DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
Veterans Health Administration
Network Contracting Office 17 (NCO 17)
Lab Services Support (LSS)
NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD A SOLE SOURCE CONTRACT
Special Notice
Epredia Excelsior Tissue Processors & Epredia HM525 Cryostat
Preventive Maintenance and Repair Services
South Texas Veterans Health Care System (STVHCS)
Audie L. Murphy VA Hospital Histology Laboratory
ADMINISTRATIVE DATA
Notice Type: Special Notice Notice of Intent to Award Sole Source Contract
Solicitation / RFQ Number: 36C25726Q0756
Posted Date: July 8, 2026
Response Deadline: July 18, 2026, 4:00 PM Central Time (CT)
NAICS Code: 811210 Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance
Size Standard: $34.0 Million
PSC Code: J066 Maintenance/Repair/Rebuild of Equipment: Industrial and Manufacturing Machinery
Place of Performance: Audie L. Murphy VA Hospital, Histology Laboratory
Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Service, San Antonio, TX 78229
Set-Aside Status: No Set-Aside Applied (Sole Source)
Period of Performance: One (1) Base Year with Four (4) One-Year Option Periods (Base + 4 Option Years)
Contract Type: Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP)
REGULATORY BASIS
This notice is prepared and published in accordance with the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO) Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 5, "Publicizing Contract Actions," specifically RFO FAR 5.1 "Pre-Solicitation Notice," as implemented by GSA Class Deviation RFO-2025-05. The statutory authority for this sole source procurement is 41 U.S.C. § 3304(a)(1), as set forth in RFO FAR 6.103-1(b), "Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements." This action is also consistent with FAR 5.207(c)(15) and FAR 5.207(c)(16)(ii), and FAR 6.302-1(d).
NOTICE OF INTENT
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Network Contracting Office 17 (NCO 17), Lab Services Support (LSS), intends to award a Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP), sole source contract to:
Richard-Allan Scientific, LLC (Epredia)
(Hereinafter referred to as "the Contractor" or "Richard-Allan Scientific / Epredia")
for the provision of preventive maintenance and repair services for (2) Epredia Excelsior Tissue Processors and (1) Epredia HM525 Cryostat located in the Histology Laboratory of the Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Service at the South Texas Veterans Health Care System (STVHCS), Audie L. Murphy VA Hospital, San Antonio, Texas. A solicitation will NOT be posted as a result of this notice.
DESCRIPTION OF REQUIREMENT
The South Texas Veterans Health Care System (STVHCS) requires continued preventive maintenance and repair services for the following proprietary laboratory instrumentation currently installed and in operation in the Histology Laboratory of the Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Service at Audie L. Murphy VA Hospital:
(2) Richard-Allan Scientific, LLC. Epredia Excelsior Tissue Processors S/N: ET55941709 and S/N: 3ET56691710
(1) Richard-Allan Scientific, LLC. Epredia HM525 Cryostat S/N: CNX05692307EP
The Contractor service program shall include, at a minimum, the following:
Onsite repair services performed by Certified Richard-Allan Scientific, LLC. (Epredia) Field Service Engineers (FSE);
All replacement parts, labor, travel, and expenses for unscheduled repair visits;
One (1) yearly scheduled Preventive Maintenance (PM) onsite visit;
All applicable instrument shipping charges;
24/7 Toll-Free Hotline with same-day response capability;
Emergency repair response within twenty-four (24) hours from time of request;
Same-day repair when both instruments are simultaneously non-operational;
All repairs will occur during normal working hours, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday.
All services provided shall be in compliance with the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) and College of American Pathologists (CAP) accreditation policies, and all applicable Federal, State, and local laws required by the Veterans Healthcare System and VHA Directive 1106.
SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION
Due to the proprietary nature of the Epredia Excelsior Tissue Processors and the Epredia HM525 Cryostat, it is essential that only Certified Richard-Allan Scientific, LLC. (Epredia) Field Service Engineers (FSEs) perform maintenance and repair services on this instrumentation. Richard-Allan Scientific, LLC. (Epredia) is the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and is the sole authorized source for certified maintenance, replacement parts, and technical support for these instruments. The use of unauthorized third-party service providers would void applicable warranties, could damage the instrumentation, and would compromise the STVHCS's compliance with AABB and CAP accreditation requirements placing continuity of critical pathology and histology laboratory operations at risk and adversely affecting direct patient care services provided to Veterans.
Based on market research conducted by the Contracting Officer, Richard-Allan Scientific, LLC. (Epredia) is the only known responsible source that can satisfy the Government's requirements for this specialized equipment maintenance. No known alternative sources exist that are capable of meeting the agency's needs.
RESPONSE TO THIS NOTICE
THIS NOTICE OF INTENT IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE QUOTES OR PROPOSALS. In accordance with RFO FAR 5.207(c)(16)(ii) and FAR 6.302-1(d)(2), all responsible sources that believe they can satisfy the Government's requirements as described herein may submit a Capability Statement demonstrating their ability to provide the required services. Capability Statements shall be submitted in writing and must include, at a minimum, the following information:
Business name, address, and Unique Entity Identifier (UEI);
Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN);
Active registration status in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) at www.sam.gov;
CAGE Code;
Small business designation, if applicable (e.g., SDVOSB, VOSB, 8(a), HUBZone, WOSB);
Documentation establishing that the vendor is an OEM-authorized distributor, reseller, or service provider for Richard-Allan Scientific, LLC. (Epredia) Excelsior Tissue Processors and HM525 Cryostat;
Detailed technical description of the respondent's capability to provide all service elements listed above, including evidence of OEM-certified Field Service Engineers;
Past performance information for similar maintenance contracts within the past three (3) years.
All responses must be received no later than 4:00 PM Central Time (CT) on July 20, 2026. Responses shall be submitted electronically via email to the Contracting Officer at the address below. Oral communications, fax responses, and telephone inquiries will NOT be accepted.
A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract action based upon responses received to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will be retained and used solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct competitive procurement. The Government will not pay for any information submitted in response to this notice. All submissions become Government property and will not be returned.
SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT (SAM.GOV) REGISTRATION
Any prospective contractor must be registered and active in the System for Award Management (SAM) at www.sam.gov prior to contract award in accordance with FAR requirements.
CONTRACTING OFFICER POINT OF CONTACT
Name: Ognian D. Ivanov
Title: Contracting Officer
Organization: Department of Veterans Affairs
Office: RPO West | NCO 17 | Lab Services Support (LSS)
Address: 5441 Babcock Rd., Suite 302, San Antonio, TX 78240
Email: ognian.ivanov@va.gov
DISCLAIMER
This notice is issued for informational and market research purposes only. This notice does not constitute a solicitation or a guarantee that a solicitation will be issued. No solicitation document is available at this time and none will be issued as a result of this notice. The Government is not committed and is not liable to pay for any costs incurred in response to this notice. This is not a request for competitive proposals or quotations. Issuance of this notice does not obligate the Government to award a contract.
