The Department of Veterans Affairs, VISN 17 Network Contracting Activity, intends to award a sole source, firm fixed price contract with Laboratory Corporation of America, 231 Maple Avenue, Burlington NC for Laboratory Testing. Location is the Valley Coastal Bend Texas Veterans Health Care System 2601 Veterans Drive, Harlingen, Texas 78550. NAICS 811219 applies. The statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition is 41 U.S.C.253 (c) (1), as implemented by Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) subpart 6.302-1 (only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements). The described services and items must match the specimen processes currently in use at the Valley Coastal Bend VA Medical Center and only Laboratory Corporation of America services can fulfill this requirement. No other company is expected to respond to the requirement. Laboratory Corporation of America is the sole proprietary manufacturer and does not use distributors or sub-license any portion of the product. Period of Performance shall be from 12 November 2013 - 11 November 2014. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive quotes. It is not a solicitation or request for offers. No solicitation package is available. However, any qualified vendor that determines it can meet the government's requirements may give written notification through e-mail to the Contracting Specialist,
[email protected] no later than November 6, 2013, 12pm CDT. No telephone responses will be accepted. Information received will be for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct a competitive procurement. The determination to conduct a competitive procurement based on responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Contracting Officer. A determination not to compete is solely within the discretion of the Government. Any response to this notice must show clear and convincing evidence that competition would be advantageous to the Government.