6630--Cepheid GeneXpert Xpress Systems - Notice of Intent to Sole Source

INTENT TO SOLE SOURCE

The Department of Veterans Affairs, VHA Regional Procurement Office Central, Network Contracting Office 10, intends to enter into a sole source procurement pursuant to FAR 6.302-1, for GeneXpert Xpress Systems for the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, 10701 East Boulevard, Cleveland, OH 44106. The Department of Veterans Affairs intends to award a sole source, firm-fixed price purchase order to Cepheid, 904 Caribbean Drive, Sunnyvale, CA 94089. The associated North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code is 334516 Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing, and the Business Size Standard is 1,000 Employees.

The proposed procurement if for fifteen (15) GeneXpert Xpress II systems (Model #GXII-CLIA-L) and one (1) GeneXpert Xpress IV system (Model #GXIV-CLIA-L). These instruments will be used for the PCR rapid testing of influenza A/B and strep throat for use at the Wade Park Campus and the surrounding outpatient clinics. The testing instruments must be Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) waived due to licensing requirements for the outpatient clinics. The instruments must also be capable of performing 2 tests at once and perform rapid Strep A testing, which eliminates the need for another testing kit. The main lab at the Wade Park Campus currently uses Cepheid instrumentation to a much larger scale with a greater variety of testing platforms. The test kits used on the current instrumentation are compatible with the smaller instruments being ordered for the outpatient clinics. The acquisition of GeneXpert instruments for the surrounding outpatient laboratories will enable all Cleveland area VA laboratory facilities to utilize the same test kits, eliminating the need for separate test kit contracts.

It is the Government s belief that Cepheid s GeneXpert systems are manufactured solely for Cepheid, and Cepheid is the sole authorized distributor of GeneXpert systems in the acute care market within the United States.

This notice satisfies the requirement at FAR 5.201(b)(1), to publicize the proposed contract action. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals or quotes. Interested parties may identify their interest and capability to respond to the requirement. A determination not to compete this requirement, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the Government.

Interested persons may identify their interests and capability to respond to this requirement no later than 11:59 PM Eastern Time, Thursday, June 18, 2020. Any response to this notice must show clear and convincing evidence that competition would be advantageous to the Government. Supporting evidence must be furnished in sufficient detail to demonstrate the ability to meet the subject requirement. This information shall be provided at no cost or obligation to the Government.

Interest/capability statements shall be submitted to Jeffrey Rozema via e-mail at jeffrey.rozema@va.gov. Telephone inquiries will not be accepted.