DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
NCO 17 | Lab Services Support (LSS)
5441 Babcock Rd., Suite 302, San Antonio, TX 78240
NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD A SOLE SOURCE CONTRACT
Date Posted: June 8, 2026
Response Deadline: June 18, 2026, 4:00 PM CDT
NAICS Code: 811210 Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance
Set-Aside: None (Open Market)
Contract Type: Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP)
Period of Performance: July 1, 2026 June 30, 2028
PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Network Contracting Office 17 (NCO 17), Lab Services Support (LSS), intends to award a sole source contract, pursuant to the authority of FAR 6.302-1 (Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements), to Radiometer America, Inc., 250 S. Kraemer Blvd., Brea, CA 92821, for preventive maintenance (PM) and repair services for ABL90 FLEX Blood Gas Analyzers located at the Central Texas Veterans' Health Care System (CTVHCS).
DESCRIPTION OF REQUIREMENT
The VA requires full-service preventive maintenance and repair coverage for three (3) government-owned ABL90 FLEX Blood Gas Analyzers (Radiometer America), identified as follows:
Serial Number
Model
Description
092R0643N016
ABL90 FLEX
Analyzer: Lab: Blood Gas
092R0643N018
ABL90 FLEX
Analyzer: Lab: Blood Gas
092R0587N002
ABL90 FLEX
Analyzer: Lab: Blood Gas
The contractor shall provide: all parts, labor, and technical support necessary to maintain full operational readiness of the listed analyzers; 24/7 telephone technical support; response within 48 hours for routine service calls; and on-site emergency response within two (2) business days when patient safety is at risk. All service must be performed by OEM-trained and certified field service engineers (FSEs).
BASIS FOR SOLE SOURCE DETERMINATION (FAR 6.302-1)
The VA has determined that only Radiometer America, Inc. can fulfill this requirement without compromising the integrity and warranty coverage of the ABL90 FLEX analyzers. Radiometer America, Inc. is the exclusive United States subsidiary of Radiometer A/S (Copenhagen, Denmark) and is the sole authorized distributor and service provider for Radiometer products in the United States.
As confirmed in the Sole Source Letter dated April 29, 2026, signed by Brian Vazquez, Director of Field Service and Technical Support, Radiometer America, Inc. is the only entity authorized to service Radiometer analyzers. The use of non-Radiometer reagents, accessories, quality control materials, or non-Radiometer service personnel voids warranty coverage and eliminates the manufacturer's ability to verify instrument performance characteristics and accept product liability claims. This directly endangers patient safety and regulatory compliance at the CTVHCS.
No other vendor possesses OEM authorization or the proprietary access to parts, firmware, and technical protocols required to maintain these specific analyzers. Accordingly, competition is not practicable.
MARKET RESEARCH SUMMARY
The Contracting Officer conducted market research to identify potential sources capable of meeting the Government's requirements. The research confirmed that Radiometer America, Inc. is the exclusive authorized service provider for ABL90 FLEX analyzers in the United States. No other vendor holds the OEM authorization necessary to service these analyzers while maintaining warranty validity and instrument performance assurance as required by VA patient safety standards.
INTENDED AWARDEE
Vendor Name: Radiometer America, Inc.
Address: 250 S. Kraemer Blvd., Mailstop: B1.SW.11, Brea, CA 92821
Phone: 657-286-1000
Website: www.radiometeramerica.com
RESPONSE INSTRUCTIONS / CAPABILITY STATEMENTS
Any firm that believes it is capable of providing these services and meeting all requirements set forth in the attached Statement of Work (SOW) may submit a written capability statement to the Contracting Officer no later than June 18, 2026, at 4:00 PM CDT. Responses received after this date and time will not be considered.
Capability statements must address, at a minimum:
a. Proof of OEM authorization to service Radiometer ABL90 FLEX Blood Gas Analyzers;
b. OEM training certificates for all field service engineers (FSEs) who would be assigned to this contract;
c. Evidence of direct access to OEM-approved replacement parts;
d. Two (2) references from comparable VA or federal agency service contracts performed within the past five (5) years; and
e. Description of service response procedures and access to online field service report repository.
This notice is not a solicitation. A solicitation will not be issued. Capability statements shall not be considered offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. The Government is not responsible for any costs incurred in responding to this notice. Any response must demonstrate that the submitting firm can fully comply with all requirements of the attached SOW before this determination of sole source justification will be reconsidered.
POINT OF CONTACT
Ognian D. Ivanov
Email: ognian.ivanov@va.gov
DISCLAIMER: This notice is for informational purposes only. This is not a solicitation for competitive proposals, and no contract will be awarded based on responses to this notice. The Government reserves the right to cancel this intended sole source action at any time.
