Varian Linear Accelerators Service NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD SOLE SOURCE

NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD SOLE SOURCE:
Department of Veterans Affairs, VISN 2, intends to award a sole source award contract to Varian Medical Systems, Inc. 660 N. McCarthy Blvd. Milpitas, CA 95035. Service and Maintenance Varian linear accellerators, as well as associated peripherals, the ARIA and Eclipse systems, and OSMS cameras. For James J. Peters Medical Center, 130 West Kingsbridge Road, Bronx, NY 10468-3904.
Network Contracting Office (NCO) 2 intends to award a sole source contract for the procurement of Varian linear accellerators, as well as associated peripherals, the ARIA and Eclipse systems, and OSMS cameras, and provide coverage for the following but not limited to: priority scheduling for service calls priority remote service response, equipment planned maintenance services per Varian Medical manufacturer specification performed during standard hours of coverage, proprietary operating system software enhancements and any hardware changes made necessary by software minimum requirements, unlimited technical services & clinical applications telephone support, remote service, utilization reports, and on-board system diagnostics. Preventive maintenance includes cleaning and calibrating, adjustments, and replacement of worn or defective parts. All equipment repairs and/or preventive maintenance must be in accordance with the OEM guidelines. The vendor shall also provide telephone support.
Varian Medical Linear Accelerators cannot be repaired, maintained or upgraded by just any 3rd party. The equipment cannot and will not function without the proprietary hardware.
The OEM is uniquely qualified to ensure that all updates are immediately available, properly installed and tested. A non-OEM authorized third-party vendor would not be notified of factory-issued software updates and upgrades. They would not have access to factory diagnostic software tools which could result in their inability to repair, and/or major turn-around-time delays in repair. Third party service providers would not have access to copies of or knowledge of the OEM-proprietary software which resides on the system.
Non-OEM service provides would also not have factory-trained field-service representatives since medical equipment OEMs do not offer training to third-party service providers or give them authorization to maintain their systems. A prior employee of the OEM working for a third-party would also not have access to the latest factory-issued circuit and software revisions and updates. The original equipment manufacturer (OEM) FSEs are fully-factory-trained, qualified and experienced in the maintenance inspections and repair requirements. Most importantly, the FSEs have a full understanding of the entire system, including its software.
Indirect access to OEM-manufactured spare parts would jeopardize repair turn-around time, and that is if one can assume that the OEM will even sell the parts to a non-hospital organization such as a third-party service provider.
By competing this requirement and possibly selecting another vendor to provide PM may cost the Government if the vendor mistakenly damages the Linear Accelerators by not performing services or repairs in accordance with the OEM.
Period of Performance:
Base Year: June 10, 2019 to June9, 2020
Option year one: June 10, 2020 to June9, 2021
Option Year two: June 10, 2021 to June9, 2022
Option Year three: June 10, 2022 to June9, 2023
Option Year four: June 10, 2023 to June9, 2024
NAICS: 238220 Size Standards: $20.5 Million
THIS NOTICE IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE QUOTES; however, any firm that believes it can meet the requirements may give written notification prior to the response due date and time. Supporting evidence must be furnished in sufficient detail to demonstrate the ability to perform the requirements. Responses received will be evaluated; however, a determination by the Government not to compete the proposed procurement based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. If no responses are received, the Government will proceed with the award. Responses are due by February 1, 2019 11:00 AM EST. Responses shall be submitted via e-mail to safa.shleiwet@va.gov. Telephone requests or inquires will not be accepted.
Safa Shleiwet at safa.shleiwet@va.gov
Contracting Officer
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