6835--Medical Gas and Cylinder Tank Rental

The Department of Veterans Affairs, Network Contracting Office 6, Richmond VA Medical Center intends to award for Medical Gases with cylinder/tanks utilized at the Central Virginia VA Healthcare System and affiliated outpatient clinics.

Facility: Central Virginia VA Healthcare Center

Address: 1201 Broad Rock Blvd, Richmond VA 23249 & 10432 Patriot Highway, Fredericksburg, VA 22408

Service: Medical Gases with Cylinder/tanks (including cylinders onsite)

Frequency: Monthly, for a Base and two (2) optional years

Requirements: Certified medical-gas, full compliance with safety standards in accordance with the Statement of Work. (attached)

The NAICS code for this requirement is 325120, and the business size standard is 1,200 Employees. An SBA class waiver is available for this NAICS.

This is not a request for bids, quotes, or proposals. This is a SOURCES SOUGHT announcement only. The purpose of this notice is to conduct market research and obtain information from qualified businesses. The responses to this announcement will assist in determining the socio-economic set aside if feasible. VA is required by Public Law 109-461 to prioritize SDVOSB and VOSB concerns first and if there s a reasonable expectation that an award can be made at a fair and reasonable price, the action will be advertised as a Full and Open competition.

The Richmond VAMC, located at 1201 Broad Rock Blvd, Richmond VA 23249, is seeking a qualified contractor that can provide compressed Medical Air USP, Oxygen USP, CO2 USP Grade 20lbs and 50lbs, Argon, Carbon Dioxide USP, Nitrogen NF, Nitrous Oxide USP, Helium USP, Liquid Nitrogen, Compressed Air and Special Medical Gas Mixtures with cylinder/ tank utilization.

All information submitted in response to this Sources Sought notice becomes the property of the Government. Failure to provide the requested information or answer any question will be understood by VA to be a statement that the vendor responding to this notice is unable to provide that service or comply with that requirement.

Interested and capable respondents are requested to provide the information below. All responses to this notice shall include:

(1) Company name, address, point of contact, phone number, and Unique Entity ID (SAM) number

(2) List of available compatible products, procurement source (open market or GSA Schedule), the geographical location the respondent can service.

(3) Business size (small or large business concern) and number of employees.

(4) Type of small business (i.e., Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business, Veteran Owned Small Business, Small Business, etc.).

(5) Indicate if you are a manufacturer or nonmanufacturer of compressed Medical Air USP, Oxygen USP, CO2 USP Grade 20lbs and 50lbs, Argon, Carbon Dioxide USP, Nitrogen NF, Nitrous Oxide USP, Helium USP, Liquid Nitrogen, Compressed Air and Special Medical Gas Mixtures.

If you are a non-manufacturer, provide your agreement or draft agreement with your medical gas manufacturer(s) which demonstrates that you have the authorization to resell medical gas and to rent the medical gas cylinders.

This notice shall not be construed as a commitment by the Government to award a contract, nor does it restrict the Government to a particular acquisition approach. All information submitted in response to this announcement is voluntary; the Government will not pay for the information requested or compensate any respondent for any cost incurred in developing information provided to the Government.

Responses to this notice should be emailed to Keicha Passley at Keicha.Passley@va.gov. Telephone responses will not be accepted. Responses must be received in writing no later than 2/20/2026 at 11:00 AM EST. This notice is to assist the VA in determining sources only. All contractors interested in doing business with the Government must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database. The website for registration is www.sam.gov. Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small

Businesses and Veteran-Owned Small Businesses should also indicate whether the company is verified by the VA in the SBA Veteran Small Business Certification at https://search.certifications.sba.gov/

Please read Statement of Work for specification and qualification

MEDICAL GAS AND CYLINDER/TANK RENTAL

STATEMENT OF WORK

The purpose of this solicitation is to establish consolidated contracts for medical gases with cylinder/tanks utilized at the Central Virginia VA Healthcare System and affiliated out patient clincs. The gases to be purchased include compressed Medical Air USP, Oxygen USP, CO2 USP Grade 20lbs and 50lbs, Argon, Carbon Dioxide USP, Nitrogen NF, Nitrous Oxide USP, Helium USP, Liquid Nitrogen, Compressed Air and Special Medical Gas Mixtures.

The contract items will be ordered by and delivered to the individual activities listed in the schedule. The quantities shown in the schedule are estimates of each activity s annual requirements. There is no express or implied guarantee that these quantities will be purchased. The schedule also indicates whether the contractor will fill government owned (G) cylinders, will provide contractor owned (C) cylinders, or will be servicing the facility with a combination of both (C/G).

