Notice of Award to Meridian Bioscience

The Medical Readiness Contracting Office – West awarded a sole-source, firm fixed-price contract to Meridian Bioscience Inc. to provide analyzer lease services, testing reagents, and associated hardware for the detection of Helicobacter pylori and Clostridioides difficile at Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center in Fort Hood, Texas. The award was made under FAR 12.102(a) due to the uniqueness of the supplier’s exclusive licensing agreements and brand-name specificity, with no other source reasonably available to meet the urgent medical readiness needs of the facility. The contract supports critical diagnostic capabilities at the medical center and falls under the NAICS code 325413 for In-Vitro Diagnostic Substance Manufacturing, with a small business size standard of 1,250 employees. The action was not subject to any small business set-aside provisions. The contract was issued under solicitation number W81K00-26-P-A157 and announced on July 14, 2026, with the office address listed as JBSA Fort Sam Houston, Texas. Performance will occur at Fort Hood, Texas, and the primary point of contact is Elliott Boice, reachable via phone or email through the Department of Defense. The contract’s sole-source justification stems from the specialized nature of the diagnostic systems and reagents required, ensuring continuity and compatibility with existing medical infrastructure at the facility, with no alternative suppliers capable of fulfilling the exact technical and operational requirements.