Active

Contract Opportunity

Notice of Sources Sought

The purpose of this Sources Sought Announcement is for market research to make appropriate acquisition decisions and to gain knowledge of potential qualified Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB), Veteran Owned Small Businesses (VOSB), Small Business Manufacturers, other Small Businesses interested and capable of providing items requested, as well as any large businesses. The results from this source sought notice will be used to determine set-aside.

The intended contract is a firm-fixed price supply & service purchase.

The SBA Non-Manufacturer Rule is applicable, and a waiver will not be sought for this potential acquisition.

The Department of Veterans Affairs, NCO20 is looking for BRAND NAME or EQUAL sources of the following supply and services:

Supplies
Quantity
Manufacturer
Price ($) Please fill out
NuTrace Laser NUX20 NG or equal
1
Promedical, Inc.

NuTrace R+ Scanner or equal
1
Promedical, Inc.

Services

Training & Installation

Preventative maintenance and repair service for Base Year + 2 Option Years (Total 3 Years) in accordance with below Statement of Work

Laser etching services for up 25,000 instruments in accordance with below Statement of Work



Required Salient Characteristics
NuTrace or equal laser etching unit is needed at Boise VA Medical Center. This product offers small dimensions to fit in our small space and fast speed and flexible scanning with its tabletop style rather than the standard pistol grip scanner with the trigger.
The equipment must meet the minimum of the following:
Must be able to do data matrix codes, including GS1 codes readable by Censitrac
Must be able to print human-readable graphics
Must be able to print a 105 mm x 105mm code
It must come with five 2D data matrix readers for code verification and use with Censitrac.
2D Scanner must be fast at reading barcodes, with no need to push a trigger to scan the barcodes
2D Scanner should read code in under 1 second. Achieved by dragging the mark over the scanner which does not require interaction with the scanner.
Must come with required PPE and safety training for use.
Must be Laser CFR Class 1- 4
Must have a built-in tablet with all the needed templates inside the CAD
Must have multi-wavelength glass protection for easy instrument positioning and viewing
Must clean and remove particles from marking surface with an acid-free solution
Must be fully compliant with all applicable standards and regulations set forth by the FDA, CDC
Must have a smoke/dust evacuation ventilation system
Must be air cooled to eliminate the need for a water chiller and keep power consumption down
Must fit into a small room and limited floor space. The cabin of the laser can not exceed 15 W X 26 D X 20 H. When door is open it will not exceed 30 in height. With the cabin weighing no more than 30 pounds.
Must have a visible laser guide to allow easy positioning and accuracy of the instrument being marked
Must operate on a Windows-based operating software
Must have a three-year service and maintenance plan with on-site repairs
Must have loaner options if major repairs are needed
Must have a security key to limit the use to authorized personnel
Should have a focus control knob
Must have an Emergency Stop button
Should have an opening door interlock for extra security
Must be able to mark on titanium, anodized titanium, aluminum, anodized aluminum, stainless steel, plastics, and other surgical instruments
Should be fast at marking instruments.
Must come with initial marking engagement to mark 25,000 instruments and add them to instrument tracking system inventory.
Must verify all new and current marks are working and have correct information during engagement and update substitutes and count sheets based on new instrument marks
Statement of Work
1. Background.
Boise VA is mandated by VHA 1116 to implement and use an instrument tracking system. "Ensuring VA medical facilities purchase the nationally designated instrument tracking system (ITS) and utilizes it to document all RMD processing activity."
We currently achieve this with a chemical etcher that this laser marker will replace. This will improve the Boise VA's process as laser-etched marks are easier for tracking software to read and have a longer shelf life.
2. Scope.
The contractor will help set up and train staff on properly using the laser machine, including all safety procedures and considerations.
The contractor will mark up to 25,000 instruments and add them to our instrument tracking inventory.
The contractor will provide all safety equipment needed to operate the laser machine. The contractor will have a three-year service and maintenance plan for on-site repairs.
3. Specific Tasks.
The contractor must do the following:
The contractor needs to install the laser in the room designated by the facility for future use. The installation will include installing the laser and all accessories for complete operation. Â The contractor needs to install the scanners to each computer designated by the management of the department. The contractor will test the equipment with management to ensure is functions as intended with the ability to mark and read instrument scans for the facilities instrument tracking program.
The contractor will provide training for safe operation of the laser including the super user training to those designated by management of the department. Super user training will include the ability to mark and instrument with the cabinet closed and in an open status for larger RMD. This includes classes about laser safety. The contractor will demonstrate how to mark reusable medical devices (RMD) with a 2D code that is compatible with the facility instrument tracking system and how to mark with plain language in English. The contractor will train staff on how to mark RMD with symbols that can be used to identify instruments including but not limited to a bone, eye, and more. The contractor will train all staff in the department on how to utilize the scanner to read the marks to allow identification of the instrument in the facility instrument marking system. The contractor will train designated employees on utilizing the mark on the RMD to add the RMD to the facility instrument tracking system inventory.
The maintenance services will include all preventative maintenance in accordance with the manufacturer s maintenance schedule and applicable standards for laser etching device maintenance. The preventative maintenance will include a loaner laser put in place in the facility owned unit will be out of service for more than 14 days. The maintenance will cover all labor, parts, and shipping associated with repairing the unit the full operational status.
The contractor will inventory and etch 25,000 RMD and commission the instruments into the facility instrument tracking system. The contractor will update all count sheets to reflect the correct RMD ref#, manufacturer, and quantity in the facility instrument tracking system. The contractor will communicate with management and end users about the correct RMD that should be on the count sheet when multiple variations of an item exist. The contractor will evaluate existing RMD that are marked by old technology for readability. If the mark is not able to easily read or fading the vendor will remark the instrument as part of 25,000 RMD needing marked. The vendor will ensure that the RMD that is etched has the correct information for commissioning in the facility instrument tracking system.
Required Information for Your Response to Sources Sought:
In order to be considered a valid source that can impact the set-aside determination of a possible future solicitation, potential contractors shall provide, at a minimum, the following information to peter.park2@va.gov:

