J--Maintenance & Repair- RTMS Medical Devices - MagVenture, Inc Notice of Intent to award a sole-source contract for the M&R of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) devices used in ongoing VA clinical trials.

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), VISN 18 Contracting Office/Big Spring, TX. The VA proposes to award this follow-on procurement on the basis of other than full and open competition, in support of the Cooperative Studies Program (VACSP), Albuquerque, NM. The VISN 18 Network Contracting Office (NCO) will award a firm-fixed-price contract, using Other Than Full and Open Competition to MagVenture, Inc., Atlanta, GA, the incumbent on contract VA258-P-0541. 1. Nature and/or Description of the Action Being Processed: The services in question are the purchase and service/maintenance of a study device (MagPro R30 Stimulator System) for the VA Cooperative Studies Program (CSP). The equipment is part of a clinical trial CSP# 556, "The Effectiveness of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) in Depressed VA Patients". These trials have been ongoing since contract award on April 20, 2011, and the MagPro R30 Stimulator System is an essential and critical part of the trial. The period of performance for the aforementioned contract was a base year and 2 Option years. The base year included the purchase of the equipment, while the option years were for the maintenance of the equipment during the trials. This acquisition is proposed to permit continued maintenance of this proprietary equipment during the conduct of these ongoing trials. 2. Description of Supplies/Services Required to Meet the Agency's Needs: The VA Cooperative Studies Program (VACSP), a division of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Research and Development, is responsible for designing and conducting multi-center clinical trials with the goal of improving the health and care of veterans and the nation. VACSP is conducting the aforementioned clinical trials at 9 VA medical centers in order to meet the required study sample in a reasonable period of time. VISN 18, in support of the VACSP, has contracted the services of MagVenture, Inc., which included, under the previous contract, installation, setup and training at each site, with two years of maintenance (to include periodic validation, calibration and replacement parts) after the one-year warranty period. The CSP is concerned that with several months passing since the equipment's last calibration, we are facing a critical juncture in the effectiveness of this equipment with the ongoing studies. This procurement will provide the VACSP with a contract vehicle for concluding these services. The solicitation will be issued to Magventure, for performance from October 1, 2013 to September 30, 2014, with one (1) option year (October 1, 2014 - September 30, 2015). 4. Statutory Authority Permitting Other than Full and Open Competition: 41 USC §253(c) (1), as implemented by FAR 6.302.1: (X) (1) Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements per FAR 6.302-1;