V119--Customs Brokerage Services for Import of Pharmaceutical Products

The Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, is conducting a Sources Sought notice to identify qualified vendors capable of providing customs brokerage and transportation services for the importation of pharmaceutical products to the VA Cooperative Studies Program Clinical Research Pharmacy Coordinating Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This market research effort seeks information about vendors’ abilities, products, and services, specifically for handling shipments that may include controlled substances requiring special handling such as cold chain management. The selected vendor will act as a liaison between the clinical center, US Customs and Border Protection, the FDA, and other agencies to facilitate import clearance, manage required bonds, and handle duties, taxes, and fees, while providing transportation services with appropriate temperature controls from the port of entry to the research site. The contract is a Total Small Business Set-Aside and will span a base year plus four option years, with pricing for each period required upfront. Vendors must be certified to manage Schedule I-V controlled substances and maintain continuous bonding. Coordination with the VA will be essential, including obtaining a Power-of-Attorney for the vendor to operate on the VA’s behalf. The vendor will also ensure freight insurance, provide centralized communication points, and submit cost estimates before shipment transport is finalized. Anticipated imports primarily originate from Europe, and shipments are to be delivered to the Clinical Research Pharmacy Coordinating Center in Albuquerque, NM, with compliance to all relevant US government import regulations and tariff exemptions applicable to research products.