    Minimum to Maximun Tank Usage  Â

Gas Name

Contract Minimum

Contract Maximum

Unit of Receipt

R103G2

NITROGEN, NF GRADE 255 CUFT

40

199

H-Tank Cylinder

LN50, LIQUID NITROGEN 50 LITERS

36

160

Liter

R0143502001

CO-CH4-N2-O2 MIXTURE SIZE 200

20

150

H-Tank Cylinder

R13RUAD

E-MED OXYGEN, USP 25CF RU ALUM

160

240

E-Tank Cylinder

R25

CO2 USP GRADE 50 LB

65

180

H-Tank Cylinder

R203

CO2 USP GRADE 20 LB

24

60

Tank Cylinder

R101D2

O2-HELIUM Rx ONLY MIX SIZE 200

0

5

Tank Cylinder

R102H3

HELIUM, 6000 PSI

0

5

Tank Cylinder

R13RUAD

E-MED OXYGEN, USP 25CF RU ALUM

0

2453

Tank Cylinder

R104A3

NITROGEN, UHP CARRIER GRADE

0

10

Tank Cylinder

R104H3

ARGON, 6000 PSI

16

32

Tank Cylinder

R105A3

NITROGEN, 5.5 GRADE

3

12

Tank Cylinder

R108A2

CARBON DIOXIDE, ANAEROBE GRADE

42

96

Tank Cylinder

R13

E-MED OXYGEN, USP 25CF RU ALUM

300

3600

Tank Cylinder

R26

CARBON DIOXIDE USP 6.5 LBS

100

1800

Tank Cylinder

R5801

HELIUM, USP 244 CU FT

5

50

Tank Cylinder

LN35

LIQUID NITROGEN 35 LITERS

8

48

Tank Cylinder

RLN240

LIQUID NITROGEN 240 LITERS RB

6

36

Tank Cylinder

R45

NITROUS OXIDE, USP 65LB

0

0

Tank Cylinder

R61EA

AIR, E-SIZE, USP 25 CU FT

4

30

Tank Cylinder

R45

NITROUS OXIDE, USP 65LB

32

180

H-Tank Cylinder

The contract awarded under this solicitation will be in effect from through plus four (4) one-year option periods.

A Contracting Officer Representative (COR) has been designated in the solicitation schedule for each ordering facility. The COR is responsible for local contract administration issues such as ordering and providing specific delivery instructions. A letter of delegation that outlines the COR s specific responsibilities will be provided to the contractor and COR at the time of contract award. Within 15 days after contract award, the contractor shall contact the COR to finalize the ordering method and clarify the specific details of any delivery instructions that are included in the solicitation schedule. If agreement cannot be reached between the contractor and COR regarding any issue, the matter shall be referred to the Contracting Officer for resolution.

PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS

All medical gases shall conform to specifications prescribed in the United States Pharmacopeia and the National Formulary. All medical gas manufacturers and fillers of medical gases shall be registered with the FDA; and all medical gases shall be manufactured, processed, packed, transported, and stored according to the FDA s Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) regulations and Title 21, Code of Federal Regulations, Parts 210, 211 and 201 for labeling.

In addition, the following specifications are incorporated into the solicitation and resulting contracts:

Federal Specification BB-A-1034B, Air, Compressed, for Breathing Purposes, dated 27-Dec-1995.

Federal Specification BB-C-101D, Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Technical and USP, current edition.

Compressed Gas Association (CGA) Publications G-7 Compressed Air for Human Respiration, current edition, and ANSI/CGA G-7.1 Commodity Specification for Air, current edition.

All products, equipment, and services provided under the contracts awarded under this solicitation shall be in compliance with all applicable Federal, state, and local regulations.

DELIVERY REQUIREMENTS

All transportation of gases under this contract shall be made in accordance with 49 CFR.

Deliveries shall be conducted between 0800 and 1200 for each required delivery day. Deliveries shall be completed no later than the 1 calendar day for all orders placed by 1500. The number of days specified shall be the number of calendar days after receipt of order. The schedule lists delivery instructions that are unique to each facility. FOB point is destination. All transportation charges for cylinders shall be included in the price of the gas. Additional charges such as delivery fees, hazardous materials fees, fuel surcharges, etc. shall NOT be billed to or collected from the facilities for orders received under this contract.

