3650--763-26-2-228-0242 -Lancaster CMOP Low to Medium Volume TCA and Sorting Loops Project (VA-26-00039446)

The Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking industry input through a sources sought notice for the Lancaster CMOP Low to Medium Volume TCA and Sorting Loops Project, identified by solicitation number 36C77026R0007, aimed at modernizing pharmacy automation infrastructure at the Dallas Consolidated Mail Outpatient Pharmacy in Lancaster, Texas. This facility processes approximately 90,000 prescriptions daily and requires upgraded Tablet Counting and Automation (TCA) systems and loop sortation equipment to support current throughput and future growth, as volume expectations rise due to agency expansion and potential interagency partnerships. The project involves the full design, installation, and integration of new automation hardware—including puck conveyance systems, de-puckers, labelers, automatic dispensers, canisters, high-resolution cameras, exception stations, verification workstations, cappers, sealers, and diagnostic HMIs—while removing and replacing existing conveyors and controls. The new systems must seamlessly interface with the Pharmacy Operating System, CMOP production systems, and the National CMOP data infrastructure, adhering to strict safety, ergonomic, and security standards such as OSHA 29 CFR 1910, FISMA, NIST Special Publication 800-63-2, VA Enterprise Technical Architecture, and HSPD-12, with all systems requiring PIV authentication and Authority to Operate certification prior to production use. Contractors are expected to provide comprehensive deliverables including detailed staffing and operations and maintenance plans, electrical and part schematics, scale blueprints validating compliance with fire and safety codes, and a phased testing program culminating in five consecutive shifts of stress testing to confirm throughput capacity. The project is structured in stages, requiring completion and acceptance of the new loop sortation system before proceeding with the low-to-medium volume TCA area to ensure continuous pharmacy operations. The contractor must designate a dedicated Project Manager present on-site throughout the contract term, including during design and key milestones, and implement a quality management plan subject to government inspection and concurrence. All documentation must be submitted prior to final acceptance, and the contractor must provide a one-year warranty ensuring 99% system uptime, along with a standardized English-language list of recommended spare parts and acquisition sources. Training for operators, IT staff, and maintenance personnel is mandatory and must be completed during installation and testing phases, while local permits and logistical coordination must be coordinated with the Contracting Officer Representative. Although this notice does not constitute a formal solicitation and no contract value