INTENT TO SOLE SOURCE-Emergency Nurses Association (ENA)

NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD A SOLE SOURCE – Emergency Nurses Association (ENA).

The US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veteran’s Health Administration (VHA) intends to issue a sole source purchase order to Emergency Nurses Association (ENA), 930 E Woodfield Rd, Schaumburg, IL  60173 to provide Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC) training materials to be provided to its organization.  VHA requires materials and on-line modules, access provided by the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) platform to train trainings to be provided to its organization.  VHA requires materials and on-line modules access provided by the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) platform to SimLEARN credentialed Government Instructors at Government facilities led by SimLEARN credentialed Government Directors.

SimLEARN credentialed Government instructors at Government facilities for 650 students, needed in order to provide capability to train and promote systemwide qualified clinicians that are trained in the knowledge and assessment skills to care for injured patients at VA medical facilities.  No Solicitation documents exist.

Any firm that believes it can provide the stated capability at stated capacity utilizing Government Instructors and Directors is invited to submit a written notification to the Contracting Officer within fifteen (15) calendar days from the date of the publication of this notice.  Supporting evidence must be furnished in sufficient detail to demonstrate the firm’s ability to provide the stated capability.  Such evidence must include explicit permissions for use, resale, distribution, maintenance, training support and servicing of any proprietary property noted herein.  Information can be sent to the Contract Specialist at michael.collins7@va.gov.  No telephone or facsimile requests will be accepted.  Responses will be evaluated; however, a determination by the Government not to compete the proposed procurement based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government.  If no responses are received, VA will proceed with the sole source contract.

**Sole Source Justification

1. Contracting Activity:

Acquisition Service 2

Strategic Acquisition Center—Frederick (SAC-F)

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

5202 Presidents Court, Suite 103

Frederick, MD 21703

Requiring Activity: VA Veteran’s Health Administration

2. Description of the Action:

Approval is being requested for a new firm fixed price five (5) year contract for the ENA TNCC materials for VHA for materials and on-line modules, access provided by the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) platform to train trainings to be provided to its organization.  VHA requires materials and on-line modules access provided by the ENA platform to SimLEARN credentialed Government Instructors at Government facilities led by SimLEARN credentialed Government Directors.

3. Description of Supplies/Services

This contract provides for materials including, but not limited to the following for each period of performance:

• 650 eBook Manuals for TNCC 8th Edition Provider Course
• 650 On-line Module/Platform Access for Provider Course/Students
• 15 TNCC 8th Edition Instructor Activity Kits for Instructors

• 15 On-line Module/Platform Access for Instructor Course
• Help desk assistance for access issues for Module/Platform Access for instructors to be available from 8:30AM -5:00PM Central Time.
• Additional On-line Module/Platform Access for Provider Course/Students – Not to exceed 50 EA units.

Platform Access shall be valid for instructors and students to gain access to course for 12 months from date of award/exercise of Option.

4. Authority Cited:

Pursuant to 10 U.S.C.2304(c)(1), the statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition is FAR 6.302-1(a)(2)—Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements.

5. Reason for Authority Cited:

The Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) is the sole and exclusive owner of all rights, title, interest and ancillary rights to the Trauma Nursing Core Course TM (TNCC) including, without limitation, all course materials and copyrights, trademark rights, patent rights, trade secret rights or other intellectual properties therein, such as the following materials listed in Section 3.0 of the SOW Trauma Nursing Core Course document:

•             eBook Manual for TNCC 8th Edition Provider Course

•             Pre-Course Online Modules for TNCC 8th Edition Provider Course

•             TNCC 8th Edition Instructor Activity Kits for TNCC Instructors

•             Online Instructor Modules for TNCC 8th Edition Instructor Course

Only those authorized by ENA are allowed to teach the TNCC 8th Edition Provider and Instructor Courses.  Only authorized TNCC Course Directors have access to the ENA Course Management System that allows them to administer the course, and to purchase the course materials listed above.  This statement was verified by Carolyn Stegvik, Manager, Course Management of ENA on 02 MAY 2022 via email that is filed in eCMS.

As VHA is providing TNCC Instructors for virtual-led courses, instructors must source the required materials and platform access only through ENA. 

A Request for Information (RFI)/Sources Sought Notice (SSN) was posted on www.SAM.gov on 29 APR 2022, which closed 09 MAY 2022, which found no capable sources able to provide the requirement.