65--Defibrillator and accessories for VA Madison, WI

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION 1. Identification of the Agency and the Contracting Activity: Department of Veterans Affairs, Great Lakes Acquisition Center, 5000 W National Avenue Bldg 5, Milwaukee WI 53295 2. Nature and/or description of the action being approved: Justification and approval for other than full and open competition for the purchase of a manual defibrillator for the VA Medical Center in North Chicago, IL. This procurement will proceed on a sole source basis with Zoll Medical Corporation. 3. A description of supplies/services required (including the estimated value): The VA Medical Center in North Chicago has a requirement for four manual defibrillators. This product is required to enable healthcare providers real time feedback using a real CPR help option in order to perform better, more effective outcomes during a cardiac arrest. The approximate cost is $88,736.66. 4. Statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition: FAR 6.302-1(a)(2). The VA's minimum needs can only be satisfied by unique supplies or services available from only one source. (41 U.S.C. 253 (c)(1)). 5. Facilities Unique Qualifications: The VA Medical Center in North Chicago has a requirement for four manual defibrillators. The four new manual defibrillators must match the twelve manual defibrillators purchased in August, 2008, for the Medical Center. In 2008 the Medical Center standardized to the Zoll Medical E series manual defibrillator. Therefore, this sole source procurement is necessary as each crash cart has a defibrillator on it and it would present a patient safety issue if more than one type was utilized in the Medical Center. If the Medical Center utilized two types of defibrillators, the employees could be confused on which one they were using in a life threatening situation. The Medical Center would also have to stock duplicate electrodes for each type of machine, resulting in additional cost to the Government. The Contractor is the sole manufacturer and distributor of the defibrillator. It is the only known product that will interface with the Medical Center's current defibrillator units. The unit provides the ability to see the actual waveform without motion artifact during CPR, which is capable only by using See Thru CPR. In addition, the unit features rectilinear biphasic defibrillation. 6. Efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as is practicable: The COTR and end users have conducted market research on other manufacturers producing similar equipment. The equipment varies too much to take the chance of placing an additional defibrillator on a crash cart that was not the same as the others already in use at the Medical Center. 7. Determination by the Contracting Officer that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable: The Contractor has offered the VA GSA pricing on all items included in this procurement. 8. Market survey conducted: The Contracting Officer conducted no additional research. The COTR and end users have researched the market and were unable to locate any additional competition for this requirement. 9. Other facts: None 10. Other sources expressing an interest: None 11. Actions to remove or overcome any barriers to competition: None 12. Certification: I certify that this justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge. WILLIAM TANKSLEY Contracting Officer