This is a Sources Sought notice and not a request for quotes. This request is solely for the purpose of conducting market research to enhance VHA s understanding of the market offered products, services and capabilities. The Government will not pay any costs for responses submitted in response to this Sources Sought. This is for market research purposes and not for solicitation. In accordance with FAR 15.201 (e), responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Additionally, the Government reserves the right to revise the Performance Work Statement (PWS) before the release of any associated solicitation. This notice is not a Request for Proposal (RFP) or Request for Quote (RFQ). Information provided in this notice is subject to change prior to release of a solicitation. If based upon the market research information the Government deems a solicitation is necessary a solicitation action will be posted in Contract opportunities on www.SAM.gov.
All responses to this notice will be reviewed, regardless of small business/socioeconomic category, including those firms that are identified as large business. Small business requirements for market research purposes must be registered as a small business in the Small Business Administration (SBA) Small Business Search (SBS) at https://search.certifications.sba.gov/. Review of responses to this notice will support later determination of set-aside requirements, if a solicitation becomes available, where the rule of two is met regarding a set-aside, including set-asides under 38 U.S.C. 8127 and 8128 for Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSBs) and/or Veteran Owned Small Businesses (VOSBs) firms registered in the SBA Dynamic Small Business Search (SBA, DSBS) database; https://dsbs.sba.gov, in accordance with priorities set by regulation. NAICS code for this requirement is 334516, Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing with a small business size standard of 1,000 employees.
SOURCES SOUGHT DESCRIPTION This is NOT a solicitation announcement. This is a sources sought/RFI only. The purpose of this sources sought/RFI is to gain knowledge of potential qualified sources and their size classification relative to NAICS 334516, Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing with a small business size standard of 1,000 employees. Responses to this sources sought will be used by the Government to make appropriate acquisition decisions. After reviewing the responses to this sources sought, a solicitation announcement may be published. Responses to this sources sought synopsis are not considered adequate responses for a solicitation announcement. Vendors are being invited to submit information relative to their potential of fulfilling the requirement below, in the form of a capability response that addresses the specific requirement identified in this Sources Sought. Pursuant to FAR Part 10, Market Research, the purpose of this notice is to determine if sources capable of satisfying the agency's requirements exists and to determine the commercial practices of company's engaged in providing the needed service. Pursuant to FAR Part 6 and FAR Part 19, competition and set-aside decisions may be based on the results of this market research. This notice in no way obligates the Government to any further action.
The Department of Veterans Affairs, VISN 6, Network Contracting Office 6 is seeking sources that can provide Applied Biosystems QuantStudio 5 Real-time PCR System to replace the laboratory's existing Applied Biosystems 7500 Fast Dx Real-Time PCR System and annual PM/Q services suitable for the new ABI Quant Studio Instruments. The purchase includes the trade-in of the existing instrument.
The laboratory utilizes Applied Biosystems instrumentation and validated molecular diagnostic workflows. Standardization on the Applied Biosystems platform is essential to maintain continuity of operations, compatibility with existing assays, validated procedures, and consistent test results (Brand Name Only).
Contractor shall provide two new Applied Biosystems QuantStudio 5 Real-Time PCR System, including required components, software, installation, training, warranty, and acceptance of the Government's Applied Biosystems 7500 Fast Dx instrument as a trade-in. No substitutes or equal products will be accepted. The system shall be compatible with existing Applied Biosystems workflows, support validated assays, integrate with current laboratory procedures, utilize manufacturer software, and be supported by the original equipment manufacturer. No alternate manufacturer or equivalent instrument will satisfy the Government's minimum requirements
Contractor shall perform annual PM/Q services suitable for the new ABI Quant Studio Instruments.
PRODUCT FEATURES/SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
Applied Biosystems QuantStudio 5 Real-Time PCR System, 96-well, 0.1mL, laptop, Includes: Laptop Computer, Volume Thermal Block Sample: 0.1mL, Block Format: Non-Interchangeable, Content And Storage: QuantStudio 5 Real-Time PCR System with 96-well 0.1-mL block and laptop computer.
Applied Biosystems TaqMan RNase P Instrument Verification Plate, Fast 96-well (for 0.1 mL block), Description: 96-well, For Use With: 7500 Fast System, 7900HT Fast System, QuantStudio 12k Flex, QuantStudio 6 Flex, QuantStudio 7 Flex, StepOnePlus, Fast Mode, ViiA 7 System, QuantStudio 6 Pro.
Applied Biosystems MicroAmp EnduraPlate Optical 96-Well Fast Clear Reaction Plates with Barcode, Quantity: 20, Optical, Clear, Barcode: Includes Barcode, Content And Storage: Format: 96-well plate
Applied Biosystems MicroAmp Optical Adhesive Film, No. per Case: 25 Covers, Content And Storage: Includes 25 Optical Adhesive Covers. AB Assurance Studio50.1ML PC
Trade-In
Contractor shall remove the existing Applied Biosystems 7500 Fast Dx system, provide transportation, apply the agreed trade-in value, and document receipt.
Preventative maintenance:
Engineer cleans instrument shell and internal components to prevent debris from contaminating sample block or heated cover. Also prevents boards from being damaged over time.
Perform temperature verification which includes Sample Block Temperature Accuracy, Non-Uniformity, and Heated Cover Temperature Accuracy. Also includes cycle and rate test as well as block parameters.
Perform system self-test. This test will ensure that all of the sub-units (boards, power amp & supply, filters, motors, etc.) are performing within specifications.
Manual ROI performed to ensure camera accuracy and exposure are within specifications.
Background performed to check for contamination. If any found we will clean to reduce background to within specification limits.
Perform Pure Dye & Uniformity calibrations to ensure each filter detects the appropriate dye depending on wavelength.
If a qualification is done after PM (which it should be) we will also perform an Instrument Performance Verification test using an RNaseP plate. This test ensures that the instrument can identify the difference between a large and small size population (5K vs. 10K standard).
Screenshots and reports of calibrations and testing are included with qualification.
Perform computer maintenance including disk defragment and cleanup.
Checklists, Reports/Screenshots, and SSR (Service Summary Report) will be sent to the customer within 1 hour of completing the service. These documents will include a detailed summary of all the work performed for customer records.
Interested companies can respond, via email to Krisanne.Dernago@va.gov with the following information; (a) company point of Contact, including name, title, phone number, and email address, (b) Company name, SAM UEI number, small business/socioeconomic status of company, and address of the applicable office, (c) any relevant certifications and/or licenses to perform these services, (d) capabilities statement, and any additional information may be requested by the Contracting officer at a later time. The Point of Contract is Krisanne Dernago, Contract Specialist, Network Contracting Office (NCO) 6, Veterans Health Administration U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs at Krisanne.Dernago@va.gov
Due Dates for Responses: This notice closes Wednesday, August 12, 2026, at 10:00am Eastern Standard Time (EST). CONTRACTOR RESPONSIBILITY: A potential source for the purpose of this notice is considered to be any company meeting the following requirements. Some of the requirements below may be modified prior to the release of any solicitation. The potential source is registered in the System for Awards Management (SAM) database at https://www.sm.gov. The potential source is registered with the Small Business Administration, Dynamic Small Business Search (SBA, DSBS) at https://dsbs.sba.gov. The potential source has favorable (satisfactory) past performance information for federal contracts, if applicable, as documented in the Contractor Assessment Reporting System (CPARS) or Government databases, including the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Retrieval System (FAPIIS), and Past Performance information Retrieval System (PPIRS), where applicable.
