AJ11--Research Core Services - Gut Microbiome in Gastro and Liver Disease - RICHMOND | EDA: 9/26/25 36C24E25R0027

The Department of Veterans Affairs, Central Virginia VA Health Care System, intends to negotiate on a sole source basis, pursuant to FAR 6.302 3. FAR 6.302-3 allows sole source awards that establish or maintain essential research to be provided by an educational institution. According to FAR 6.302 3(ii) states that a full and open competition need not to be provided when it is necessary to award the contract to a particular source or sources in order to establish or maintain an essential engineering, research, or development capability to be provided by an educational or other nonprofit institution or a federally funded research and development center. This contract is for animal husbandry and animal research activities from the National Gnotobiotic Rodent Research Center (NGRRC) at the University of North Carolina in support of VA funded research study, BCCMA: Targeting Gut Microbiome in Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases in US Veterans; CMA4: At the Crossroads of the Gut Microbiome, Cirrhosis, and PTSD. The VA requires expert research support to utilize the gnotobiotic microbiome rodent model and facilities. The NGRRC is a NIH sponsored center and educational institution that meets the criteria set forth under FAR 6.302-3. This is a notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals; however, any responsible source who believes it can meet the requirement may submit a capability statement to the contracting office no later than August 1st, 12PM, EST. Interest/capability statements may be sent to Lynn Portman at lynn.portman@va.gov. No telephone responses will be accepted. A determination not to compete the proposed requirement based upon the responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government.