3.2 Material Safety Data Sheets shall be provided to the facility COR upon request at no additional charge.

Upon delivery, the delivery driver, COR and/or designated Medical Supply Technician will conduct a tank count. Cylinders will be logged in on the ledger with the delivery date and driver ID specified. The tank delivery will be signed for by both the COR and/or designated Medical Supply Technician and delivery driver. This information will be maintained by the COR.

Pickup of empty cylinders, the delivery driver, COR and/or Medical Supply Technician will conduct an empty tank count. Cylinders picked up will be adjusted on the tank ledger with the pickup date and driver ID specified. The tank pick up will be signed for by both the COR and/or Medical Supply Technician and delivery driver. This information will be maintained by the COR.

If for any reason the contractor is unable to deliver at the agreed upon day or time, the contractor will provide 12-hour notice to the COR. The Contractor will find an alternate source and initiate its backup plan. Delivery shall be made within 24 hours of iniatiating its backup plan. In accordance with VHA Patient Safety Alert dated April 5, 2004, all deliveries must be monitored by a appointed Richmond VA representative. Contractor will be provided with names and contact information of primary and back-up facility representatives. This applies to all deliveries regardless of time or day of execution.

Emergency Delivery the contractor agrees to and shall have an emergency response plan that provides for emergency deliveries within 6 hours after notification, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in accordance with the contract. *For contracting: add a line item to the schedule for emergency deliveries

Contractor shall provide emergency plan on date of solicitation submission.

Government facility personnel will be available for receipt of emergent cylinders requested up to the sixth hour after notification. This service shall be provided at a fair market value fee.

Deliveries of refills shall be made Monday through Friday between 0800 and 1200 (excluding holidays which are listed below). If a holiday falls on the specified delivery dates then next day delivery is expected or immediate delivery arrangements need to be made with the COR.

Contractor shall remove all empty cylinders upon each delivery of new cylinder tanks.

Contengincy plan will be set to the following: If the contractor has not received an order from the medical facility by Friday morning, the contractor will automatically deliver the items identified in the table below on Friday morning between 0800 and 1200.

Any other day designated by Federal law, Executive Order, or Presidential Proclamation.

When New Year s Day, Independence Day, Veterans Day or Christmas Day falls on a Sunday, the following Monday is observed; if it falls on Saturday the preceding Friday is observed.

At the time of each delivery, the contractor shall provide signed and dated invoices. Documents will be counter-signed by the facility representative supervising the delivery.

NON-REPAIRABLE GOVERNMENT PROPERTY

Prior to disposing of non-repairable government-owned cylinders, parts, fittings, and appurtenances, the contractor shall contact the ordering (owning) activity. Contractor shall make disposition in accordance with the ordering activity s instructions.

Contractors shall be paid for all services performed and authorized by the ordering activity, up to the determination that a cylinder/tank is non-repairable.

Contractor shall not charge any additional types of fees, other than those specified above in paragraph 3.3, for the return of non-repairable cylinders to the ordering activity.

If the activity requests, and the contractor agrees to dispose of any non-repairable government-owned property, the fee shall be negotiated and agreed upon between the two parties prior to the disposal of the property.

CYLINDERS AND OTHER CONTAINERS

Laws and Regulations

Cylinders and other containers for gaseous and liquid forms of gases shall comply with the Department of Transportation specifications and shall be maintained, filled, marked, labeled, and shipped to comply with current DOT regulations (Title 49-Transportation, Code of Federal Regulations.) Filling, packaging, labeling, etc., for medical gases shall also comply with the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

Marking

In addition to marking required by the aforementioned laws and regulations, marking shall comply with CGA Publication C-7 Guide to Preparation of Precautionary Labeling and Marking of Compressed Gas Containers, current edition.

Color Coding

Cylinders shall be color coded in accordance with CGA Publication C-9 -- Standard Color Marking Of Compressed Gas Containers Intended For Medical Use, dated current edition.

Valves

Valves shall comply with CGA Safety Bulletin SB-26 current edition and CGA Publication V-1 -- Compressed Gas Association Standard for Compressed Gas Cylinder Valve Outlet and Inlet Connections, current edition. Valve protection caps for cylinders designed to receive such caps shall be securely attached to the cylinders in a manner to protect the valves from injury during transit and delivery to the purchaser's receiving area. For liquid containers, all fittings must be permanently brazed to prevent their removal. In addition, each container should contain a 360 degree cryoband applied at the top of the container with the drug product name repeated around the entire container.

