THIS REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) / SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE IS ISSUED SOLELY FOR INFORMATION AND PLANNING PURPOSES. THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION.
SUBMISSION OF INFORMATION ABOUT PRICING, DELIVERY, THE MARKET, AND CAPABILITIES IS HIGHLY ENCOURAGED AND ALLOWED UNDER THIS RFI FOR PLANNING PURPOSES IN ACCORDANCE WITH (IAW) FAR 15.201(e).
DISCLAIMER
This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes and does not constitute a solicitation. All information received in response to this RFI that is marked as proprietary will be handled accordingly. IAW FAR 15.201(e), responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI.
SOURCES SOUGHT/RFI DESCRIPTION
This is NOT a solicitation announcement. This is a Sources Sought Notice / RFI only. The purpose of this Sources Sought Notice / RFI is to gain information about potential qualified sources and their size classification relative to NAICS 333415 (size standard of 1,250 Employees). Responses to this Sources Sought Notice / RFI will be used by the Government to make appropriate acquisition decisions. After review of the responses to this Sources Sought Notice / RFI, further RFIs and/or a solicitation or other announcements may be published.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is seeking sources capable of providing upright freezers and LN2 equipment equivalent to the items below.
CLIN
DESCRIPTION
QTY
UOM
0001
PHCbi VIP ECO Natural Refrigerant -86°C Upright Freezer Model# MDF-DU702VHA-PA or equal
6
EA
0002
Custom BioGenic Systems LN2 container including 2301 Autofill-Monitor System with Gas By-Pass and LN2 Hose Model# S-5000AB or equal
1
EA
0003
Custom BioGenic Systems Vapor Platform Model# PLT39-6R or equal
1
EA
SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS
CLIN 0001 PHCbi VIP ECO Natural Refrigerant -86°C Upright Freezer Model# MDF-DU702VHA-PA or equal- Quantity: 6EA
Must be designed for laboratory materials and sample storage.
Must be able to reach a minimum Temp range of -40° to a maximum -86°C and come with a settable temperature control capability.
Must come with a minimum of two (2) 750-watt variable speed compressors.
Must come with a temperature Uniformity of +/- 5ºC.
Must be a natural refrigerant that is environmentally friendly.
Must come with two standard insulated inner doors.
Must come with a minimum of three (3) adjustable stainless-steel shelves.
Must come with LCD Touch Screen Control for easy access to functions and messages and screen lock with password protection.
Must come equipped with Microprocessor with non-volatile memory and USB data retrieval.
Must have self-diagnostic status alert function that monitors internal abnormalities of power failure, low voltage, open door, and compressor run-time conditions.
Must come with an outer door handle such as an EZlatch or similar designed to tolerate frequent door openings and configured to allow additional padlock for securing valuable samples.
Must come equipped with two vacuum releases: one auto release in door and one manual release.
Must be able to hold a minimum of twelve (12) racks for 2 fiberboard box capacity.
Must be have a Cryostorage box capacity of up to 576 two-inch boxes and 384 three-inch boxes.
Must offer at least/minimum 25.7 (729 L) cubic feet of usable storage space for biological samples.
Must have a maximum dimension width (W) x depth (D) x height (H) exterior: 40.6 x 36.8 x 78.5 inch.
Must have a maximum dimension W x D x H interior 34.3 x 23.6 x 55.1 inch.
Must meet the following certifications: ISO9001, ISO13485, and ISO14001.
Must be a NEMA 6-15 P plug type.
CLIN 0002 Custom BioGenic Systems LN2 container including 2301 Autofill-Monitor System with Gas By-Pass and LN2 Hose Model# S-5000AB or equal Quantity: 1EA
Must allow for conventional immersion liquid nitrogen (LN2) storage.
Must come equipped with wide lid opening for easy access to samples.
Must have an auto-fill monitor/control system with LN2 bypass and LN2 connection hose.
CLIN 0003 Custom BioGenic Systems Vapor Platform Model# PLT39-6R or equal-Quantity: 1EA
Must be compatible with CLIN 0002.
Must be designed to hold circular LN2 container.
Must be a 6-inch riser from the bottom to accommodate a square rack system.
The list of DRAFT upright freezers and LN2 container characteristics is intended to be descriptive, not restrictive, of the supplies/services that are required.
If your company is interested and capable of providing the required supplies/services, please provide the information indicated below. Incomplete responses to the questions below this notice will not be accepted. Response to this notice should include company name, address, point of contact, size of business pursuant to the following questions:
(1) Submit your capabilities statement illustrating how your organization can/cannot meet the SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS. For instances where your company cannot meet the SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS, please explain. For instances where your company can meet the SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS requirement(s), please show how your company meets/exceeds each requirement.
(2) Please review the SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS and provide any additional feedback or suggestions. If none, please reply as N/A.
(3) Please indicate the size status and representations of your business, such as but not limited to: Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB), HUBZone, Woman Owned Small Business (WOSB), Large Business, etc.
(4) Is your company considered small under the NAICS code identified in this RFI?
(5) Are you the manufacturer, authorized distributor, and/or can your company provide a solution to the required supplies/services described in the list of SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS?
(6) If you are a large business, do you have any designated/authorized distributors? If so, please provide their company name, telephone, point of contact and size status (if available).
(7) If you re a small business and you are an authorized distributor/reseller for the items identified above, do you alter; assemble; modify; the items requested in any way? If you do, state how and what is altered; assembled; modified.
(8) Limitations on Subcontracting: How does your business ensure compliance with the limitations on subcontracting as outlined in 13 CFR § 125.6?
(9) Are the items you are identifying/providing considered Commercial of the Shelf (COTS) items as defined in FAR Part 2.101 under commercial items?
(10) Non-Manufacturer Rule: If applicable, can you confirm your business complies with the Non-Manufacturer rule? Specifically, does your company: Provide a product from a small business manufacturer or processor? Not exceed 500 employees? Primarily engage in the retail or wholesale trade and normally sell the type of item being supplied? Take ownership or possession of the item(s) with its personnel, equipment or facilities in a manner consistent with industry practice?
(11) Please indicate whether your product conforms to the requirements of the Buy American Act?
(12) What is your lead time to deliver a single unit with all components? Is there scale in lead time with greater quantities? Please elaborate.
(13) What is estimated life span of your solution? What support/services does that entail?
(14) Does your proposed equipment have FDA clearance? Please specify what FDA clearance(s) have been obtained.
(15) Does your organization offer a leasing solution? Please elaborate.
(16) Does your company have a Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) GSA/NAC/SAC/BPA/NASA SEWP or any other Federal Government contract? If so, please provide the contract number(s).
(17) If you are an FSS GSA/NAC/SAC/BPA/NASA SEWP or any other Federal Government contract holder, are all the items/solutions you are providing information about available on your schedule/contract? Please state if all or some items are available on the contract.
(18) General pricing of your products/solution is encouraged. Pricing will be used for the purpose of market research only. It will not be used to evaluate for any type of award.
(19) Please provide your SAM.gov Unique Entity ID/Cage Code number.
Responses to this notice shall be submitted via email to Melissa.Ramirez8@va.gov. Telephone responses will not be accepted. Responses must be received no later than Thursday, August 6th, 2026 by 10:00 AM Pacific Local Time.
All responses to this Sources Sought/RFI will be used for planning purposes only. Responses to this Sources Sought Notice / RFI are not considered a request to be added to a prospective bidders list or to receive a copy of the solicitation. If further RFIs and/or a solicitation or other announcement is issued as a result of the information provided from this RFI, all interested parties must respond to the specific posting separately IAW the specifications of that announcement.
