6640--Amendment 0001 Flow Cytometer Equipment Purchase for Rocky Mountain VA Regional Medical Center, Brand Name or Equal To

Active

Contract Opportunity

Contracting Officer reiterates this is a brand name or equal to solicitation; therefore, the brand must remain included IAW FAR 52.211-6.
52.211-6Â Brand Name or Equal.
As prescribed in 11.107(a), insert the following provision:
Brand Name or Equal (Aug 1999)
(a) If an item in this solicitation is identified as "brand name or equal," the purchase description reflects the characteristics and level of quality that will satisfy the Government s needs. The salient physical, functional, or performance characteristics that "equal" products must meet are specified in the solicitation.
(b) To be considered for award, offers of "equal" products, including "equal" products of the brand name manufacturer, must-
(1) Meet the salient physical, functional, or performance characteristic specified in this solicitation;
(2)Â Clearly identify the item by-
(i)Â Brand name, if any; and
(ii)Â Make or model number;
(3) Include descriptive literature such as illustrations, drawings, or a clear reference to previously furnished descriptive data or information available to the Contracting Officer; and
(4) Clearly describe any modifications the offeror plans to make in a product to make it conform to the solicitation requirements. Mark any descriptive material to clearly show the modifications.
(c) The Contracting Officer will evaluate "equal" products on the basis of information furnished by the offeror or identified in the offer and reasonably available to the Contracting Officer. The Contracting Officer is not responsible for locating or obtaining any information not identified in the offer.
(d) Unless the offeror clearly indicates in its offer that the product being offered is an "equal" product, the offeror shall provide the brand name product referenced in the solicitation.
(End of provision)
https://www.acquisition.gov/far/part-52#FAR_52_211_6
RFQ 36C25926Q0433 Amendment 0001 hereby incorporates the following information requested:
For the "Brand Name or Equal To" line items, will a quote sourced through a BD Biosciences authorized distributor satisfy the requirement, or must the offeror be a direct BD reseller?

Yes, the quote can be sourced as a BD Biosciences authorized distributor if an authorized distributor letter is submitted with the quote from the manufacture.

Will the Government accept a single bundled quote covering all 28 CLINs from one authorized distributor?

Yes, the Government will accept a single bundled quote covering all 28 CLINs from one authorized distributor.

Could you please clarify whether it is required for an equivalent instrument proposed to be IVD-certified as well?Â

Yes, (the multitest LSA assay that we currently use needs to be the same and it is IVD approved)
Additionally, per our Flow Lead technician, "does it say somewhere that im keeping the other analyzer so it has to be the same thing so it can communicate to each other"
The Submission Deadline for RFQ 36C25926Q0433 will be Monday 06/08/2026 at 4:00 PM Mountain Time. Quotes are to be provided to Devin.Reichert@va.gov.
NO FURTHER QUESTIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED.

Attachments/Links