J065--Cepheid - GeneXpert Infinity Svc Mtnc Intent to Sole Source Requirement

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), specifically the Network Contracting Office (NCO) 10, has issued a Special Notice announcing its intent to negotiate a sole-source contract for a Service Maintenance Agreement for the GeneXpert Infinity system. The contract will be awarded to Cepheid under Simplified Acquisition Procedures using the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.302-1 authority, which allows for procurement from only one responsible source. The notice falls under the NAICS code 811210 for Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance and the PSC code J065 for Medical Equipment Maintenance. The VA has determined that Cepheid is the only vendor capable of successfully meeting their specific equipment maintenance requirements for the GeneXpert Infinity system.

The primary objective of this Special Notice is to provide transparency about the VA's intention to sole-source the contract while still allowing other potential vendors an opportunity to demonstrate their capabilities. Contractors interested in competing for this opportunity must submit a capability statement, proposal, or quotation that provides clear and convincing evidence of their ability to meet the requirements. All responses must be emailed to Jennifer Nowak at Jennifer.Nowak@va.gov by 12 PM EST on January 3, 2025. While the VA intends to negotiate exclusively with Cepheid, they will consider any submitted responses that demonstrate potential competitive advantage. Importantly, the government will not compensate vendors for any information submitted, and the final determination of whether to compete the requirement remains solely at the VA's discretion. Potential contractors should carefully review the notice and be prepared to provide comprehensive evidence of their capabilities if they wish to challenge the sole-source designation.