College of American Pathologist (CAP) to Supply Proficiency Testing Materials and Evaluation Result Services

College of American Pathologist (CAP) to Supply Proficiency Testing Materials and Evaluation Result Services

• NAICS Code: 541380-Testing Laboratories and Services (Small Business Size Standards, $19.0M Average Annual Receipts)
• Product Service Code: Q301-Medical- Laboratory Testing
• Place of Performance: Bethesda, MD 20892

POTS: 24-000074

Description
This is a notice of intent, not a request for a quotation. A solicitation document will not be issued and quotations will not be requested.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) intends to award a fixed price contract with for a base period and four one-year options, to be exercised at the governments discretion to College of American located in Northfield, Illinois on a sole source basis to supply Proficiency Testing Materials and Evaluation Result Services.

Proposed Contractor:
College of American Pathologists
325 Waukegan Road
Northfield, Illinois 60093-2719

The Department of Laboratory Medicine (DLM) is focused on providing accurate and reliable diagnostic test results, continuous quality improvements, and higher standards of care for Accreditation is an effective method to demonstrate DLM’s competence in performing accurate and efficient laboratory testing.  The accreditation process includes periodical audits to promote quality improvements that lead to higher standards in patient care.  As part of this process, proficiency testing surveys are a method to provide the opportunity for peer group comparisons that are shared by more than 6,000 laboratories worldwide.  Addition, proficiency testing materials are distributed to laboratory throughout the year to assess the laboratory’s performance.  Further, proficiency test orders that include materials, and complete evaluation criteria with each participant summary booklet, offering peer’s comparisons and the opportunities for the laboratory to access continuing education resources.

In order for the Department of Laboratory Medicine to be College of American Pathologists accredited DLM must comply with all of its terms of accreditation, and one of the terms is that, laboratory must participate annually in a College of American Pathologists (CAP) accepted proficiency testing program.

College of American Pathologists is the only source that can provide a proficiency testing program and evaluation result Services that no other accreditation body can meet the government’s requirement in its entirety.  Other accreditation bodies offer similar proficiency testing, but none of the programs include all of the proficiency testing material (Surveys)

This acquisition is being conducted using policies unique to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 13 – Simplified Acquisition Procedures, Subpart 13.106-1(b)(1), For purchases not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold (SAT), contracting officers may solicit from one source if the contracting officer determines that the circumstance of the contract action deem only one source reasonably available.  Contracts awarded using FAR Part 13-Simplified Acquisition Procedures are exempt from the requirements of FAR Part 6-Competition Requirements.

Interested parties may identify their interest and capabilities in response to this posting. The determination by the Government not to compete the proposed requirement based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government.

Comments to this announcement, referencing this posting number, may be submitted to the CC, Office of Purchasing and Contracts, prior to the closing date specified in this announcement, electronically to the attention of Sheri Eiri Contract Specialist, (sheri.eiri@nih.gov) by the due date and time marked in this notice.