J065--Thermo Fisher Scientific Services and Support Contract LIFE TECHNOLOGIES Intent to Sole Source

The Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Health Administration Veterans Integrated Service Network 5 (VA VISN 5) has issued a Special Notice for a sole source contract with Life Tech at the Washington DC VA Medical Center. The notice pertains to services and support for specific Thermo Fisher Scientific laboratory equipment, including an ION Reporter Server System, Ion Chef SVC, Ion S5 plus sequencer, and two 3500XL Genetic Analyzers. Located at 50 Irving Street NW in Washington, DC, the contract aims to secure comprehensive maintenance and support for these critical scientific instruments. The procurement is structured as a five-year contract with a base year and four one-year option periods, spanning from February 1, 2025, to January 31, 2030. The contract opportunity is classified under NAICS code 334516 for Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing and PSC code J065 for medical equipment maintenance and repair.

The primary objective of this Special Notice is to establish a sole source contract with Life Tech for comprehensive equipment services and support. Contractors responding to the notice must provide documentation demonstrating their capability to fulfill the requirement, with specific emphasis on 24x7 remote support, software updates, scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, technical support, training, and application consulting. Key requirements include following manufacturer-certified standards, safeguarding patient health information, and ensuring proper issue reporting. The contract mandates a 24/7 support hotline and VPN setup approved by the facility's Information Security Officer. Potential contractors must supply all necessary labor, tools, parts, and expertise in compliance with original equipment manufacturer and government requirements. Written responses are due by January 2, 2025, and will be evaluated solely to determine the ability to meet the VA's specific technical and support needs for these specialized scientific instruments.