Microbiology Cost-per-Test - Intent to Sole Source

The Southern Markets Contracting Division (SMCD), San Antonio, Texas, intends to to award a firm-fixed-price (FFP) sole source contract to Biomerieux, Inc of Durham, North Carolina to conduct microbial identification testing, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, and blood culture testing for Keesler Medical Center, Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi.  As a Cost-per-Test vehicle, the contractor also provides all equipment, consumables, and services necessary to perform the required testing.  The contract will be awarded under the authority of Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 13.106 (b)(1). The applicable NAICS code for this requirement is 325413, In-Vitro Diagnostics Substance Manufacturing. The Small Business Size Standard is 1,250 employees.  BioMerieux is an "other-than-small business."  The contract will be awarded on or after 16 August 2023.

NOTE: This contract will be issued for a performance period of 1 October 2023 - 31 March 2024, with two (2) six-month option periods.  The Government intends to issue a competitive solicitation on a full-and-open basis for these tests NLT 30 November 2023, with full performance on the resultant contract to start 1 April 2024.  In the event the awardee of that solicitation is unable to fully commence patient-ready testing by that date, the option period(s) on the contract described in this notice may be exercised.

This notice is not a request for competitive quotes. All responsible sources may submit a capability statement, which shall be considered by the agency before the intended award date to determine if any other entity is capable of performing the required testing.  Interested sources who submit data are responsible for appropriately marking information if it is proprietary in nature. In order for the Government to consider another source, the capability statement must demonstrate the source's ability to 1) provide the required testing (including Gram Negative, Gram Positive, Yeast Identification, Neisseria Haemophilus Identification, Anaerobic and Coryneform Bacteria, Fungal Susceptibility, and Streptococcus Susceptibility); 2) deliver, install, and validate the analyzer(s) to ensure patient-ready testing by 1 October 2023; and 3) a fully approved Authority to Operate (ATO) on the Defense Health Agency/Military Health System network.

The Government shall not reimburse interested sources for any information provided. No requests for capability briefings will be honored as a result of this notice and any information provided will not be used as part of any subsequent solicitation requirement. No telephonic inquires will be honored. A determination by the Government not to compete with this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government.

NOTE: INTERESTED VENDORS MUST RESPOND TO THIS NOTICE TO THE BELOW POCs ON OR BEFORE 11 AUGUST 2023 BY NOON CENTRAL TIME IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED.