Fresno Blood and Blood Products

The Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking to sole source a one-year firm fixed price estimated quantity contract for blood and blood products to the Central California Blood Center under FAR 12.102, as it is the only FDA-registered entity capable of meeting the agency’s critical requirements, particularly the need for STAT deliveries within two hours to the Fresno VA Medical Center. The procurement is classified under NAICS code 621991 for Blood and Organ Banks with a small business size standard of $40 million, and the product service code is 6505 for Blood and Blood Products. Delivery must occur at the VACCHCS Blood Bank in Fresno, California, with specific temperature controls mandated during transport: red cells at 1–10°C, frozen plasma below -20°C, and platelets at 20–24°C. All blood components must adhere to FDA CFR Title 21 and AABB standards, with precise labeling requirements including ABO/Rh type, expiration date, unique donor unit ID, and storage instructions. The contract period runs from June 1, 2026, to May 31, 2027, with FOB destination terms placing risk on the vendor until delivery is completed. The solicitation emphasizes price as the sole evaluation factor, with award going to the lowest technically acceptable offer under a lowest price technically acceptable approach. Invoices must be submitted electronically via the VA’s Tungsten Network system and cannot be processed on paper, with payments handled through the VA Financial Services Center in Austin, Texas. Contractors must comply with strict operational and security requirements including adherence to Section 889 of the NDAA prohibiting use of telecommunications equipment from designated foreign entities, OFAC sanctions compliance, HIPAA privacy obligations, and restrictions on employing current VA personnel or their family members to avoid conflicts of interest. The vendor is also prohibited from using covered unmanned aircraft systems and must conduct reasonable inquiries to detect and promptly disclose any non-compliant products within 72 hours. Responses to this notice of intent must be submitted to Leah Smith at leah.smith@va.gov by May 6, 2026, at 11:00 AM Pacific Time, and while submissions will be reviewed to determine if competition is feasible, no reimbursement will be provided for response costs. If no viable alternatives are identified, the government will proceed with the sole source award to the Central California Blood Center.