3650--AUTOMATED PRESCRIPTION FULFILLMENT SYSTEM (APFS) SERVICE AND SUPPORT PLAN (SSP) & PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE (PM) SERVICES for Consolidated Mail Outpatient Pharmacy (CMOP) Charleston
Contract Overview
Solicitation details, issuing organization, response deadlines, documents, and interested companies for this government contract opportunity.
AI Contract Overview
The Department of Veterans Affairs' Network Contracting Office 15 intends to award a sole source contract to Innovation Associates, Inc. (dba iA) for technical and maintenance support of their proprietary Automated Prescription Fulfillment System (APFS) at the Charleston Consolidated Mail Outpatient Pharmacy (CMOP). This support includes an APFS Service and Support Plan, Preventative Maintenance services, 24/7 emergency technical support, software and hardware support, spare parts, repair authorization, and on-site assistance provided by three dedicated iA System Managers. The contract is structured as a firm fixed-price agreement for one year with four subsequent option years. Innovation Associates is uniquely qualified to maintain the APFS as the original equipment manufacturer and sole owner of all hardware, software, firmware, and diagnostic tools associated with the system. The APFS is vital to the VA’s operations, handling roughly 90% of prescription processing for Veterans at Charleston CMOP. Its complex, custom-engineered design integrates robotics, labeling, scanning, and automated dispensing, tailored specifically to the facility’s requirements. Due to proprietary design and strict intellectual property protections, only Innovation Associates possesses the expertise and authorized components necessary to ensure system integrity, compliance with healthcare and cybersecurity standards, and uninterrupted operation. Using any other contractor or foregoing support would risk significant downtime, warranty invalidation, and regulatory noncompliance, jeopardizing timely medication delivery to Veterans. While this notice is not a request for competitive bids, interested parties may submit capability statements for future consideration. The designated point of contact for this procurement is Wade Cunningham.
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Full Description
This procurement will be a new requirement utilizing a Firm Fixed-Price (FFP) contract for one (1) year plus four (4) option years.
Innovation Associates (dba iA) is uniquely qualified to provide the extended support agreement for the APFS because they are the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and the sole owner of the system s proprietary hardware, software, firmware, and diagnostic tools. The APFS is a highly specialized, integrated system that produces approximately ninety percent (90%) of all prescriptions processed for Veteran patients at Charleston CMOP; therefore, uninterrupted functionality is essential for CMOP to meet operational requirements and support the VA s mission. The APFS conveyance architecture and its combination of robotics, labeling, scanning, and automated dispensing subsystems are custom engineered to the pharmacy s formulary, facility size, and physical floorplan, creating a configuration that cannot be serviced, modified, or maintained by any third party vendor. Only the OEM fully understands the interdependencies of these subsystems and possesses the authorized parts, proprietary software, and subject matter experts required to maintain system integrity, accuracy, and compliance with applicable healthcare, safety, and cybersecurity standards. The iA software suites, along with supporting firmware and configuration utilities, are proprietary and cannot be modified or supported by any entity other than iA without violating licensing and intellectual property restrictions. There are no other contractors that have the ability and access to proprietary information to this system. Not using a contractor to maintain the system would risk system failure, extended operational downtime, invalidation of warranties, and potential noncompliance with federal healthcare, safety, and information security requirements, which in turn could jeopardize timely prescription fulfillment for Veterans. Because of the APFS s critical role, proprietary design, and iA s exclusive capability to support and sustain the system is required to ensure safe, reliable, and continuous service to Veterans. THIS NOTICE OF INTENT IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE QUOTES. However, all responsible sources may submit a capability statement to the network contracting office (NCO) 15, via email to wade.cunningham@va.gov to express their ability to provide these products for future needs.