NEW CTX Veterinary Support Services for Zebrafish Vivarium

The Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Health Administration Veterans Integrated Service Network 17 is seeking veterinary support services for a zebrafish vivarium core facility at the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System in Temple, Texas. The procurement requires a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine with specialized experience in the oversight of zebrafish in laboratory animal science and medicine to provide comprehensive veterinary oversight. Key responsibilities include serving as the attending veterinarian and Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) member, conducting pre-reviews of animal use protocols, performing semi-annual facility inspections, assisting with IACUC and husbandry procedures, reviewing zebrafish colony health reports, and providing education and training to VA investigators. While specific evaluation criteria are not detailed in this pre-solicitation notice, the government appears to be conducting market research to assess contractor capability and capacity. Interested parties must submit responses via email to Contract Specialists Shannon Robinson (shannon.robinson3@va.gov) and Shannon Hodgson (shannon.hodgson@va.gov) by May 8, 2026, at 9:00 AM CST.

This opportunity is not designated as a set-aside for any particular business category, though the government is specifically soliciting capability statements from Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses, Veteran Owned Small Businesses, SBA Section 8(a) firms, Women-Owned businesses, and other socio-economically disadvantaged or small businesses. No incumbent contractor or award value is identified in this pre-solicitation notice. The contract will operate on a base period of one year beginning July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, with three optional one-year renewals potentially extending the contract through June 30, 2030. Work will be performed at Research Building 205 during standard business hours of Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM Central Time, excluding federal holidays. The small business size standard for this procurement is $10 million under NAICS code 541940 (Veterinary Services), and the government reserves the right to use submitted information for any legally appropriate purpose and may choose not to issue a formal solicitation.