65--Hearing Aids GROUPS 1, 2, 3, AND 4

CORRECTION: Please reference Request for Proposal Number VA-791-09-RP-0002. THIS IS A PRE-SOLICITATION ANNOUNCEMENT TO RAISE AWARENESS FOR POTENTIAL OFFERORS. The Veterans Administration (VA), Denver Acquisition & Logistics Center, 155 Van Gordon Street, Lakewood, CO, 80228, intends to solicit for proposals from well qualified experienced sources from any size businesses that are capable of providing one or more of the following types of hearing aids: Group 1 - Custom Digital Hearing Aids; Group 2 - Behind-the-Ear Digital Hearing Aids (standard, and open ear fitting behind-the-ear); Group 3 - Receiver-in-the-canal Digital Hearing Aids; Group 4 - CROS, BICROS and Multi-CROS Wireless Programmable Hearing Aids; and Group 5 - Hearing Aid Remote Controls (optional devices). Remote controls must be compatible with hearing aids offered in Group 1-4 that are offered and determined to be considered for an award. Offerors that do not receive an award in one or more Groups will not receive consideration on remote controls. No more than one award will be made for on a model/brand. The VA DALC anticipates making one or more fixed price, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract awards in each Group (1-4) to afford competition and cover the needs of the Government. The contracted items will be a mandatory source for VA Audiology and Speech Pathology Services at the VA Medical Centers. Other Government agencies (such as Department of Defense, Indian Health Services, Health & Human Services and Bureau of Prisons) may use any awarded contract as a non-mandatory source. The requirements also cover primary and secondary features, extra components, programming software and training related to the hearing aids. Current ISO 9000 certification for the manufacturing facility will be required; along with adapted measures to ensure that any personally identifiable information (PII) associated with individual veterans is adequately protected from loss, misuse, or unauthorized disclosure. The contract period will be November 1, 2009 through October 31, 2010, with four one-year options to be exercised at the discretion of the VA DALC. Subject procurement is being procured as a commercial item as defined in FAR Part 12. Subject contracts award will be made in accordance with FAR Part 12 and 15. Subject announcement is provided in order to satisfy the requirements of FAR Part 5. The North American Classification Code is 334510 and Small Business Size Standard is 500 employees. The requirement package will be issued as a "full and open" solicitation for any and all qualified, experienced, and knowledgeable business entity who can meet the requirements. The acquisition will be procured as a "Best Value" type of acquisition where price and other-non-price factors allow for evaluation trade-offs to achieve the best value contracts for the government. Non-priced factors (technical, experience and capacity, past performance and veteran programs), when combined, will be considered significantly more important than price. Solicitation documents will be available electronically on or about January 22, 2009 at the FedBizOpps website at http://www.fedbizopps.gov. NO HARD COPIES OF THIS SOLICITATION WILL BE ISSUED. The anticipated RFP closing date is February 24, 2009 at 4:00 p.m. (Mountain Time). The Contracting Officer for this acquisition is Gail A Hixon (gail.hixon@va.gov). Upon review of this solicitation documents, prospective offerors are encouraged to provide questions and/or comments, in writing, in regards to the solicitation documents prior to January 29, 2009. A pre-proposal conference will be held at VA DALC, 155 Van Gordon Street, Training Room B, Lakewood, Colorado on February 4, 2009 at 1:30 p.m. (Mountain Time). The pre-proposal will NOT be a teleconference. Potential offerors are encouraged to attend. Questions concerning the solicitation should be submitted, in writing, to the Contracting Officer prior to January 30, 2009. Questions may be faxed to 303-914-5189 or email gail.hixon@va.gov. Interested offerors that plan to participate in the conference are requested to email the name of individuals, title, email address and company representing prior to February 2, 2009. Interested firms are reminded that in accordance with FAR Part 4.11, prospective contractors are required to have an active registration in the Central Contractors Registration (CCR) and FAR Part 4.12, prospective contractors must complete electronic on line annual representations and certifications (ORCA) databases prior to award of a contract and can be accessed at the Business Partner Network (BPN) website at http://www.bpn.gov/.