Sources Sought - East Indy VA Clinic Audiology Equipment 02.docx

This is a SOURCES SOUGHT request for informational and planning purposes only and shall not be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation or commitment by the Government at this time.

This notice is intended strictly for market research. The purpose of this Sources Sought notice is to determine the interest and capability of Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) and Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB) to meet the requirements listed below.

The associated North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code is 334510 – Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing, and the Business Size Standard is 1,250 Employees. The associated Product Service Code is 6515 – Medical and Surgical Instruments, Equipment, and Supplies.

Description of Requirement:

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Network Contracting Office 10 (NCO 10), requires one dual-channel clinical audiometer, two hearing aid analyzers, associated software, training, and installation for the new East Indianapolis VA Clinic located at 9402 East 21st Street, Indianapolis, IN 46229. The equipment will support the Audiology Department in Rooms 600, 601A, and 602. This acquisition supports the clinic’s Initial Outfitting, Transition, and Activation (IOT&A) efforts.

This request is for a Brand Name or Equal acquisition of the following Natus Medical equipment and services:

MATERIALS

INSTALLATION

SERVICES

Audiometer, Dual Channel:

Computer-controlled, dual-channel clinical audiometry system with a dedicated tactile operator-control interface. The system shall support diagnostic air-conduction, bone-conduction, speech, sound-field, and extended high-frequency audiometry when used with the appropriate calibrated transducers. The system shall include all hardware, calibrated transducers, software, licenses, interfaces, power supplies, and accessories required for a complete and operational system. The software shall support audiometer control, patient-data management, test acquisition, review, storage, export, and reporting. When furnished with the separately specified probe-microphone measurement system, the software shall support an integrated or coordinated patient workflow for accessing audiometric and real-ear measurement results.

SALIENT FEATURES / CHARACTERISTICS:

Clinical Audiometer

· Provides two independent audiometry channels with equivalent testing capabilities.

· Supports diagnostic air-conduction, bone-conduction, speech, masking, and sound-field audiometry.

· Supports standard air-conduction testing from at least 125 through 8,000 Hz.

· Supports extended high-frequency air-conduction testing through at least 20,000 Hz when used with the appropriate calibrated transducer.

· Supports bone-conduction testing from at least 250 through 8,000 Hz, subject to the operating range of the supplied transducer.

· Supports sound-field testing over the frequency range supported by the supplied speakers and amplification system.

· Provides pure-tone, frequency-modulated, pulsed, and frequency-specific noise stimuli.

· Provides narrow-band, speech-weighted, and broadband masking noise.

· Provides octave, fractional-octave, and fine-frequency adjustment suitable for diagnostic and extended high-frequency testing.

· Provides presentation-level adjustment in increments of 1 dB and 5 dB or finer.

· Provides air-conduction output levels up to at least 120 dB HL and bone-conduction output levels up to at least 80 dB HL, subject to frequency and transducer limitations.

· Meets applicable accuracy, linearity, and harmonic-distortion requirements for a Type 1 clinical audiometer.

· Provides sufficient transducer connections and routing capabilities to support the supplied air-conduction, bone-conduction, insert-earphone, and sound-field configurations.

· Includes integrated or supplied sound-field amplification compatible with the furnished speakers.

· Supports bilateral and binaural signal routing, masking, channel tracking, and stimulus locking.

· Provides patient and operator communication functions, including talk-forward, talk-back, patient-response monitoring, and operator monitoring.

· Connects to the controlling computer through a wired digital interface.

· Includes all software, device drivers, and licenses required to operate and control the audiometer and display test parameters and results.

· Software supports patient-data entry or import, audiometric test acquisition, results review, data storage, export, and report generation.

· Software supports an integrated or coordinated interface with the separately specified probe-microphone measurement system, allowing audiometric and real-ear measurement results to be accessed through a common patient workflow.

· Software supports data exchange or integration with compatible hearing-care data-management systems and electronic medical records when properly configured.

· Includes a medical-grade power supply compatible with 100–240 VAC, 50/60 Hz input.

· Conforms to IEC 60645-1 Type 1, IEC 60645-2, ANSI/ASA S3.6, and applicable IEC 60601-1 and IEC 60601-1-2 requirements.

Audiometer Control Panel (ACP)

· Provides a dedicated tactile operator interface for controlling the associated computer-based clinical audiometer.

· Provides separate controls for both audiometry channels.

· Provides dedicated or readily accessible controls for:

· Stimulus selection and presentation.

· Transducer selection.

· Masking selection and routing.

· Left, right, and binaural routing.

· Frequency selection.

· Presentation-level adjustment.

· Continuous and pulsed stimulus operation.

· Stimulus locking and channel tracking.

· Talk-forward and talk-back communication.

· Patient-response monitoring.

· Operator and assistant monitoring.

· Provides tactile controls with visual status indicators for active test functions.

· Provides rotary controls or a functionally equivalent tactile method for rapid frequency and presentation-level adjustment.

· Includes an operator-monitoring speaker or headset-monitoring capability.

· Supports operator headset and microphone connections.

