6530--Brand Name or Equal Baxter/Hill-Rom Progressa + ICU Bed System

The Department of Veterans Affairs, through the Network Contracting Office 16 in Ridgeland, Mississippi, has awarded Contract Number 36C25626Q0546 for the procurement of 10 Hill-Rom Progressa+ ICU Bed Systems, with optional enhancements totaling $437,844.50. The base unit includes the P7501A000032 ICU bed system, and optional add-ons such as ventilator integration, enhanced monitoring, remote alarm management, telemetry upgrade, and infection control retrofit are included under this award. Deliveries are required to be completed no later than 90 days after receipt of order, with an expected turnaround of six to eight weeks, and must be shipped to the CAVHS Warehouse at 2200 Fort Roots Drive, Building 182, North Little Rock, Arkansas. The contract specifies that all systems must be original equipment manufacturer products, authenticated through OEM part numbers, CAGE codes, and valid authorization letters, with strict prohibitions against counterfeit or gray market items. The contract contains multiple federal and VA-specific clauses focused on supply chain integrity and compliance, including restrictions on covered telecommunications equipment under Section 889 of the NDAA FY2019 and prohibitions on products from entities like Kaspersky Lab under NDAA FY2018 Section 1634. Contractors must conduct quarterly reviews of the Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Security Act list in SAM.gov and report any non-compliant items within 72 hours, providing full details of origin, manufacturer, functionality, and mitigation actions. Commercial item acquisition procedures under FAR Part 12 apply, with evaluation based on technical compliance—including authorized distributor status and adherence to product specifications—and price, with both factors considered equally important, indicating a trade-off process. Payment is handled exclusively through the VA’s eInvoice system using X12 EDI format, with electronic funds transfer mandated under FAR 52.232-33. The Contracting Officer, Arlene A. Blade, is the sole point of contact for all administrative, technical, and compliance matters, and no COR has been designated. Compliance with Trade Agreements Certification is required, with country-of-origin data for non-domestic components to be submitted in a fill-in table. Deviations exist for clauses requiring maintenance of SAM registration, HUBZone preferences, and security exclusions, and the contract prohibits the use of internal confidentiality agreements that impede whistleblower rights.