Sources Sought 36C26326Q0446.docx

Sources Sought Notice Sources Sought Notice

GENERAL INFORMATION

SET-ASIDE

NETWORK CONTRACTING OFFICE 23

316 ROBERT STREET N, SUITE 506

SAINT PAUL MN 55101

POINT OF CONTACT*

Contracting Officer Jeffrey Brown Jeffrey.Brown8@va.gov 651-293-3009

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

1 Veterans Drive

Minneapolis Minnesota

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

AGENCY’S URL

URL DESCRIPTION

AGENCY CONTACT’S EMAIL ADDRESS

EMAIL DESCRIPTION

DESCRIPTION

The Minneapolis VA Health Care System requires a pharmacy package/dose packaging system and accessories with the Salient Characteristics listed below.

This is a sources sought looking for businesses to provide the supplies listed below for market research purposes. No awards of a contract will be made from this announcement.

If you are a vendor that can provide the requested information above and required supplies described below with competitive pricing, send your information (to include your organization's Unique Entity Identifier number) with a description of proof of capability to: Jeffrey.Brown8@va.gov on or before March 16th, 2026. Only emailed responses will be considered.

Additionally, please provide answers as appropriate to the following questions in the table below with your response to this sources sought. Failure to respond to the following questions may affect the acquisition strategy.

*If applicable, VAAR 852.219-76 VA Notice of Limitations on Subcontracting—Certificate of Compliance for Supplies and Products, will apply to the potential solicitation if set-aside for Veteran Owned Small-Businesses.* *If applicable, VAAR 852.212-71 Gray Market Items, will apply to the potential solicitation.* *If applicable, FAR 52.219-14 Limitations on Subcontracting, will apply to the potential solicitation if set-aside for Small-Businesses. * Statement of Work

Minneapolis VA Healthcare System (MVAHCS) has a need to purchase a new package/dose sealer for the pharmacy service. This equipment will allow pharmacy staff to pack medications in a bag with the appropriate barcode for the nurse to scan. A brand name or equal package/dose sealer equivalent to the one identified in the table below is required.

Brand Name Requirements:

(a) If an item is identified as "brand name or equal," the purchase description shall reflect the characteristics and level of quality that will satisfy the Government’s needs.

(b) For equivalent items to be considered equivalent of the product(s) of the brand name manufacturer, they must-

(1) Meet the salient physical, functional, or performance characteristic specified in this solicitation;

(2) Clearly identify the item by-

(i) Brand name, if any; and

(ii) Make or model number;

(3) Include descriptive literature such as illustrations, drawings, or a clear reference to previously furnished descriptive data or information available to the Contracting Officer; and

(4) Clearly describe any modifications the offeror plans to make in a product to make it conform to the requirements. Mark any descriptive material to clearly show the modifications.

(c) The Contracting Officer will evaluate "equal" products on the basis of information furnished or identified and reasonably available to the Contracting Officer. The Contracting Officer is not responsible for locating or obtaining any information not identified.

Salient Characteristics:

The following are the salient characteristics for the pharmacy Unit Dose bag/pouch medication repackaging equipment

1. Ability to create and seal unit dose medication bags

2. Barcoding to be printed directly on the pouch or bag and not require additional labels

3. Bags to have tamper evident seals and side is to be clear, transparent and the other to be white, opaque.

4. Options for bag/pouch sizes to accommodate items such as vials, syringes, unit dose eye drops, unit dose nebulizer containers

5. Ability to have automatically paced filling with some capability to adjust the fill time interval.

6. Machines must open pouches or bags so items can be easily dropped in for packaging and include a foot pedal or other means of hands-free filling of bags

7. Minneapolis VA pharmacy already uses Pak-Edge UD Barcode Labeling Software for a large library of repackaging. Consistency is needed within repackaging work that comes by using the same software/library for the multi-faceted types of repackaging; therefore, the system must be able to use Pak-Edge UD Barcode Labeling Software 2.0 current version 2.0.604 and be compatible with any subsequent version updates.

Delivery/Setup The contractor shall coordinate delivery, setup and training with the on-site Point of Contacts (POCs) listed below:

TBD

Delivery Address:

Contractor will ship or deliver all items to the Minneapolis VA Health Care System.

Minneapolis Veteran Affairs Heath Care System Attn: TBD One Veterans Drive Minneapolis, MN 55417 Important Receiving Requirement:

Contractor shall include the Veteran Affairs issued Purchase Order Number on the shipping label or packing list. Without the Purchase Order Number, the item will not be properly received. Delays in payment may result failure to follow instructions.

Delivery hours:

Monday through Friday from 7:00 am – 3:00 pm. Deliveries are not accepted on the federal holidays listed below:

Observed Federal Holidays:

Christmas Day

Installation/Training Vendors will be expected to provide installation and training on the new equipment.

Sources Sought Notice