Non-PET Radiopharmaceuticals

The Department of Veterans Affairs through the Network Contracting Office 23 in Saint Paul, Minnesota, has awarded a sole-source contract under FAR 13.106-1(b) to Hot Shots NM, LLC for the procurement of non-PET radiopharmaceuticals to support diagnostic and therapeutic services at the Iowa City VA Health Care System. The contract, identified by solicitation number 36C26326D0053 and acquisition ID 36C263-26-AP-2475, is fixed-price with an estimated value of $87,320.40 and a ceiling of $150,000.00, covering a base performance period from May 1, 2026, through April 30, 2027. The award is non-competitive due to the unique logistical and regulatory constraints associated with radiopharmaceuticals, which have extremely short half-lives of 30 minutes to a few hours and must be delivered within six hours of preparation to remain clinically viable. Only one vendor, Hot Shots NM, LLC, with UEI MKESZ56EH4Q1, satisfies the mandatory requirement of operating within a two-hour delivery radius of VA medical centers, holds appropriate NRC licensing for Iowa, and is certified as a small business under NAICS code 325412. No small business set-asides or socioeconomic preferences apply. Delivery occurs daily and on an emergency basis to Iowa City, Iowa 52246, where the government conducts final inspection and acceptance. Packaging, labeling, and preservation protocols are dictated by the instability of the compounds rather than detailed specifications, with implied compliance to USP <825> and NRC regulations. The Contracting Officer, Emanuel Nevarez, is the sole point of contact; no COR or COTR is designated. No formal clauses, evaluation factors, pricing schedules, or MIL-STD packaging standards are included in the documentation, as the award relies solely on the vendor’s compliance with non-negotiable logistical and regulatory prerequisites. Invoicing mechanisms and payment details are not specified, but contract administration is managed by NCO23.