6550--Intent to Sole Source: Cepheid GeneXpert Infinity Molecular Reagents IDIQ

The Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Health Administration Veterans Integrated Service Network 8 is procuring an extensive range of infectious disease molecular testing reagents for use on the Cepheid GeneXpert Infinity platform, including tests for MRSA, C. difficile, CRE, Chlamydia/Gonorrhea, Group A Streptococcus, SARS-CoV-2, Influenza A and B, RSV, and vaginal infections. This is a sole-source procurement under FAR 12.102(b) and 41 USC §1901, with the government asserting that only Cepheid is capable of providing compliant reagents for the specialized GeneXpert Infinity equipment. The contract will be a fixed-price, single-award IDIQ with comprehensive security and information system requirements outlined in VA Handbook 6500.6, including FIPS compliance, encryption standards, background investigations for contractor personnel, annual privacy and security awareness training, and incident notification procedures. The evaluation will focus on the vendor's ability to meet technical specifications for FDA-approved reagents, provide reliable supply chain management with standing orders or monthly shipments, support emergency overnight delivery, and comply with all VA security and records management requirements. The offer due date is February 20, 2026, at 1:00 PM EST, and interested parties may submit responses to demonstrate capability, though the government retains sole discretion to determine whether to conduct a competitive procurement instead.

This procurement is not subject to any set-aside designation, and Cepheid is identified as the intended sole-source contractor. The contract includes a guaranteed minimum award of $100,000 with a maximum aggregate value of $3,500,000 across four ordering periods from April 1, 2026, through September 30, 2029. The estimated annual quantities span eight specific test kits including Xpert MRSA NxG, Xpert C.difficile/Epi, Xpert Xpress Strep A, Xpert Carba-R, Xpert CT/NG, Xpert Xpress MVP, Xpert Xpress COVID PLUS, and Xpert Xpress COV-2/FLU/RSV PLUS, with monthly billing in arrears through the Government E-Invoice system on NET 30 payment terms. Performance of delivery will occur at the C.W. Bill Young VA Medical Center in Bay Pines, Florida (Building 100, Room 2B-129), with all shipping costs the responsibility of the vendor on an FOB destination basis. The vendor must supply the most current FDA-approved reagents, provide hazardous material information as required, and maintain capability for emergency overnight delivery to support the facility's operational needs.