65--Custom Brackets for arm slings

The Southern Regional Contracting Office at Brooke Army Medical Center plans to award a sole source contract to the University of Texas Health Science Center (UTHSC) for the production of custom arm sling brackets. These brackets are essential components of an arm sling system originally designed by the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research (USAISR) in collaboration with UTHSC, which holds the patent for the design. The initial arm sling system, including the brackets, was custom fabricated by UTHSC and is currently used in the Burn ICU (BICU) to position patients effectively. Due to an upgrade in the BICU beds, there is now a need to update the arm sling brackets to ensure compatibility and maintain the effectiveness of the existing sling system. UTHSC has developed and tested a custom prototype of the new brackets, demonstrating their suitability. The contract is expected to be awarded around February 14, 2013, and falls under the NAICS code 339113. Although this notice serves as a formal intent for a sole source procurement and is not a solicitation, the agency welcomes capability statements, proposals, or quotations from all responsible sources for consideration in future requirements. Interested vendors are invited to respond by February 13, 2013, at 10:30 AM CST. Contacts for this procurement are Melissa Oliva, Contracting Officer, and Jo Collins, Purchasing Agent, who can be reached via the provided phone numbers and email addresses.