8820--36C257-26-AP-2957 | NEW | CTX Police K-9

The Department of Veterans Affairs is soliciting bids for a firm-fixed-price requirements contract to procure a fully trained Labrador canine and associated handler certification services for the Central Texas Healthcare System’s police K-9 unit. The contract requires the delivery of a single canine, aged 12 to 36 months and raised from puppyhood with documented developmental history, trained in narcotics detection and trailing service dog duties without any aggression or bite work. The contractor must also deliver a comprehensive 20-day, 160-hour handler certification course and provide all necessary health and vaccination records compliant with *La Flamme Canine Practice 1997*. Performance must be completed within 365 days of contract award, with delivery and performance occurring at 1901 Veterans Memorial Drive, Temple, TX 76504, though additional locations may be designated by the Government. The solicitation specifies F.O.B. origin terms and requires electronic invoicing through the VA’s EIPP system, with payments processed via electronic funds transfer using SAM-registered banking information. This is a veteran set-aside contract under NAICS code 812910, with a mandatory requirement that offerors be certified in the SBA VetCert portal. Technical capability — including compliance with canine and handler certification standards — is the most critical evaluation factor, followed jointly by past performance on similar contracts. Price is assessed for realism and balance, with unbalanced or unrealistic pricing constituting an unacceptable risk; the Government will use a trade-off methodology, not LPTA, meaning an offer with higher cost may be selected if it provides superior technical or performance advantages. All proposals must be submitted electronically by 10:00 a.m. CST on May 15, 2026, to two specified VA email addresses, include the solicitation number in the subject line, and consist solely of PDF documents on company letterhead with completed representations, UEI, ORCA registration, and certifications. The contract incorporates numerous FAR clauses including commercial items provisions, buy American requirements, anti-trafficking measures, employment eligibility verification, and prohibitions on telecommunications equipment from covered foreign vendors. There is no specified contract value, as pricing is to be determined by offerors, but the contract includes an option to extend services for up to six months. The contracting officer, Matthew G. Clements, is the sole point of contact, with no designated COR or COTR.