· Connects to the controlling computer through a wired digital interface.

· Is powered through the computer interface or an included medical-grade power supply.

· Includes all cables, adapters, and accessories required for complete operation.

· Conforms to applicable IEC 60601-1 patient-safety and IEC 60601-1-2 electromagnetic-compatibility requirements.

· DATA AND NETWORK CAPABILITY: The associated computer and software store patient data and are capable of transmitting data through a Wi-Fi or physical LAN connection when configured and authorized for use on the VA network. The audiometer and control panel communicate locally with the controlling computer through a wired connection.

Hearing Aid Analyzer:

Wireless, computer-controlled, binaural probe-microphone measurement and counseling system designed for real-ear verification of hearing aids. The system shall measure sound-pressure levels in the ear canal; evaluate unaided, aided, and occluded responses and gain; compare hearing-aid output with recognized prescriptive or user-defined targets; and support speech mapping and objective demonstration of hearing-aid performance. The system shall include the binaural measurement unit, probe and reference microphones, probe tubes, charging equipment, wireless communication hardware, software, licenses, power supplies, cables, and accessories required for a complete and operational system.

SALIENT FEATURES / CHARACTERISTICS:

· Supports simultaneous binaural probe-microphone measurements.

· Provides at least four measurement channels.

· Provides frequency resolution of one-third octave or finer.

· Provides a probe-microphone measurement range covering at least 40 through 130 dB SPL.

· Provides a reference-microphone measurement range covering at least 40 through 110 dB SPL.

· Provides a dynamic range greater than 80 dB.

· Provides measurement-level accuracy within ±3 dB.

· Electronically retains and applies calibration information for the measurement probes.

· Supports real-ear unaided response and gain, occluded response and gain, aided response and gain, insertion gain, and real-ear-to-coupler-difference measurements.

· Supports verification against recognized prescriptive fitting targets and user-defined targets.

· Supports speech mapping using standardized speech signals, live or recorded speech, calibrated noise, tone sweeps, and other clinically appropriate stimuli.

· Supports dynamic fitting assessment, including percentile analysis and compression-ratio evaluation.

· Provides tools that assist with probe-tube placement, probe-tube calibration, and identification of measurement or placement errors.

· Supports configurable tests, predefined measurement sequences, noise-reduction assessment, tinnitus-verification markers, and comparison of hearing-aid features.

· Supports automated or guided verification workflows with compatible hearing-aid fitting software.

· Provides counseling functions such as hearing-loss simulation, hearing-instrument simulation, speech mapping, and predicted aided audiograms.

· Transfers measurement data to the controlling computer through Bluetooth or a functionally equivalent short-range wireless connection.

· Provides an effective wireless operating range of at least 30 feet under normal clinical conditions.

· Short-range wireless communication is limited to communication between the measurement unit and its controlling computer and does not constitute a direct facility-network connection.

· Operates from a rechargeable battery providing at least five hours of typical continuous use per charge.

· Provides a visible low-battery indication.

· Includes a charging station and power supply compatible with 100–240 VAC, 50/60 Hz input.

· Is portable and suitable for continuous clinical operation.

· Shall be delivered fully operational and calibrated. The system shall support periodic calibration by the manufacturer or a qualified service provider in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommended calibration interval.

· Conforms to EN/IEC 61669 and applicable IEC 60601-1 Type BF, IEC 60601-1-2, and radio-equipment requirements.

· DATA AND NETWORK CAPABILITY: The associated computer and software store patient data and are capable of transmitting data through a Wi-Fi or physical LAN connection when configured and authorized for use on the VA network. The measurement unit communicates locally with the controlling computer through short-range wireless communication.

Hearing Aid Analyzer & Audiometer Services:

· Provide annual calibration for each covered audiometer, including labor, on-site travel or freight, calibration certification, and compliance documentation.

· Provide performance verification, preventive maintenance, and replacement of normal wear items required to pass calibration.

· Provide repair coverage for equipment defects and malfunctions, including parts, labor, expedited two-way shipping, and loaner or replacement equipment to minimize downtime.

· Provide advanced technical support for up to two hours per quarter.

Requested Information:

To aid acquisition planning, contractors that are interested and capable of meeting this requirement are to provide a response via the email address listed below. Provide at minimum the following information in your response. Responses with insufficient information, or generic responses of interest, will not be considered.

(1) Business name and address

(2) Point of contact name, phone number and e-mail address

(3) SAM Unique Entity ID (UEI)

(4) Specifications/data sheets for the proposed equipment/services.

(5) Documentation showing equipment place of manufacture. Equipment must be manufactured domestically, or subject to a trade agreement (for example, if available on a federal supply schedule contract).

Additional information:

· All contractors must be registered with the System for Award Management (SAM) at https://sam.gov.

· Contractors claiming SDVOSB or VOSB status must be registered with the SBA Veteran Small Business Certification Program.

Responses due to the Contracting Officer, Jeffrey Rozema, by Thursday, October 8, 2026, at 5:00 PM Eastern Time. Please e-mail all responses to jeffrey.rozema@va.gov.