6515--Ultralow -80 Freezers

The Department of Veterans Affairs, through its Network Contracting Office 22, has issued a firm-fixed-price solicitation for ultra-low (-80°C) freezers and associated equipment under a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) set-aside. The solicitation, numbered 36C26226Q1000, seeks two primary ultra-low freezers, two backup CO2/LN2 systems, two power cords, validation services, calibration services, and a five-year preventative maintenance package, with all items to be delivered no later than 180 days after contract award and installed at the VA Cooperative Studies Program Clinical Research Pharmacy Coordinating Center in Albuquerque, NM. The contract is governed by a Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) evaluation method, where technical acceptability is determined solely by conformity to specified brand-name or "equal" characteristics, and award is made to the offeror meeting all requirements at the lowest price. Pricing details are not pre-filled, requiring offerors to submit complete and itemized cost proposals in compliance with the SF-1449 form, with submissions limited to 15 pages excluding pricing tables and due by June 30, 2026, at 3:00 PM PST. Contract compliance is rigorously enforced through numerous FAR and VAAR clauses emphasizing ethical conduct, whistleblower protections, cybersecurity restrictions, and labor standards, including mandatory adherence to Buy American and Trade Agreements Act requirements with specific alternates applied. The contract mandates electronic invoicing through the VA’s EIPP system, payment via EFT, and strict SDVOSB eligibility verification, with subcontracting limited to 50% for supply contracts unless the subcontractor is a VIP-listed SDVOSB. All equipment must meet federal packaging guidelines for safe delivery and be labeled per government form SF-1449, though no military standards or detailed preservation specifications are included. The Government retains full authority for inspection and acceptance at the delivery location, with title transferring upon formal acceptance. The contracting specialist is Hanan McCullick, and the contract includes provisions for accelerated payments to small business subcontractors, privacy training, trafficking in persons compliance, and restrictions on procurement from designated foreign entities such as Kaspersky Lab. The solicitation explicitly excludes any use of WAWF for invoicing and requires all offerors to be registered in SAM.gov with verified UEI and CAGE codes, ensuring strict identification and compliance with socioeconomic requirements.