Notification of Government Intent to Sole Source, Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act (CLIA) Laboratory Proficiency Testing Services, Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System, Pathology and Laboratory, 400 Veterans Avenue, Biloxi, MS 39531

The Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Health Administration Veterans Integrated Service Network 16 has published a Special Notice announcing its intent to award a sole-source contract for Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act (CLIA) Laboratory Proficiency Testing Services. The notice pertains to the Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System's Pathology and Laboratory department located in Biloxi, Mississippi. The agency intends to award this contract exclusively to the College of American Pathologists (CAP) under a firm-fixed price arrangement. The contract value is approximately $103,500 with an expected award date on or before October 1, 2025. This procurement falls under the Medical Laboratories NAICS category and Reference Laboratory Testing PSC classification.

The purpose of this sole-source procurement is to obtain comprehensive laboratory proficiency testing services across over 1,100 Veterans Health Administration laboratory locations, covering multiple specialties including Microbiology, Bacteriology, Virology, Immunology, Chemistry, Hematology, and Cytology. The sole-source justification is authorized under FAR 6.302-1 for "Only One Responsible Source," as CAP is determined to be the only vendor capable of meeting all federal regulatory requirements under 42 U.S.C. 263a and 42 C.F.R. Part 493. Any interested parties must submit responses by September 9, 2025, at 1:00 PM Eastern Time, though this appears to be a notification rather than an open competition. The contract requires compliance with specific proficiency testing standards for clinical laboratories as mandated by federal regulations. CAP's selection is based on their unique capabilities and existing support of VA laboratory testing needs through both national contracts and previous facility-level agreements.