Hydrostatic Testing

Retest Date: If applicable DOT regulations would require retesting of cylinder/tank within three (3) months after scheduled date of shipment to Continental U.S. destination, or within six (6) months after scheduled date of shipment to overseas destination, cylinder/tank shall be retested. Contractor will be required to retest any Government-Owned cylinder/tank when requested by ordering activity, regardless of scheduled retest data.

Method: Government-owned cylinders which are eligible for extended hydrostatic retest period, testing by modified hydrostatic method, or visual inspection in lieu of hydrostatic testing, shall be serviced by the most economical means which will comply with Department of Transportation regulations (49 CFR 173.34) unless otherwise specified by the ordering activity. When modified or reduced DOT test requirements are contingent upon past usage of the cylinders, a written statement from the ordering activity indicating that the cylinders have been used exclusively for a specific gas may be considered acceptable evidence of the cylinders' eligibility for modified testing or inspection.

Hydrostatic testing shall be performed in accordance with CGA s Publication -- C-1, Methods For Hydrostatic Testing of Compressed Gas Cylinders, current edition.

Visual inspection shall be performed in accordance with the applicable CGA Publications C-6 --Standards for Visual Inspection of Steel Compressed Gas Cylinders, current edition or C-6.1 -- Standards for Visual Inspection of High Pressure Aluminum Compressed Gas Cylinders, current edition.

The contractor shall be responsible for all testing of contractor-owned cylinders at no additional cost to the Government. The government shall pay for the hydrostatic testing of government-owned cylinders at the prices listed in Schedule B.

Cylinder/tank Sizes

Cylinder/tank sizes shown in the item description indicate product capacity of the cylinder/tank currently being used. All capacities are approximate, and the Government shall be billed only for the actual amount of gas delivered. In accordance with the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, the actual contents of the container must appear on the label.

Individual Agency Ownership of Cylinders

Government-Owned cylinders shall remain the property of the individual ordering (owning) agency and shall not be exchanged for other cylinders, either government-owned or contractor-owned, without authorization of the ordering agency.

Lost or Damaged Contractor-Owned Cylinders

The contractor must submit a list, quarterly, of lost or damaged cylinders to include replacement costs for any and all individual cylinders lost or damaged while in the government facility s custody. Loss of usage must not commence prior to 60 days of notification of any such loss or damage.

For each contractor-owned cylinder/tank lost or damaged beyond repair while in the Government s possession, the Government shall pay to the Contractor the replacement value, less the allocable rental paid for that cylinder. These cylinders shall become Government property. If any lost cylinder/tank is located within 30 calendar days after payment by the Government, it may be returned to the Contractor by the Government, and the Contractor shall pay to the Government an amount equal to the replacement value, less rental, computed in accordance with section 8 of this Statement of Work.

Method of Shipment

Empty Government-owned cylinders that are picked up from an ordering facility for re-fill or servicing shall be transported according to the Department of Transportation Regulations, using normal commercial practice to prevent damage to cylinders.

Transportation of Cylinders

All transportation charges for empty government-owned and contractor-owned cylinders from the ordering facility to the contractor s facility shall be at the expense of the contractor.

REQUIRED MEDICAL GASES AND CYLINDER ESTIMATED VOLUME

The following table outlines the list of required medical gases and cylinders along with additional information regarding tank capacities and estimated annual usage. Estimated annual usage isbased on historical data regarding the number of cylinders purchased within a year.

PRICE OF SERVICES FOR GOVERNMENT-OWNED AND CONTRACTOR-OWNED CYLINDERS

Services Included in the Price of Gas (both Government and Contractor-Owned Cylinders):

The offeror s price for the gas shall include the furnishing, at no additional cost, of all services which are required at each and every filling of a cylinder/tank to comply with applicable regulations, specifications, and normal good practices. Such services shall include, but not be limited to: tags indicating cylinder/tank is "Full," In Use," or "Empty"; inspection, testing, evaluation, and cleaning services required at each and every filling; pin-indexing, when required, and attachment of Government-furnished warning tags, when required. Attaching of oxygen cylinders to manifold systems, when required, shall also be performed by the contractor at no additional cost. In addition to services listed in this paragraph, the contractor is responsible for all maintenance and testing of contractor-owned cylinders.

Services Not Included in Price of Gas for Government-Owned Cylinders:

When required, the contractor shall perform additional services as described below. The price of these services shall not exceed the prices listed below. These rates are the maximum rates that shall be billed to the facility. The contractor shall not bill at a rate that is higher than their standard commercial rate if those rates are lower than the prices listed below. All materials and components shall be furnished by the contractor.

