6640--Intent to Sole Source - IonOptix Fura-2 Calcium and Contractility System, to IonOptix LLC

The Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Health Administration Veterans Integrated Service Network 23 has issued a pre-solicitation notice indicating their intent to sole source procure an IonOptix Fura-2 Calcium and Contractility System from IonOptix LLC. This specialized system is designed for advanced cardiac research and is capable of simultaneously recording primary cardiomyocyte calcium, contractility, intracellular calcium concentration changes, and cardiac myocyte dimensions at high-frequency sampling rates. The complete system includes multiple hardware components such as an LED light source, optics package, interface and acquisition core, high-speed CMOS video system, cell framing adapter, photomultiplier tube sub-system, stimulation chamber, and microscope, along with comprehensive software modules for data acquisition and analysis. The solicitation provides vendors an opportunity to demonstrate their capability to meet the requirement, with all responses due by 3:00 pm CST on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, and must be submitted via email to Joseph.Bennett@va.gov with the VA Identifier 36C26325Q0993 in the subject line. The government reserves the right to determine whether to conduct a competitive or small business set-aside procurement based on the responses received.

This procurement does not involve any set-aside designations and falls under NAICS code 334516 (Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing) with a size standard of 1,000 employees. IonOptix LLC is identified as the intended sole source vendor for this specialized equipment procurement. The government anticipates awarding the contract on July 31, 2025, with a performance period of 8 weeks following the award. Respondents must include company details, SAM UEI number, business size/type classification, and information about schedule contracts in their submissions. The procurement is classified under Product Service Code 6640 for Laboratory Equipment and Supplies, and the solicitation does not involve Recovery Act funds. Contract Officer Joseph Bennett from the VA Network 23 Contracting Office in Coralville, Iowa, serves as the point of contact for this procurement.