6640--Lab Equipment - Leica Aperio GT 450 Scanner Pre-solicitation Notice with Intent to Sole Source

Pre-Solicitation Notice for notice of intent to award a sole source task order. This is not a solicitation. The Veteran s Health Administration (VHA) Office of Research and Development, Regional Procurement Office East in Pittsburgh, PA intends to negotiate on a sole source basis with Government Scientific Sources, Inc., 12351 Sunrise Valley Dr. Reston, VA 20191 on behalf of the Atlanta VA Medical Center Research Office, 1670 Clairmont Road, Decatur GA 30033-4004. This requirement is for the Aperio GT 450 Next Generation Scanner System , with an Admin MGR Server and Admin MGRSAM SW to be utilized by the Research Service Line and will serve as a shared resource for many VA investigators. The other components enable scans to be stored, viewed, and shared on a non-VA network. There is no alternative manufacturers or vendors who offer compatible equipment. The Atlanta VA is required to work with other VA stations to aggregate data collected on other Leica GT 450s and promote cross-VA research. This scanner must be compatible with the existing network of duplicate scanners initially at

Boston, Cleveland, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Seattle VA stations to digitize pathology slides. Atlanta is the only location that does not have this piece of equipment. Only this scanner manufactured by Leica will meet these criteria. The Leica Aperio GT 450 Scanner is a critical part of the on-going research studies. Leica Biosystems is the OEM and Government Scientific Source, Inc is the primary distributor to the US Federal Government for this product.

Since the intent is to procure this on a sole source basis, no solicitation will be posted to FedBizOps (FBO). A Sources Sought Notice published to FBO on 12/21/20222 under #36C24E23Q0038, returned one response from Government Scientific Sources, Inc (GSS) was received, and they included a letter from Leica showing they are an authorized distributer. The applicable NAICS code is 339113 with a 750-employee size standard. The PSC is 6640. The authority for this action is FAR 6.302.1-1 Only One Responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.

Interested persons may contact the Contracting Officer via email at annmarie.stewart@va.gov regarding this procurement. The determination to conduct a competitive procurement based on responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Contracting Officer.