509-24-3-281-0046 VITRECTOMY SET (VA-24-00086243)

Department of Veterans Affairs, VISN 07, 509 VA Augusta Health Care System, Network Contracting RPO East. 2237# - 509-24-3-281-0046. This notice is issued to document the Contracting Officer intends to contract directly with Melling Medical, 658 S. Columbus, Street, Alexandria, VA 22314, a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) and the sole authorized distributor for Government purchases of Katena Instruments, for Katena Vitrectomy Instruments.

There are 43 line items; the first line item is Corza Katena BISHOP-HARMON FORCEPS STANDARD PART NUMBER:K5-3510 (COO: UK). All 43 line items are not included, however are available upon request to the CO. Ophthalmic surgical instruments are uniquely delicate and specific compared to other types of surgical instruments. Ophthalmic surgical instruments must be individually evaluated by surgical providers for suitability prior to use.

Due to these unique requirements from providers Katena has been the exclusive source for ophthalmology surgical instruments for the Augusta, GA, VA Medical Center, based on a procurement that was done in FY22, the service line has now requested two additional sets (matching instruments). Evaluating 43 distinct instruments from other manufactures would be costly and cause a delay in patient care. The product must be brand name to stay consistent with what is already in use at our facility.

Ophthalmologic surgical instruments have unique reprocessing instructions from brand to brand and having multiple brands in use simultaneously will add additional complexity and difficulty to SPS RMD reprocessing. Melling Medical LLC is the sole authorized distributor for government purchases of Katena instruments.

Responses to this notice via e-mail are due No Later Than (NLT) 8:00AM EST on Monday, June 24, 2024, to the Contracting Officer, joseph.locke@va.gov Responses provided over the phone will not be accepted by the Contracting Officer.