65 -- SURE STEPS STRIPS

The Federal Bureau of Prisons, specifically the Federal Medical Center at Butner, plans to award a sole source contract to Lifescan Inc. from Milpitas, California, for the supply of step strips, as well as high glucose control solution, low glucose control solution, and linearity solutions. This procurement is justified under FAR 6.302, indicating that Lifescan is the only responsible source capable of meeting the agency’s requirements, and no other supplier can provide these specific medical products. The contract falls under the NAICS code 325413, which pertains to the pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing sector. The agency has issued a notice of intent but has not released a solicitation document, meaning this is not an invitation for competitive bids. However, any firm that believes it can fulfill the contract requirements may submit written or faxed evidence of their capability within five calendar days of the synopsis publication, after which the government will review submissions solely to decide whether to initiate a competitive procurement. If no qualified responses are received within the specified timeframe, FMC Butner will proceed with negotiating the sole source contract with Lifescan. Interested parties can contact Teresa A Cooper or Timmie A. Bullock, the contracting specialists at FMC Butner, for further information or to submit their qualifications. The decision to forego competition rests entirely with the government based on the responses received. This procurement is essential to ensure FMC Butner obtains the specialized medical testing supplies needed for its operations, with Lifescan positioned as the exclusive provider capable of meeting these requirements.