Q515-- ANATOMICAL AUTOPSY SERVICES- NOLA

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This is a Request for Quote (RFQ) for Anatomical Autopsy Services for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center in New Orleans, LA. The solicitation is for an unrestricted, full and open market procurement.

• Provision of accredited Pathology Physician Services off-site.

• Performance of partial or full autopsies, including gross and microscopic samplings, photography, neuropathology, and toxicology.

• Transportation of cadavers from the VAMC to the contractor's facility.

• Provision of preliminary anatomical diagnosis within one business day and a full autopsy report within twenty-five working days.

• Physician(s) must be board certified or board eligible in Anatomic Pathology, Anatomic & Clinical Pathology, or Forensic Pathology.

• Physician(s) must hold a current, full, and unrestricted license to practice medicine in any U.S. State, Territory, or the District of Columbia.

• Contractor must have or obtain appropriate National Provider Identifier (NPI).

• Compliance with all applicable VA information security and privacy requirements.

• Contract Type: Firm-Fixed-Price, Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ).

• Period of Performance: One (1) year base period.

• Contract Maximum: $50,000.00

• Guaranteed Minimum: $50.00

• Option to Extend Services: FAR 52.217-8 is included, allowing for an extension of up to six months. Pricing from the last order will apply to extensions.

• Offers must be submitted electronically via email to karen.battie@va.gov by the solicitation due date.

• Key submission items include: Signed SF 1449, completed price schedule, signed Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP), and up to three past performance references.

• Evaluation will be based on Technical Capability, Price, and Past Performance.

• For offers considered essentially the same in Past Performance and Technical Capability, Price will be the determining factor.

• Offerors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM).

• Offerors must hold prices firm for 200 calendar days from the receipt date.

• This acquisition is unrestricted.

• VA will evaluate offerors based on their Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned or Veteran-Owned Small Business status and proposed use of eligible SDVOSBs and VOSBs as subcontractors.

• The Performance Work Statement (PWS) is detailed in Section B.

• Contract clauses are listed in Section C.

• Solicitation provisions are in Section E.

• Technical questions must be received within 5 calendar days of posting and sent to karen.battie@va.gov.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is a Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) for Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Services. It outlines the government's systematic method for evaluating contractor performance under the specified contract.

• Purpose: To detail what will be monitored, how monitoring will occur, who will conduct it, and how results will be documented.
• Government Roles: Defines responsibilities for the Contracting Officer (CO) and Contracting Officer's Representative (COR).
• Contractor Representatives: Identifies the Program Manager.
• Performance Standards: Outlines specific performance indicators, standards, acceptable quality levels (AQLs), and methods of surveillance for various professional and technical services (e.g., pathologist staffing, emergent consultations, specimen handling, report completion, slide labeling).
• Incentives: Mentions that exercise of option periods and past performance will be used as incentives based on performance against standards.
• Methods of QA Surveillance: Lists specific surveillance methods such as review of sign-in sheets, critical value reports, meeting minutes, random sampling, and monitoring of CPRS requirements.
• Ratings: Defines scales for rating performance measures (Met, Partially Met, Not Met) and other contract requirements (Outstanding, Satisfactory, Unsatisfactory).
• Documentation: Explains how performance data will be documented for contract renewal, option exercise, or termination.
• Frequency of Measurement: Details the frequency of performance assessments and reporting (e.g., semi-annual reports, meetings with the contractor).

This QASP provides critical insight into how the government will measure and evaluate the contractor's performance. Bidders should review the performance standards, acceptable quality levels, and surveillance methods to understand the expected quality of service and the metrics by which their performance will be judged. This information is crucial for developing a compliant and competitive proposal and for understanding the operational requirements of the contract.

Sources Sought Announcement

This is a sources sought announcement, not a solicitation for proposals. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Network Contracting Office 16 (NCO 16), is seeking information regarding potential sources for anatomical autopsy services with support services for the New Orleans VA Medical Center (NOLA VAMC).

• Provide accredited Pathology Physician Services off-site.

• Perform anatomical autopsy services in accordance with specifications.

• Services must be accredited by the College of American Pathologists (CAP), National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME), or equivalent.

• All services must meet or exceed The Joint Commission (JC) standards.

• Contractor is responsible for providing partial or full autopsies, including gross and microscopic samplings, photography, neuropathology, and toxicology.

• Contractor must transport cadavers from the VAMC to their facility.

• This announcement is for informational purposes only; no contract will be awarded from this announcement.

• No quotes are being requested at this time.

• A "Draft" Request For Quotes (RFQs) or Statement of Work (SOW) will not be available prior to the release of the solicitation.

• Not applicable, as this is a sources sought announcement.

• NAICS Code: 621511

• Size Standard: $41.5 Million

• The VA intends to issue solicitation 36C25626Q0425 for these services.

• The NOLA VAMC is located at 2400 Canal St., New Orleans, La 70119.

• The Contracting Office is located at 1800 Buckner Street, Shreveport LA 71101.

• Response Date for the future solicitation is 02-27-2026 2:00 pm CENTRAL TIME, CHICAGO, USA.