6550--Roche Ventana IHC/SS Mt Home VAMC Blanket Purchase Agreement Sole Source Notice IAW FAR 12.102(b) Estimated Value
Overview
Buyer
Place of Performance
NAICS
PSC
Set Aside
Original Source
Timeline
Qualification Details
Fit reasons
- NAICS alignment with historical contract wins in similar service areas.
- Scope strongly matches core technical capabilities and delivery model.
Risks
- Past performance thresholds may require one additional teaming partner.
- Potential clarification needed on staffing minimums before bid/no-bid.
Next steps
Validate eligibility requirements, assign capture owner, and schedule partner outreach to confirm teaming strategy before submission planning.
Quick Summary
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), specifically the Network Contracting Office 9 on behalf of VISN 9, James H. Quillen VA Medical Center, has issued a Justification and Approval (J&A) for Other Than Full and Open Competition. This J&A supports a sole source 24-month Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) with Roche Diagnostics Corporation for the rental of specialized laboratory equipment and associated consumables.
Scope of Work
The acquisition is for the rental of two Roche-VENTANA BenchMark ULTRA PLUS (FS) Immunohistochemical Stainers (IHC Stainers) and one Benchmark Special Stainer. These systems are for the Histology section of the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service (PLMS) at the James H. Quillen VA Medical Center in Mountain Home, TN. The agreement includes all necessary reagents, related stains, antibodies, consumables, technical support, associated services, and quarterly decontamination services. These items are critical for producing quality stained slides for patient diagnosis.
Contract & Timeline
- Type: Sole Source Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) with Firm Fixed Unit Price Cost consumables
- Estimated Value: $880,000
- Period of Performance: June 1, 2026, to May 30, 2028 (24 months)
- Statutory Authority: 41 U.S.C. 1901 (Only One Responsible Source)
- Published: May 26, 2026
Justification for Sole Source
The VA justifies the sole source award to Roche Diagnostics Corporation due to the unique capabilities of their Ventana Benchmark Ultra IHC and Special Stainer platforms. These systems allow for adding/removing slides without interrupting workflow, have an exact footprint for restrictive spaces, and use individual reagent drawers to prevent batch runs, ensuring continuous access and preventing delays in patient diagnosis. The Special Stainer also eliminates the accidental use of expired or mislabeled reagents. The VA asserts that the Roche staining platform is the only system that meets all requirements.
Market Research & Competition
Market research indicated that this requirement has been consistently sole-sourced across the VA, Department of Defense, and other government agencies. A review of SAM.gov identified five recent sole source justifications for similar requirements, all validating the sole source approach. While the VA will continue to seek other capable vendors for future procurements, current market research shows no other fully capable sources besides Roche Diagnostics Corporation.
Pricing
The anticipated cost is determined to be fair and reasonable based on historical contract pricing from previous contracts and similar awards.