Q301--NEW - Karius Next Generation Sequencing Test B+3

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), specifically the Veterans Health Administration's Network Contracting Office 17, has issued a Special Notice announcing its intent to award a firm-fixed-price contract to Karius, Inc. for Laboratory Fee Basis Testing services at the Texas Valley Coastal Bend Health Care System in Harlingen, TX. The contract will provide the Karius TestA, a next-generation sequencing blood test capable of detecting over 1,000 pathogens from a single blood sample. Karius, Inc. has been identified as the exclusive provider of this unique test through a Sole Source letter, with no equivalent alternatives available. The procurement is being conducted as a non-competitive acquisition under the statutory authority of 41 U.S.C. 3304(a)(1), implemented by FAR 6.302-1. The total estimated contract value is $245,000, including potential option years.

The primary objective of this Special Notice is to determine if any comparable sources exist for the Karius TestA before awarding the contract to Karius, Inc. Interested parties are invited to submit capability statements or proposals within 10 days of the notice's publication to demonstrate potential alternative sources. The contract will cover a base period from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026, with three additional one-year option periods available through March 31, 2029. Contractors must be CLIA licensed, meet HIPAA requirements, and provide detailed test reports with specific patient and specimen information. The laboratory testing service will focus on identifying and quantifying microbial cell-free DNA from plasma using metagenomic sequencing technology, with over 95% sensitivity and 99.99% specificity. Vendors interested in participating must respond directly to the Point of Contact, Ognian Ivanov, via email, as the Interested Vendors List function is not being monitored.