Department of Veterans Affairs Network Contracting Office (NCO) 16 Request For Information (RFI) DISCLAIMER: THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE ONLY. THIS SYNOPSIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR QUOTE, PROPOSAL, OR BID. This notice is not a solicitation as defined by FAR 2.101, therefore it shall not be construed as a commitment by the Government to enter into a contract, nor does it restrict the Government to an acquisition approach. All information contained in this Request for Information (RFI) is preliminary as well as subject to amendment and is in no way binding on the Government. Information submitted in response to this notice is voluntary; the Government will not pay for information requested nor will it compensate any respondent for any cost incurred in developing information provided to the Government. The Government is requesting that restrictive or proprietary markings not be used in response to this notice. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized in the Federal Contract Opportunities website or GSA. It is the responsibility of the interested parties to monitor these sites for additional information pertaining to this RFI. 1. Title: __HPLC System ____________________________________ 2. Purpose: The purpose of this RFI is to identify potential sources which will aid in defining the procurement strategy (e.g., set-aside, sole source, unrestricted) for a solicitation the VA intends on issuing shortly for the following: 176017041 - Arc HPLC Core System - The following items are included as part of this configuration: 186017016 Arc HPLC Quaternary Solvent Manager (QSM-R) 186017017 Arc HPLC Sample Manager FTN (SM FTN-R) with Temp Control 205000505 Leak Sensor Assembly (QTY = 3) 186003031 XBridge C18 Column, 3.5Lm 4.6 x 50 mm 186000307c 2 mL Glass Vial with pre-slit Septa (Pack of 100) 186008093 Arc HPLC Start-up solution 716006651 Info Set, Arc HPLC System 667006352 Waters Driver Pack 2019 R2 SR1 (Analytical) 205002445 Kit, Accessories Arc HPLC System 289008967 Assy, Bottle Tray 176248901 - 2489 UV/Visible Detector 200000477 - Startup Kit, Arc HPLC Detector 186247500 - 2475 Fluorescence Detector (blue) 200000477 - Startup Kit, Arc HPLC Detector 186009455 - ACQUITY Premier BEH C18 Column with VanGuard FIT, 1.7 m, 2.1 x 50 mm, 1/pk 176000499 - E-SATIN KIT 176002203 - Empower 3 Per Single System SW 5 Users 176004026 - Empower Personal Workstation 668000273 - MONITOR, 23" 186007088 - Certified Container Kit 741000104 - UPLC/HPLC System & Software Install Cert TPT603580 - TAW eSAT/IN (0PM) 740000827 - Maint: Empower Personal Basic 2nd Yr The anticipated Small Business Administration (SBA) size standard for the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code _334516_ is __1,000 Employees__. 3. Responses Requested: The following questions must be answered in response to this RFI. Answers that are not provided shall be considered non-responsive to the RFI: a. Where are the requested items/equipment manufactured? Vendor must attach documentation of this information to be viewed by the government to be considered as part of the Market Research and responsiveness to this Sources Sought notice b. Are the requested items/equipment manufactured by a Small or Large business? Is the potential vendor in compliance with the Non-Manufacturer Rule (NMR)? Vendor must attach documentation of this to be viewed by the government to be considered as part of the Market Research and responsiveness to this Sources Sought notice c. Is the Vendor an authorized distributor with access to Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts which may be required in performance of this requirement? The VA does not accept grey market items and therefore the Vendor must attach evidence of this access (Authorized Distributor letter) to be viewed by the government to be considered as part of the Market Research and responsiveness to this Sources Sought notice. d. Name of potential Contractor that possess the capability to fulfill this requirement. Contractors shall also provide the following: Point(s) of contact name: _______________________________________________ Address: ___________________________________________________ Telephone number: ___________________________________________ Email address: _______________________________________________ Company's business size: ________________________________________________ Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) #: _______________________________ e. Is your company considered a small business concern, SB, SDVOSB, VOSB, HUBZone, or 8A concern, with the requisite __________________ NAICS code? Please provide proof of qualifications. f. Is your company available under any Government Wide Agency Contract (GWAC), General Services Administration (GSA) Schedule, Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ), and/or Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA)? If so, please identify the contract number for the Government to review as part of this Market Research. 4. Opportunity/Market Pricing: The MEDVAMC is seeking information from potential vendors on their ability to provide the required items/equipment. THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. Small Business Concerns are encouraged to provide responses to this RFI in order to assist the MEDVAMC in determining potential levels of competition and general market pricing available in the industry. Therefore, vendors are requested to submit estimated market research pricing along with their responses to the above. The estimated pricing will be considered when determining the procurement strategy for the forthcoming solicitation. 5. Instructions and Response Guidelines: Questions regarding this RFI shall be submitted no later than 3:00pm (CST), August 1, 2023, via email to lakeisha.white@va.gov. RFI responses are due by 3:00pm (CST), Tuesday, August 1, 2023; size is limited to 8.5 x 11 inches, 12-point font, with 1-inch margins in Microsoft Word format via email to lakeisha.white@va.gov The subject line shall read: HPLC System Sources Sought. NO SOLICITATION EXISTS AT THIS TIME. There is no page limitation on subparagraphs 3(a) - 3(f). Please provide the information you deem relevant in order to respond to the specific inquiries of the RFI. Information provided will be used solely by MEDVAMC as Market Research and will not be released outside of the MEDVAMC Purchasing and Contract Team. 7. Contact Information: Lakeisha White Lakeisha.white@va.gov Your response to this notice is greatly appreciated!
