Q--Interim Home Oxygen (4 month)

The VA Illiana Health Care System, Danville, Illinois, Aleda E. Lutz VAMC, Saginaw, Michigan, Battle Creek VAMC, Battle Creek, Michigan intends to negotiate an four (4) month interim contract with First Community Care, L.L.C. The interim contract will be a Firm Fixed Price Contract covering four (4) months, from the period of September 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011 to provide interim home oxygen services to an estimated 1,450 oxygen-using patients. The Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one (1) source under the authority of FAR 6.302-1(a)(2). The Government believes that the incumbent contractor and the only agency with the capability to provide the required services at this time. Failure to provide home oxygen services to Battle Creek, Saginaw and Danville would result in an increased demand for services, resulting in a delay of patient care and interruption in continuity of services. Failure to have these services could prove detrimental to patient care. (A long-term Home O2 contract (VA-251-11-RP-0080) is currently being developed, but will not be in place before the expiration of the current contract do to unforeseen circumstances. A sole source interim contract needs to be created utilizing the existing contractor to eliminate unacceptable delays in fulfilling the agency's requirements with a break in service. If a new vendor was to transition services for this interim contract, all equipment would need to be picked up by the current contractor, and a re-issuance of equipment would occur with the new interim vendor. Once the long-term Home O2 contract is awarded, this transition process would take place again, which would cause extreme hardships, stress, and a break in service to our critically ill Veterans. This notice is not a request for competitive quotes, but responses received on or before September 1, 2011 will be evaluated. A determination by the Contracting Officer not to compete this proposed action based on responses to this notice is only within the discretion of the Contracting Officer. Information received will be considered solely for purposes of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. Responses must be submitted in writing to the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center, Attention: Steven D. Rowland, Contracting Officer (90CSC), 1481 W. 10th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202, email at contact@example.gov or fax at +1 (555) 000-0000. Responses must be received no later than 4:00pm, September 1, 2011. No telephone inquiries will be accepted.