J065--ZEISS LSM 980 Airyscan 2/ Axio Observer 7 Service Agreement

The Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Integrated Service Network 6, Network Contracting Office (NCO) 6, has issued a Special Notice of Intent to award a sole source contract to Carl Zeiss Microscopy, LLC for preventative maintenance services on a specialized microscope system. The notice announces the government's intention to negotiate exclusively with this vendor rather than conduct a competitive procurement. The requirement is for annual preventative service plan coverage of a ZEISS LSM 980 Airyscan 2/Axio Observer 7 microscope located at the Richmond Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Richmond, Virginia. The contract is authorized under the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO) 12.102-1 provision, which permits sole source acquisitions under specified circumstances. This special notice is classified under NAICS code 811210 (Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance) and PSC code J065 (Maint/Repair/Rebuild of Equipment).

The objective of this Special Notice is to inform interested businesses of the government's intent to pursue a sole source award while simultaneously providing an opportunity for other qualified vendors to challenge this determination by demonstrating their relevant experience and expertise. The contract period spans five years, from March 2, 2026 through March 1, 2031, with an estimated value of $34 million. All interested parties must submit written responses with supporting evidence of their capability to meet the requirements by February 27, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time via email to stephen.nassan@va.gov; telephone inquiries will not be accepted. The primary eligibility requirement is that the contractor must be an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) authorized preventative maintenance servicing company capable of providing specialized support for the specified Zeiss microscope equipment. While the government will consider all submissions, the final decision to proceed with the sole source award or open the acquisition to competition remains entirely within the government's discretion.