6640--Multiple Sclerosis Disease Activity Testing Services for the John D. Dingell VA Medical Center in Detroit, MI

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This is a notice of intent to award a firm-fixed-price contract for Multiple Sclerosis Disease Activity Testing services for the John D. Dingell VA Medical Center in Detroit, MI. The government intends to negotiate on a sole source basis with Octave Bioscience, Inc. due to the proprietary nature of their tests.

• Provide specific reference lab tests as requested by the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System.

• Contractor shall provide all necessary supplies, labor, knowledge, techniques, supervision, test equipment, and analysis.

• Contract Type: Firm Fixed Price

• Period of Performance: One (1) year from contract award date.

• This procurement will follow procedures in FAR Part 13.

• A sources sought notice was previously published; no solicitation package is available.

• A determination not to compete is at the Government's discretion.

• Any response must show clear and convincing evidence that competition would be advantageous.

• Responses must be received no later than 12:00 PM EST on May 27, 2026.

• Email responses only to Cierra.Joshua@va.gov.

• NAICS Code: 541380 (Testing Laboratories)

• Size Standard: $19.0 million

• Sole source negotiation planned with Octave Bioscience, Inc.

• The contracting office is located in Kettering, OH.

• The response date for proposals/quotes is May 7, 2026, 14:00 Eastern Time.

Sources Sought Notice / Statement of Work (SOW)

This document is a Sources Sought Notice combined with a Statement of Work (SOW) for Octave Lab Testing Services for the John D. Dingell VA Medical Center in Detroit, MI. The purpose is to survey the market to determine if responsible sources exist for providing Octave Multiple Sclerosis Disease Activity (MSDA) blood biomarker testing services. This is not a solicitation for offers, but a request for information to potentially inform future solicitations.

• Objective: Provide laboratory testing services for the proprietary Octave MS Disease Activity (MSDA) blood biomarker assay.

• Service: The MSDA test measures 18 protein biomarkers to produce a disease activity score (1-10 scale) and pathway sub-scores. It supports clinical management of Veterans with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) by aiding in baseline phenotyping, Disease Modifying Therapy (DMT) selection, escalation/de-escalation, and longitudinal monitoring.

• Contractor Responsibilities: Provide MSDA testing, maintain CLIA certification, provide specimen requirements, process specimens, generate comprehensive reports, deliver results securely, provide customer support, maintain HIPAA compliance, and bill the VA.

• VA Responsibilities: Identify eligible Veterans, obtain consent, perform specimen collection/shipment, submit requisitions, review results, and provide payment.

• Period of Performance: 12 months from date of award (Base Year), with potential option years.

• Place of Performance: Specimen collection at John D. Dingell VA Medical Center, Detroit, MI. Testing at the Contractor’s CLIA-certified laboratory facility.

• Estimated Annual Contract Value: $70,000.

• Price Per Test: $1,349 per MSDA test.

• Turnaround Time: Expected to align with routine reference laboratory standards.

• Quality Assurance: Maintain laboratory accreditation and CLIA compliance; ensure analytical validity.

• Security: Comply with HIPAA and federal privacy laws; ensure secure transmission of results. No VA network access required.

Potential offerors must provide:

1. Business Name, GSA contract number (if applicable), and Address.
2. Point of Contact Name, Phone Number, and E-mail Address.
3. SAM UEID Number and NAICS code (541380 - Testing Laboratories and Services).
4. Business Size (SMALL or LARGE).
5. Type of Business (e.g., SERVICE-DISABLED VETERAN OWNED, VETERAN OWNED, 8A, HUB Zone, WOMEN-OWNED).
6. Technical Capabilities aligning with the SOW and applicable certifications.

Responses must be submitted no later than 2:00 PM Eastern Time on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, to Cierra.Joshua@va.gov. Include "36C25026Q0548" in the subject or body of the email.