Intent to Sole Source Immunoassay Chemistry Reagents

The Department of Veterans Affairs intends to award a sole source contract for fully automated chemistry and immunochemistry instrumentation. The contract will include the provision of reagents, standards, quality controls, and other materials necessary for the operation of the equipment. The contractor will be required to provide a continuously stocked inventory of these materials and to perform maintenance and repairs on the equipment. The contract will also include the provision of training for government personnel and the installation and removal of the equipment. The contractor will be required to provide a detailed list of all parts and supplies that are to be purchased by the facility and are not included in the contract. The key features of the instrumentation include: * The capability to perform or report clinical parameters as defined in the Performance Work Statement * Random access capability and the ability to simultaneously perform the complete profile as described * Minimal operator intervention to introduce STAT specimens or to change a routine specimen * The ability to detect processing errors and provide error notification * The ability to separate the serum/plasma from the blood cells through the process of centrifugation * The ability to detect short samples and clots * The ability to remove caps from blood collection tubes and to recap and/or reseal tubes * The ability to remove an aliquot of serum/plasma using disposable pipette tips to prevent contamination * The ability to print bar code labels and label daughter (aliquot) tubes to maintain positive specimen identification * The ability to connect all primary and back-up testing analyzers offered in accordance with Attachment A * Ensure immediate availability of primary tube after processing * The ability to auto-archive, store and retrieve specimens from 2-8 degrees centigrade *Barcode reader stations must have the following capabilities: * The accuracy of the barcode reading must have less than a 1.0 % failure rate * Equipment must be able to support multiple barcode formats (Code 39, Code 128) that may be enabled concurrently * Equipment must accept, at a minimum, 10 characters in specimen identifier that is alpha, numeric, and/or alphanumeric concurrently