Single Source provider for Phonak and Roger hearing aids

The Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind (FSDB) in St. Johns County is issuing a single source procurement (SS-26-099) for Phonak and Roger brand hearing aids and assistive listening devices for fiscal year 2025-2026. This is not a competitive solicitation but rather a notice of intended decision to contract with a single source provider pursuant to Florida Statutes 287.057(3) and 120.57(3). The procurement encompasses hearing aids, Roger ecosystem products, competitive manufacturers' hearing aids, additional Roger accessories, Soundfield speakers, and ear level receivers for individuals with normal hearing, though no specific quantities are identified in the documentation. The intended sole source provider, Sonova USA, Inc., located in Aurora, Illinois, must provide ongoing service and maintenance capabilities, including parts supply and repair services performed exclusively at its national service center. The advertising period runs from March 2, 2026, through March 23, 2026, at 4:00 PM, providing the mandated fifteen business day advertising window under Florida Statutes. Vendors interested in demonstrating alternative capabilities to fulfill this procurement are invited to contact Kim Whitwam, Director of Purchasing, at whitwamk@fsdbk12.org during the advertising period.

The single source justification is based on Sonova USA being the exclusive US wholesaler for Roger products and the only entity equipped and trained to provide comprehensive service and maintenance to educational customers. Sonova USA's Aurora, Illinois service center represents the only authorized location for servicing and maintaining Roger products, and use of any alternative service provider would invalidate product warranties. No alternative sources exist for replacement parts and repair services for Phonak Roger hearing aid equipment and accessories, making single source procurement the only viable procurement method. The intended vendor, Sonova USA, Inc., is the established contractor for this requirement. The estimated not-to-exceed contract value is $14,000.00 for the fiscal year 2025-2026 period. This procurement carries no identified set-asides for disadvantaged enterprises or other organizational restrictions, as the single source nature of the requirement precludes competitive consideration.