VA facility;

2. Enter a VA facility;

3. Access the VA network;

4. Remotely access VA equipment; or

5. Receive VA data containing PII/PHI.

6. TRAINING – The Contractor shall provide electronic access to:

a. Recorded training sessions covering the modules available within EP Evaluator

Release 12;

b. Recorded training sessions covering the analysis supported by the software;

c. Pre-recorded webinars; and

d. The comprehensive online user help guide.

Training resources shall remain available to authorized users during the subscription period.

No on-site or instructor-led training is required under this SOW unless separately authorized through a written contract modification.

7. DELIVERY & INSTALLATION

7.1 Subscription Period – Each license shall have a one-year subscription period beginning December 16, 2026, and ending December 15, 2027.

7.2 Electronic Delivery – The Contractor shall provide an electronic EP Evaluator subscription renewal code for each site subscription. All renewal codes shall be delivered electronically to the VISN Clinical Systems Program Office for distribution to the applicable participating laboratories.

7.3 Site Allocation – The Contractor shall ensure that each renewal code corresponds to:

1. The correct participating site;

2. The correct EP Evaluator product version;

3. The correct base network subscription;

4. The correct number of additional user subscriptions; and

5. The applicable concurrent-use entitlement identified.

7.4 Installation – Local VA Office of Information and Technology staff shall be responsible for loading or applying the software and subscription renewal codes to VA laboratory computers.

The Contractor shall not perform on-site installation and shall not access the VA network or VA laboratory computers.

7.5 Delivery Acceptance – Delivery shall be considered complete when the VISN Clinical Systems Program Office receives all required subscription renewal codes in electronic form, and the codes correspond to the site-level requirements.

Any invalid code, assigned to the wrong site, associated with an incorrect product version, or inconsistent with the SOW shall be corrected by the Contractor without additional cost to the Government.

The Federal holidays, which the federal government observes, are noted below:

• New Year’s Day January 1

• Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Third Monday in January

• President’s Day Third Monday in February

• Memorial Day Fourth Monday in May

• Juneteenth June 19

• Independence Day July 4

• Labor Day First Monday in September

• Columbus Day Second Monday in October

• Veterans Day November 11

• Thanksgiving Day Fourth Thursday in November

• Christmas Day December 25

• Any other day specifically declared to be a national holiday (per Federal Statute, Executive Order, or by the President’s Proclamation).

An alternate schedule (different from the one described above) may be used if there is a mutual agreement between the Government and the contractor.

8. INVOICING & PAYMENTS - Invoices for payment shall be submitted upon receipt of acceptance by the warehouse, and the following information shall appear on the invoice:

• Contractor’s name/address/phone number

• Contract Number: XXXXX, Month and year of delivery

• Contract Line-Item Number and description of product delivered

• Purchase order (PO) funding number

CHANGES TO THE STATEMENT OF WORK - The Contracting Officer is the only person authorized to approve changes or modify any of the requirements under this contract, and such changes will be executed bilaterally in accordance with FAR 52.212-4(d). The Contractor shall communicate with the Contracting Officer on all matters related to contract administration. Only the Contracting Officer is authorized to make commitments or issue changes that will affect the price, quantity, or quality of performance of this contract. In the event the contractor affects any such change at the direction of any person other than the Contracting Officer, the change shall be considered to have been made without authority, and no adjustment will be made in the contract price to cover any increase in costs incurred as a result thereof. Costs incurred by the contractor through the actions of parties other than the Contracting Officer shall be borne by the contractor.