65--Notice of Intent to Sole Source - Vapotherm Precision Flow Plus and Transfer Unit

INTENT TO SOLE SOURCE The Department of Veterans Affairs, SAO Central, Network Contracting Office 10, intends to enter into a sole source procurement authorized by FAR 6.302-1, Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements. Under the authority of FAR 6.302-1, the Department of Veterans Affairs intends to award a sole source, firm-fixed-price purchase order to the small business manufacturer, Vapotherm, Inc., located at 22 Industrial Drive, Exeter, NH 03833. The associated North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code is 339112 and the Business Size Standard is 1,000 employees. The contractor shall provide the Precision Flow Plus and Vapotherm Transfer Unit to be used on veterans being treated at the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, 2215 Fuller Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48105. Many studies have been published in state of the art journals (such as the New England Journal of Medicine) reporting on how high-flow oxygen can prevent patients from being intubated (i.e., prevent patients from needing to have a breathing tube inserted and placed on a mechanical ventilator or life support ). This not only improves patient outcomes because they don t incur the complications of having a tube inserted into their airways and the risk of mechanical ventilation (which include pneumonia, collapsed lung, traumatic bleeding from the tube), but they have much improved comfort. Patients who are on this system can eat and stay awake, and do not need to be sedated due to the discomfort of having a breathing tube in their throat and down their airways. They can walk on this system, whereas patients on mechanical ventilation are often bed-bound due to needing to be heavily sedated. This is not a trivial concern in our patient population, as our veterans often have underlying mental and psychiatric conditions for whom sedative medicines create significant problems with delirium, prolonging their hospital stay and contributing to mortality. In addition, some of these patients can be monitored at a much lower staff to patient ratio, and not need to be transferred to the intensive care unit, as compared to patients who are placed on life support. Not needing to transfer a patient to the intensive care unit saves greatly on hospital costs. Even if we were to save 1 ICU day per patient (which averages $1800/day in the US for government hospitals, $4000/day for private hospitals), this system will have easily paid for itself within a year. Market research on VIP, GSA, and FPDS-NG indicated that Vapotherm, Inc. is the OEM and sole distributor of its products, which was confirmed in correspondence with Vapotherm sales manager. In addition, a sources sought notice was posted to FedBizOpps on 01/23/2018 seeking small businesses capable of providing the Vapotherm Precision Flow Plus or equal for the VA Northern Indiana Healthcare System, with zero responses received. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals or quotes. Interested parties may identify their interest and capability to respond to the requirement. A determination not to compete this requirement, based upon responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the Government. Interested persons may identify their interests and capability to respond to this requirement no later than 4:00 PM Eastern Standard Time, Monday, April 30, 2018. Any response to this notice must show clear and convincing evidence that competition would be advantageous to the Government. Supporting evidence must be furnished in sufficient detail to demonstrate the ability to meet the subject requirement. This information shall be provided at no cost or obligation to the Government. Interest/capability statements shall be submitted to Jeffrey Rozema at [email protected]. Telephone inquiries will not be accepted.