65--CardioSpectra OCT

The South Veterans Health Care System, Audie L. Murphy Division, located in San Antonio, Texas, plans to enter into sole source negotiations with CardiaSpectra, Inc. for the acquisition of a Phase-Sensitive Nanoparticle Imaging Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) System. This procurement supports a Department of Veterans Affairs Merit Grant aimed at identifying vulnerable plaques using advanced optical coherence tomography technology. The system to be purchased includes key components such as a rapidly tunable laser source, common-path interferometer, X-Y specimen scanning optics, phase-sensitive, polarization-sensitive, and Doppler-sensitive detection capabilities, along with an electronic acquisition and processing subsystem and a host PC for data storage and display. The targeted technical specifications include an A-Scan rate of 20kHz, resolution of 10 micrometers or less in air, and a center wavelength of 1310nm. This notice serves only as a declaration of intent to negotiate on a sole source basis under clause 6.302-1 and is not a solicitation for competitive proposals; no solicitation package is provided. Interested parties are invited to submit written qualifications and capabilities within five days of the notice posting, which will be used solely to assess whether competition would be beneficial. Submissions must be faxed to the attention of Lupe Ybarra, with no oral communications accepted. If no responsive submissions are received within the designated timeframe, negotiations will proceed exclusively with CardiaSpectra, Inc. The procurement falls under NAICS code 334510, with a designated size standard of 500 employees, and is managed by the Department of Veterans Affairs Network Contract Office 17 based in San Antonio.