THIS REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) IS ISSUED SOLELY FOR INFORMATION AND PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A SOLICITATION.
THE SUBMISSION OF PRICING, CAPABILITIES FOR PLANNING PURPOSES, AND OTHER MARKET INFORMATION IS HIGHLY ENCOURAGED AND ALLOWED UNDER THIS RFI IN ACCORDANCE WITH (IAW) FAR 15.201(e).
DISCLAIMER
This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes only 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 DESCRIPTION
This is NOT a solicitation announcement. This is a RFI only. The purpose of this RFI is to gain knowledge of potential qualified sources and their size classification relative to NAICS 325120 (size standard of 1000 Employees). Responses to this RFI will be used by the Government to make appropriate acquisition decisions. After review of the responses to this RFI, a solicitation announcement may be published. Responses to this RFI synopsis are not considered adequate responses for a solicitation announcement.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), VISN 22 Network Contracting Office, is seeking sources that can provide Dry Ice deliveries that at a minimum meets the following below for the VA San Diego Healthcare System:
STATEMENT OF WORK (SOW)
Introduction: The purpose of this Statement of Work (SOW) is to outline the tasks and responsibilities of the successful offeror in relation to VA San Diego Healthcare System Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service department (PALMS) VISN 22 procurement request1 for Dry Ice delivered onsite.
Background. VA San Diego PALMS needs to purchase dry ice deliveries for packaging, transporting and shipping patient specimen samples.
Scope. The contractor shall deliver Dry Ice for Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Services for the VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, California.
Estimated Period of Performance:
09/18/2026 - 09/17/2027 BASE 09/18/2027 - 09/17/2028 Option Year 1 09/18/2028 - 09/17/2029 Option Year 2
09/18/2029 - 09/17/2030 Option Year 3
09/18/2030 - 09/17/2031 Option Year 4
The contractor will be responsible for the following:
The contractor will deliver Dry Ice to VA San Diego PALMS Laboratory Rm 1229A Send-outs office, Bldg 1, 3350 La Jolla Vill Dr, San Diego CA 92161
2 deliveries per week, 100 lbs each delivery. Monday and Thursday @ 8:am 11:am
Each piece of ice needs to
tubular shape in shape
half inches in diameter
various lengths
max 2.5 inches or less
Pour dry ice in ice chest.
Dry ice shall be packaged with material covering the ice
Vendor shall dispose of empty packing materials
Dry ice must last long enough to transport specimen, approximately 1-100 miles
Hours of Operation
Normal tour-of-duty hours at VASDHCS is 7:30 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday, excluding Federal holidays. However, the service is operating 24/7 and as such there may be instances in which the vendor s workday may be outside of this period. The vendor is required to coordinate these times with the designated Program Manager.
In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 6103, Executive Order 11582 and Public Law 94-97 the following national holidays are observed and for the purpose of this contract are defined as Legal Federal official holidays
New Year s Day
January 1st
Martin Luther King s Birthday
Third Monday in January
President s Day
Last Monday in January
Memorial Day
Last Monday in January
Juneteenth
June 19th
Independence Day
July 4th
Labor Day
First Monday in September
Columbus Day
Second Monday in October
Veteran s Day
November 11th
Thanksgiving Day
Fourth Thursday in November
Christmas Day
December 25th
When a holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday will be observed as a National Holiday. When a holiday falls on a Saturday, the preceding Friday is observed as a National Holiday by U.S. Government Agencies.
5. Performance
Hours: Normal duty hours are 8:00 a.m. through 11 a.m., Mondays and Thursdays., not including federal holidays.
Payment: Payment will be made in arrears, and upon receipt of a properly prepared invoice which references the period for which payment is due, the contract number and/or assigned purchase order number. The invoice must include the correct payment address.
Waste Removal: The contractor is responsible to remove and properly dispose of all waste related to the services provide on-site at VASDHS.
Failure to carry out the above procedures will be considered as a failure to document the service visit and will constitute a failure to perform.
All packing, delivery charge, transportation cost and labor are included.
GUARANTEE:
The contractor will guarantee quality and quantity of merchandise delivered.
The information identified above is intended to be descriptive, not restrictive and to indicate the quality of the supplies that will be satisfactory. It is the responsibility of the interested source to demonstrate to the government that the interested parties can provide the supplies/services that fulfill the required specifications.
If you are interested and are capable of providing the sought-out supplies, please provide the requested information as well as the information indicated below. Response to this notice should include company name, address, point of contact, size of business pursuant to the following questions:
(1) 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.)?
(2) Is your company considered small under the NAICS code identified under this RFI?
(3) Are you the manufacturer or distributor of the items being referenced above (or equivalent product/solution)? What is the manufacturing country of origin of these items?
(4) If you re a small business and you are an authorized distributor/reseller for the items identified above (or equivalent product/solution), do you alter; assemble; modify; the items requested in any way? If you do, state how and what is altered; assembled; modified?
(5) Does your company have an FSS contract with GSA or the NAC or are you a contract holder with NASA SEWP or any other federal contract? If so, please provide the contract type and number.
(6) If you are an FSS GSA/NAC or NASA SEWP contract holder or other federal contract holder, are the referenced items/solutions available on your schedule/contract?
(7) Please provide general pricing for your products/solutions for market research purposes.
(8) Please submit your capabilities in regards to the salient characteristics being provided and any information pertaining to equal to items to establish capabilities for planning purposes?
*** Submissions addressing Section (8) should show clear, compelling and convincing*** evidence that all equal to items" meet all required salient characteristics.
Responses to this notice shall be submitted via email to joanne.woo@gov. Subject Line shall include RFI 36C26226Q0603 DRY ICE . Telephone responses shall not be accepted. Responses must be received no later than May 25, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. PST. If a solicitation is issued it shall be announced at a later date, and all interested parties must respond to that solicitation announcement separately from the responses to this request for information. Responses to this notice are not a request to be added to a prospective bidders list or to receive a copy of the solicitation.
