99--Animal Food and Bedding Supplies

The intention of this notice is to inform the contracting community that the Government intends to enter into a sole source commodities contract for the period of April 01, 2009 through September 30, 2009, with the option to extend four (4) one-year periods for Research Animal Food and Bedding with Washtenaw Farm and Garden Center, Inc, Dexter Mill, 3515 Central Street, Dexter, Michigan, 48130-1046 as described herein. The Department of Veterans Affairs, VISN 11, requires regular breeder formulas consisting of Lab Diet blends that are used for research animals. Lab Diet guarantees the research animal's formulations to be exactly the same each and every time. Washtenaw Farm and Garden Center, Inc. is the only company in the geographical area of the VA Ann Arbor Health Care System, 2215 Fuller Road, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48105, that carries the Lab Diet blends. Through extensive market research, the Government was not able to identify vendors that carry the Lab Diet line of products required, with the exception of Washtenaw Farm and Garden Center, Inc. As a result, the Government intends to award a contract to Washtenaw Farm and Garden Center, Inc., for these commodities on a sole source basis. The statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition for this procurement is 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(1), as implemented by FAR 6.302-1, Only One Responsible Source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. In accordance with FAR 6.302-1(b)(1), agencies are permitted to utilize this authority contingent upon a reasonable basis existing that the agency's minimum needs can only be satified by unique supplies or services available from only one source or only one supplies with unique capabilities. This is a small business set-aside procurement.