AJ91--Intent to Sole Source: Evidence Review, Cost-Effectiveness Analysis, and Stakeholder Engagement for PTSD Service Dogs

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The Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Health Care System, intends to negotiate on a sole source basis, pursuant to FAR 6.302-5, with the National Academies of Science to provide clinical and cost-effectiveness review of the use of service dogs for Veterans with PTSD. Congress mandated that VA conduct a research study when it passed the 2010 National Defense Authorization Act under Section 1077. Extensive market research (see market research document) determined that only the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) has the demonstrated expertise to meet VA s requirement for specialized analyses that can then address the Congressional mandate in Section 1070 of the 2010 NDAA. ICER is the only vendor identified that provides expertise in the critical areas of this study with scoping documentation with stakeholder engagement, clinical and cost-effectiveness review, and ICER has VHA experience in clinical analyses. Furthermore, PEPReC conducted market scans and assessed the qualifications of those that seemed most suitable. Only the Institute of Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) met all the criteria as is not possible for other organizations to enter this highly specialized area at this time because the FDA does not currently require such analyses for new dugs devices, limiting the market for these services. Additionally, even within the specialized area of health economics, the subspecialty of services needed by VA and provided by ICER is a very small group of people. This expertise cannot easily be obtained given the small community, and the need for specialized software and processes. This is a notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals; however, any responsible source who believes it is capable of meeting the requirement may submit a capability statement to the contracting office no later than Monday, March 2nd, 5:00 PM, EST. Interest/capability statements may be sent to Lynn Portman at lynn.portman@va.gov. No telephone responses will be accepted. A determination not to compete the proposed requirement based upon the responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government.