Solicitation
6630 - Brand Name or Equal COPAN Walk-Away Specimen Processor (WASP)
Department of Veterans Affairs · Sol. 36C26126Q1259
Due in 13 days
AI summary Beta
The VA Palo Alto Health Care System, buying through Network Contracting Office 21, wants one automated lab machine that prepares microbiology specimens (a COPAN WASP, or an equal product), with installation, training and service. Delivery is to Palo Alto, CA. The VA will compare a one-time purchase against a lease of up to 5 years (1 base year + 4 option years).
Watch out for
- Missing paperwork means rejection. Leaving out any required document, certification, price or clause response gets your quote thrown out with no second chance.
Offerors that fail to submit all required documents, representations, and certifications identified
- Brand name or equal with pass/fail technical test. An 'equal' product must meet every salient characteristic, and one miss makes the quote technically unacceptable.
Technical Acceptability. The Government will evaluate the offered product on a pass/fail basis
- Authorized reseller proof needed. A small business that is not an authorized COPAN dealer will have trouble meeting this requirement.
Documentation demonstrating the offeror is an authorized dealer, distributor, or reseller
- Two prices required (purchase and lease). You must price one purchase and a 5-year lease, and the VA may choose either, so both need to be competitive and complete.
The Government may compare the total evaluated lease price and the total evaluated
- Conflicting rule on limitations-on-subcontracting certificate. The submission instructions say to submit VAAR 852.219-76 only if claiming a veteran preference, but the clause itself says offers without it will not be considered, so submit it to be safe.
Offerors shall complete and submit provision 852.219‑76 with their quote if
- Trade Agreements Act country-of-origin limits. Only U.S.-made or designated-country products will normally be considered, which matters if the instrument or parts come from a non-designated country.
only offers of U.S.-made or designated country end products unless the Contracting Officer
- Typo in instructions for the trade certificate. The instructions mention FAR 52.225-2 while the provision in the solicitation is 52.225-6, so ask the contracting officer if unsure which form to send.
- Email-only submission with file limits. Zipped files are rejected and technical and price parts must be kept separate, so a packaging mistake can sink the quote.
Full brief
What they want
- One automated microbiology specimen processor, brand name or equal to the COPAN WASP
- Machine that opens and closes specimen containers, vortexes, inoculates and streaks plates automatically
- Automatic Gram slide preparation with permanent slide labeling
- LIS (lab information system) connectivity for labeling plates, tubes and slides
- Listed accessories and software (HEPA filter, sort-out carousel, bi-directional interface, loop change module, double loop system, urine turning table, UPS unit, extra pallets)
- Installation, start-up, training and service support so the system is ready for use
- Two prices from every bidder: a purchase price and a yearly lease price
- Contract type
- Firm-fixed-price commercial product order (RFQ on SF 1449); purchase or lease, brand name or equal
- Period of performance
- Purchase: delivery 12/1/2026 to 6/1/2027. Lease: base year 1/1/2027 to 12/31/2027 plus 4 option years running through 12/31/2031 (5 years maximum).
- Place of performance
- VA Palo Alto Health Care System, 3801 Miranda Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94304 (FOB destination)
- How they'll choose
- Comparative evaluation of quotes on three factors: Technical, Price, and a socioeconomic credit for SDVOSB/VOSB primes. Technical is pass/fail against the listed salient characteristics. The VA may compare the total purchase price against the total lease price and is not bound to pick either one just because it is lowest.
- Offers due
- 2026-10-22 at 5:00 PM Eastern (2:00 PM Pacific, per the SF 1449)
- How to submit
- Email to Derek Brown (derek.brown7@va.gov) and Mohammed Hussain (Mohammed.Hussain2@va.gov). Word, Excel or PDF files only; zipped files are not accepted.
What they'll judge offers on
- Technical (pass/fail on all salient characteristics)
- Price (total purchase price for CLIN 0001 first, then total lease price for CLINs 1001-5001)
- Socioeconomic consideration: SDVOSB/VOSB credit
What to include when you submit
- Part I: signed and dated SF 1449 (blocks 17a, 17b if applicable, 30a, 30b, 30c) and acknowledgment of any amendments
- Part II: representations and certifications, including VAAR 852.219-76 and FAR 52.225-6 Trade Agreements Certificate
- Part III: Technical Volume with no price information, showing how the product meets each salient characteristic, proof you are an authorized dealer or reseller of the OEM, warranty information, and a proposed delivery and installation schedule
- Part IV: Price Volume with the completed Price/Cost Schedule (every CLIN), firm-fixed prices that include shipping, installation and warranty, for both purchase and lease
- If offering an 'equal' product, fill in manufacturer part number, OEM name and country of origin on the price schedule
- Prices must stay firm for 60 calendar days after the due date
- Send invoices through Tungsten Network after award
You must have
- Open to all businesses: no set-aside is used. NAICS 334516, size standard 1,000 employees (500 if you resell a product you did not make).
intends to purchase or lease a brand name or equal COPAN Walk-Away Specimen Processor (WASP)
- Must be an authorized dealer, distributor or reseller of the OEM for every item quoted, and show proof of it.
Documentation demonstrating the offeror is an authorized dealer, distributor, or reseller
- Must be registered in SAM.gov with a UEI and make the required FAR/VAAR representations and certifications.
- To get the SDVOSB/VOSB evaluation credit, the prime must be verified in the SBA VetCert database at quote time and at award, meet the size standard, and complete VAAR 852.219-76 correctly. This credit is optional.
the Government will assign evaluation credit for a
Not in the notice text
- Estimated dollar value or budget is not stated
- Whether the VA will choose purchase or lease is not decided in advance
- Warranty length and the exact service support terms are not specified
- No deadline for questions is given in the text
- No page limits are given for the technical volume
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Key facts
- Response due
- Oct 22, 2026, 9:00 PM UTC
- Posted
- Sep 30, 2026
- Notice type
- Solicitation
- Solicitation
- 36C26126Q1259
- Agency
- Department of Veterans Affairs
- Office
- 261-Network Contract Office 21 (36C261)
- Set-aside
- No Set aside used
- NAICS
- 334516
- Product/service code
- 6630
- Business type
- Electrical & electronic components
- Place of performance
- Palo Alto, CA, 94304
- Contracting contact
- Derek L BrownDerek.Brown7@va.gov6508491904
Full notice text from SAM.gov
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Regional Procurement Office West (RPOW), Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 5, Health Service Area (HSA) 5.2, Network Contracting Office (NCO) 21, on behalf of VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS), intends to purchase or lease a brand name or equal COPAN Walk-Away Specimen Processor (WASP) and associated accessories, software, installation, training, and service support. See attached solitication for details.
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