D--FSC - CheckFree Support - annual renewal

The Department of Veterans Affairs Franchise Fund Simplified Acquisitions Office plans to enter into sole source negotiations with CheckFree Corporation, operating as Fiserv, for software support, license renewal, and maintenance services related to the Fund Xpedite products. These products are used by the VA’s Financial Services Center, and the sole source action is justified under the Federal Acquisition Regulation clause 6.302-1, which permits non-competitive contracting when only one responsible source can meet the agency’s requirements. Although this notice indicates the intent to award without competition, interested parties have a brief five-day window from the publication date to express interest or submit proposals. Submissions received will be considered for the purpose of determining whether a competitive procurement might be warranted, but final discretion remains with the government. The contract is identified under solicitation number VA10411RQ0008, with an anticipated award date of April 25, 2011. The services involve annual renewal and ongoing support for the specified software, classified under NAICS code 334119. While this notice is not a solicitation for competitive bids, the Department encourages any capable vendors to respond via email for consideration. The government will review responses solely to decide if competition is feasible or appropriate, and the decision to proceed with a sole source award will be made accordingly.