NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD A SOLE SOURCE CONTRACT

The contract is a sole source award to N-Core Systems for the procurement of specialized software that manages Institutional Review Boards (IRB) and other research committees within Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VAMCs), including the R&D committee, Animal Studies subcommittee, and Biosafety Committee. This software is specifically designed to ensure compliance with all federal regulations related to human research protection programs and VA research service requirements. It facilitates the creation of meeting agendas and minutes, as well as the management of essential documentation for communication between committees and investigators. The system is currently operational in several VAMCs, reflecting its tailored functionality for VA research needs. The contract award process will not follow a traditional solicitation, as no solicitation document is available and telephone requests will not be entertained. Interested responders must provide clear and convincing evidence demonstrating their capability to meet the specified requirements, as any competition is at the government's discretion and may be considered beneficial. If no response is received within 15 days of the notice, the government may proceed with awarding the contract directly to N-Core Systems. The contract adheres to the guidelines established under FAR Part 6, subparts 6.301 and 6.302, which govern sole source procurements.