66--Certegra Informatics Software (CAVHCS)

The Department of Veterans Affairs, specifically VISN 7 at the VA Medical Center in Montgomery, Alabama, is seeking to procure a software upgrade for the Certegra Informatics system through a sole source negotiation with MEDRAD Inc., located in Indianola, Pennsylvania. This procurement is conducted under the authority of FAR 6.302-1, which allows for justification of other than full and open competition, and is categorized under NAICS code 423450. The acquisition will follow the Federal Acquisition Regulation Subpart 12.6 guidelines for commercial items and incorporates standard FAR clauses. The solicitation, identified by RFQ number VA-247-10-RQ-0303, is issued as a combined synopsis/solicitation, indicating that this notice serves as the only solicitation for quotations and no written solicitation will be issued. Interested parties are invited only to submit information about their experience with this type of equipment to the contracting officer, though this notice explicitly states it is not a request for competitive proposals. The purpose of collecting responses is to determine whether to pursue a competitive procurement, but the decision to forego competition remains at the government’s discretion. Responses must be submitted by 4:00 PM Central Time on September 27, 2010, via email or fax. The contracting office handling the procurement is the Network Contract Office 7 based in Augusta, Georgia. This approach streamlines the acquisition process by limiting it to a single source due to the justification under FAR 6.302-1.