6640--Abbott AlinIQ Inventory Management System (IMS)

The Department of Veterans Affairs, through Network Contracting Office 21, has issued a solicitation for the Abbott AlinIQ Inventory Management System (IMS) under solicitation number 36C26126Q0884, with responses due by July 6, 2026. The contract seeks a comprehensive inventory solution including the AlinIQ IMS Main Site Package, RFID tags compliant with GS1 SGTIN standards, and an always-on support contract, to be delivered and implemented at the VA Northern California Health Care System in Mather, California. The total potential performance period spans five years, including a base year from October 1, 2026, to September 30, 2027, with four one-year option periods extending through September 30, 2031. The solicitation is structured as a commercial acquisition under FAR 52.212-4, with FOB Destination delivery terms, and evaluation is solely based on price, indicating a Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) award approach. All proposed solutions must ensure compliance with FIPS 140-2 encryption, NIST SP 800-171 safeguarding controls, and VA-specific data handling rules, including strict prohibitions on retaining or disseminating sensitive patient information. The contract mandates the use of serialized RFID tags bearing lot numbers, expiration dates, quantity on hand, facility location, and manufacturer part numbers, with no physical packaging or preservation standards specified beyond traceability requirements. All contract clauses, including those addressing cybersecurity, whistleblower protections, anti-discrimination, subcontractor flow-downs, and prohibitions on covered telecommunications equipment, must be incorporated and enforced by prime contractors. The Government retains unlimited rights to all data and deliverables, and offers must include completed representations regarding small business status and UEI/CAGE code registration, though no submissions have been populated in the current solicitation. The absence of pricing in all CLINs and SLINs suggests the document is either a templated solicitation or pricing will be determined at award. Invoicing will follow standard Federal procedures via the designated payment office, with inspection and acceptance occurring at the delivery site by Government personnel. Subcontractors are fully bound by contract terms, and contractor employees must complete mandatory VHA records management training. Unauthorized use of government IT systems, creation of off-network data repositories, and disclosure of protected information are strictly prohibited, and contractors must indemnify the Government against intellectual