Research Support - Chair Health Study Assets Transition Stakeholder Group Pre-solicitation Notice With of Intent to Sole Source

Pre-Solicitation Notice for the notice of intent to award a sole source contract. This is not a solicitation.

The Department of Veterans Affairs intends to negotiate a sole source contract for a one (1) year base period with Linda S. Birnbaum, located at 521 Cedar Berry Ln, Chapel Hill, NC 27517 to obtain expert consulting research services as Co-Chair of Air Force Health Study Assets Transition Stakeholder Group to assist with creating goals, developing plans for reaching goals, creating agenda, and planning meetings and symposia.

The contractor will chair meetings, present and moderate sessions at symposia and review and edit notes and minutes for the Veterans Health Administration, Office of Research & Development. Dr. Birnbaum was director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) of the National Institutes of Health, and the National Toxicology Program (NTP) from 2009 to 2019. Birnbaum served as a federal scientist for 40 years.

Prior to her appointment as NIEHS and NTP director in 2009, she spent 19 years at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), where she directed the largest division focusing on environmental health research. Dr. Birnbaum s background, experience as leader in the field of toxicology, and knowledge of Vietnam-era Veteran exposures and health consequences is needed to co-lead and provide recommendations to VHA leadership. Soliciting for a different source is not feasible.

No other company is familiar with the on-going case study. Any other company would not have the knowledge and expertise needed to fill this requirement. Contracting out to a different source is not feasible. Dr. Birnbaum is the only vendor that can provide the specialized continued research services required. Since the intent is to procure this on a sole source basis, no solicitation will be posted to FedBizOps (FBO). The applicable NAICS code is 541690 with a $19MIL size standard. The PSC is AJ13.

The authority for this action is FAR 6.302.1-1 Only One Responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. Interested persons may contact the Contracting Officer via email at annmarie.stewart@va.gov regarding this procurement. The determination to conduct a competitive procurement based on responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Contracting Officer.