1) Company name, address, and point of contact, phone number, e-mail address, and UEI.

2) Please identify your company s size in comparison to the anticipated North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 339113 Surgical Appliance and Supplies Manufacturing. To be considered a small business your company must have fewer than 800 employees. This notice is to determine the marketplace for this specific requirement. Please check one of the following:

[ ] yes [ ] no Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB)
[ ] yes [ ] no Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB)
[ ] yes [ ] no Small Business Manufacturers
[ ] yes [ ] no All other Small Business (SB)
[ ] yes [ ] no Other than Small Business

3) Any Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Businesses or Veteran Owned Businesses who respond to a solicitation on this project must provide a SBA certification and be registered with U.S. Small Business Administration Veteran Small Business Certification (VetCert) located at https://veterans.certify.sba.gov/.

4) If not a manufacturer, only authorized representatives/providers/distributors of the manufacturer will be considered. Equipment must be new, no used or refurbished equipment accepted. Please provide a proof of authorized dealer or reseller letter from manufacturer.

5) Please provide a courtesy quote in response to this request to evaluate price reasonableness for any set-aside determination.

6) If your company will be supplying an item manufactured by a small business (above NAICS Code size standard) manufacturer, provide responses to below questions to determine if your company qualifies as a nonmanufacturer.

a) Does your company exceed 500 employees?
b) Is your company primarily engaged in the retail or wholesale trade and normally sells the type of item being supplied for this requirement?
c) Does your company take ownership or possession of the item(s) with its personnel, equipment or facilities in a manner consistent with industry practice?
d) Will you be supplying items manufactured in the United States?

7) This is a brand name or equal requirement. As such, the salient characteristics reflect the physical, functional, or performance characteristics that equal products must meet to satisfy the Government s needs. To be considered for any potential solicitation, offers of equal products, including equal products of the brand name manufacturer, must:

(a) Meet the salient physical, functional, or performance characteristic specified in this sources sought; clearly identify the item by Brand name, if any and make/model number.

(b) Include descriptive literature such as illustrations, drawings, or a clear reference to descriptive data or information available that identifies that the equal item meets or exceeds EACH of the salient characteristics required by the Government. Government will not perform further research if the information provided is unclear whether it meets any required salient characteristic.

8) Please identify the country of origin for all items. If it is a foreign end product, fill out the following:

Item
Country of origin


The Government is not obligated to nor will it pay for or reimburse any costs associated with responding to this sources sought notice. This notice shall not be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract, nor does it restrict the Government to a particular acquisition approach. The Government will in no way be bound to this information if any solicitation is issued.

Notice to Potential Offerors: All Offerors who provide goods or services to the United States Federal Government must be registered in the System Award Management (SAM located on the web at www.sam.gov). It is desirable that any Offeror to have completed their business Online Representations and Certifications Application in the System for Award Management (SAM).
Shipping Address:
Boise VA Medical Center
500 W Fort St
Boise, ID 83702

Point of Contact:
Peter Park
Contracting Officer
peter.park2@va.gov

Response Deadline:
11/14/2023 by 3:00pm Pacific Time

Attachments/Links