Unlisted Services: Unlisted services (including palletizing, when needed) are not covered by this contract and should be obtained by the ordering office according to applicable procurement regulations.

The contractor shall provide an itemized list for all contracted medical gases and cylinder/tank rental prices to aide in the order and invoice reconciliation process.

Listings for medical gases shall include:

Item Number

Description

Gas Type (Gaseous, Liquid, other as applicable)

Gas Purity

Cylinder/Tank Size

Cylinder/Tank Capacity

Unit of Issue (UOI)

Price per UOI

Cylinder/tank Rentals

Cylinder/tank Size

Cylinder/tank UOI

List of gases that the Cylinder/Tank is utilized for

Price per UOI

MEASUREMENT AND CONVERSION COMPUTATION, ATMOSPHERIC GASES AND HYDROGEN

Density data and volume measurement equivalents printed in CGA Publication P-6 -- Standard Density Data, Atmospheric Gases and Hydrogen, current edition shall be used when necessary to convert measurement of these gases from one form to another; for example, from cubic feet to gallons.

CONTRACTOR RESPONSIBILITIES

Contractor shall be qualified and have the required levels of professional and technical experience to perform the work required by the performance work statement.

Contractor shall comply with any certifications required by Local, State or Federal Department of Health regulations for transporting cylinders of any type. Proof may be requested by the requiring facility at any time.

PERMITS AND LICENSES - The contractor shall provide copies of permits and licenses required by Federal, State and local laws, regulations and ordinances demonstrating that they are in fact qualified by training and experience to perform the required work. Documents provided at time of award for delivery personnel.

Contractor shall, within 60 days after contract award, contact the COR to verify the ordering method and clarify the specific details of any delivery instructions outlined in the solicitation schedule.

Contractor shall have 24 hour/7day emergency service response available for delivery of urgent VAMC medical gasses or repair of liquid systems. Refer to 3.6.

Contractor shall ensure the cylinders are in compliance with applicable Federal and State Regulations. Annual cylinder/tank testing/inspections, i.e., hydrostatic tests or leak pressure test requirements by NFPA, shall be coordinated with the COTR. Invoices shall be submitted separately on a monthly basis identifying what was delivered, the quantity delivered, what was picked up and pricing

Contractor shall provide all equipment and materials necessary to perform the requirements of the contract.

Contractor shall ensure that Government owned and rented oxygen cylinders are labeled according to any applicable FDA, DOT, OSHA, or other requirements.

Contractor shall agree to a minimum 60 day transitional period to allow sufficient time to utilize all medical gas inventory contained in cylinders, while transferring to the future awardees contractors. During the time of transition, the government facility will continue to incur and pay rental charges accordingly under the existing awarded contract.

Contractor shall, in conjunction with medical center staff, provide up to two on-site inventories per year per medical center as requested by the upon medical center request.

When a Central Virginia VA Healthcare System employee place an individual purchase card order for the same gas contained in this contract, the contractor will be held to the standard detailed within.

QUALITY ASSURANCE SPECIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS:

All medical gas manufacturers and fillers of medical gases shall be registered with FDA as drug manufacturers. All oxygen shall be manufactured, processed, packed, transported, and stored according to FDA s Current Good Manufacturing Practices (CGMP) regulations, and all labeling shall comply with FDA s labeling regulations (21 CFR Part 201).

All oxygen delivered under the contract shall be medical-grade and shall meet or exceed the standards cited in the current edition of the United States Pharmacopoeia/National Formulary (U.S.P.).

A valid certificate of analysis shall be provided with each delivery of oxygen. The certificate shall include, at a minimum:

Supplier s name and complete address

Name of the product (i.e. Oxygen U.S.P.)

An air Liquefaction Statement where appropriate

Lot number or other unique identification number

Actual analytical results for full U.S.P. monograph testing. (A statement that only proclaims that the product meets the minimum purity of 99.5%, etc. is not acceptable.)

Test method used to perform the analysis. (A statement such as Meets U.S.P. specifications is not acceptable; nor would Tested via Servomex be acceptable since the specific model number is not provided.)

Signature of authorized supplier representative and date.

A copy of all inspection reports conducted by OSHA, JC. Or any other regulatory agency shall be delivered to the facility COR, upon the completion of any oxygen system inspections that are required by regulation.

SPECIFIC DELIVERY INSTRUCTION

Central Virginia VA Healthcare System located at 1201 Broad Rock Blvd, Richmond, VA 23249.

Fredericksburg VA Health Care Clinic located at 10432 Patriot Highway, Fredericksburg, VA 22408-262