Sole source justificationredacted_Redacted.pdf

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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Justification for Single Source Awards IAW FAR 13.106-1 For

Over Micro-Purchase Threshold but Not Exceeding the SAT ($250K)

Acquisition Plan Action ID: 36C24E-24-AP-0740

1. Contracting Activity:

Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Procurement Office (RPO) – East 323 North Shore Drive, Suite 500 Pittsburgh, PA 15212

Requesting Activity Department of Veterans Affairs Oklahoma City VA Health Care System Research Services 921 N.E. 13th Street Oklahoma City, OK 73104

2. Brief Description of Supplies/ Services required and the intended use/Estimated Amount:

The Oklahoma City VA Health Care System (HCS) requires services for per diem fees for animals housed at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation. This supports the Principal Investigator (PI), Dr. Mary Beth Humphrey, during research performed at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation. The total value of this requirement to include options is

PR# 635-25-1-321-0003

3. Unique characteristics that limit availability to only one source, with the reason no other supplies or services can be used:

The selected vendor is Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF). The services provided under this acquisition allows the VA to establish or maintain an essential capability for research that, at present, cannot be performed at the medical center. The Oklahoma City VA HCS does not have the space or equipment required to conduct the research. The space and research require federal regulatory compliance with Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) protocols and American Association for Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC) accreditation. These protocols are implemented and required to insure the ethical and humane treatment of animals in biomedical and agricultural research. OMRF is compliant with both of these protocols.

The PI has a current memorandum of understanding with OMRF which allows the use of on-site equipment (microCT scanner and pain measurement equipment ) that is not available at the local

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VA Medical Center or any other local facility. In order for the PI to use the equipment necessary for the research, the animals subject to this research are required to be housed in the OMRF vivarium.

This requirement is a follow-on to an existing contract, 36C24E23P0159. Research has already begun and the facility and animal housing at OMRF is already established and is currently housing the animals. The use of any other vendor would not be feasible due to the MOU in place that allows the PI the use of the equipment necessary for the research and the requirement to house the animals at the same facility.

4. Description of market research conducted and results or statement why it was not conducted:

Market research was conducted. Due to the necessity to house the animals at the same facility as the equipment used in the research no other vendors are able to provide this service. Should the requirements of the research or MOU change in the future, this requirement will be reevaluated to determine if a competitive acquisition can be processed.

5. Contracting Officer's Certification: Purchase is approved in accordance with FAR13.106-1(b). I certify that the foregoing justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Renee L Kale Contracting Officer RPO-E Research and Development Date

RENEE KALE

Digitally signed by RENEE KALE Date: 2024.06.21 08:03:16 -04'00'