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This Sources Sought Notice is for informational and planning purposes only and shall not be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation or commitment by the Government at this time. This notice is intended strictly for market research. This source sought is currently restricted to only Small Business providers capable of fulfilling the requirement in accordance with the Salient Characteristics.
The purpose of this Sources Sought notice is to determine interest and capability of potential sources which will aid in defining the procurement strategy (e.g., set-aside, sole source, unrestricted) for a solicitation the Department of Veterans Affairs intends on issuing shortly. Potential contractors capable of meeting the requirements listed in the salient characteristics and comparable with the brand name are invited to respond to this Sources Sought Notice via e-mail to gregory.franklin@va.gov no later than noted in this notice. No telephone inquiries will be accepted.
This requirement is for one (1) EM-4000 Specular Microscope that meets the needs of the clinical staff. The device must provide DICOM compatible images that will be compatible with the Portland VAMC s current Eye PACS system.
Salient Characteristics for This Requirement:

For
Plastics, Operative Care Division
Application
Observe and analyze cells of the corneal endothelium for thickness and irregularity. Photographs and numerical results are provided to the provider to help diagnose and inform treatment decisions of certain eye diseases.
Need
Must operate on 115/120VAC
Photographing method-Non Contact
Must include 1 year/12 month service warranty at a minimum.
Must be able to send to Zeiss Forum PACS with DICOM image via wired or wireless connection and have met all VA Network security requirements:
If wireless-must be FIPS 140-2 compliant.
At least 4 USB ports and 1 RJ45 port
Clinical applications training must be included.
Provide the following analysis types
Number of analyzed cells
Cell density
Average cell area
Standard deviation of the cell area
Coefficient variation of cell area
Maximum and minimum cell area
Histograms of Area (polymegathism) and Apex (pleomorphism)
Must be provide automatic and manual photographic modes
Cornea thickness measurement accuracy better than +/- 11 m

Must provide SD card reader for image back up
Dimensions to be the minimum:
Display- 10.3 in LCD
Photographic range .25mmx.53mm
Dimensions to be a maximum of
Footprint-31cm (L) x 50cm (D) x 46cm (h)
Weight-25 kg
Scan 2.5 seconds per eye (5 seconds total)
Unit must be on 4 wheels
Must have full qwerty keyboard included with unit that can be cleaned and disinfected.
Unit must provide 360 degree view of specimen.
24in medical grade monitor included for real time viewing.
The Small Business Administration (SBA) size standard for the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 334516 is 1,000 employees.
Responses Requested: The following questions must be answered in response to this Sources Sought.
Answers that are not provided shall be considered non-responsive to the Sources Sought:

Where are the requested items/equipment manufactured?

Are the requested items/equipment manufactured by a small or large business? Is the potential contractor in compliance with the Non-Manufacturer Rule (NMR)?
Is the Contractor an authorized distributor equipped to provide Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts?
The VA does not accept grey market items. The contractor must submit evidence that they are an authorized distributor.

VAAR 852.212-72Â GRAY MARKET AND COUNTERFEIT ITEMS (MAR 2020)
 (a) No used, refurbished, or remanufactured supplies or equipment/parts shall be provided. This procurement is for new Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) items only. No gray market items shall be provided. Gray market items are OEM goods intentionally or unintentionally sold outside an authorized sales territory or sold by non-authorized dealers in an authorized sales territory.
 (b) No counterfeit supplies or equipment/parts shall be provided. Counterfeit items include unlawful or unauthorized reproductions, substitutions, or alterations that have been mismarked, misidentified, or otherwise misrepresented to be an authentic, unmodified item from the original manufacturer, or a source with the express written authority of the original manufacturer or current design activity, including an authorized aftermarket manufacturer. Unlawful or unauthorized substitutions include used items represented as new, or the false identification of grade, serial number, lot number, date code, or performance characteristics.
 (c) Vendor shall be an OEM, authorized dealer, authorized distributor or authorized reseller for the proposed equipment/system, verified by an authorization letter or other documents from the OEM. All software licensing, warranty and service associated with the equipment/system shall be in accordance with the OEM terms and conditions.

Name of potential Contractor that possess the capability to fulfill this requirement.

Contractor Name: ______________________________________________
Point of contact name: ______________________________________________
Address: __________________________________________________
Telephone number: _________________________________________
Email address: _____________________________________________
Company's business size: _____________________________________________
SAM UEI: _________________________________________________

Is your company considered a small business concern, SB, SDVOSB, VOSB, HUBZone, or 8A concern, with the requisite 339112 NAICS code?

If the proposed items are currently available on a Federal Government Contract, please list the contract number.
_______________

Have the proposed items previously been provided to the VA? If so, please list VA Facility and contract number:
_____________________________________________________________________________
Contractor must submit documentation supporting their responses to be considered as part of the Market Research.

Note: Do not include Proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information in responses.
In addition to providing the information requested above, responding companies may include any relevant information (specifications, cut sheets, brochures, capability statement, past experience etc.) to confirm the company s ability to meet the requirements outlined in this request. Excluding a singular brochure, all responses must be limited to four (4) 8X10 sheets with print not smaller than Time New Romans 10. Responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the U.S. Government to form a binding contract or agreement. This notice shall not be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation, or ultimately award a contract, nor does it restrict the Government to a particular acquisition approach. The Government will in no way be bound to this information if any solicitation is issued. Finally, respondents are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this sources sought.

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