Blood and Blood Components   2

Background
The Department of Veterans Affairs Network Contracting Office (NCO) 10, specifically the Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center (CLE VAMC), Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service (PLMS), requires a reliable and continuous supply of blood and blood components. This is essential for supporting both inpatient and outpatient clinical services, including emergency trauma resuscitation, surgical services, oncology support, and critical care management.

The contract aims to ensure compliance with federal regulations and maintain patient safety by securing a qualified blood supplier capable of meeting stringent FDA standards.

Work Details
The contractor will provide all necessary labor, materials, testing, processing, packaging, transportation, and regulatory compliance services for supplying blood and blood components. Key requirements include:
- Blood must be tested for ABO and Rh typing, screened for unexpected antibodies, and tested for infectious disease markers per FDA requirements.
- Blood collection must use a closed aseptic system with FDA-approved containers.
- Specific products include:
- Low Titer O Whole Blood
- Red Cells CPD 500mL LeuRed
- Apheresis Platelets with specific shelf life requirements
- Cold Stored Platelets for emergency situations.

The contractor must also provide irradiated blood products within specified timeframes and maintain compliance with donor eligibility criteria as per FDA regulations.

Period of Performance
Base Year: July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027; Option Year One: July 1, 2027 – June 30, 2028; Option Year Two: July 1, 2028 – June 30, 2029; Option Year Three: July 1, 2029 – June 30, 2030; Option Year Four: July 1, 2030 – June 30, 2031.

Place of Performance
Louis Stokes Cleveland VAMC receiving/loading dock located at Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service10701 East BoulevardCleveland, OH 44106.

Bidder Requirements
Bidders must be qualified blood suppliers with proper FDA registration under relevant U.S. laws. They must hold a valid U.S. Biologics License and maintain AABB accreditation throughout the contract performance. Compliance with donor eligibility criteria and federal regulations is mandatory.

The contractor must also have the operational capability to handle emergency releases of products and notify CLE VAMC of any infectious disease risks within specified timelines.

Incumbent Analysis (see Incumbents section for more detail)
This opportunity appears to have a confirmed incumbent and/or closely related prior contract based on prior VA awards for blood and blood component supply. Versiti Blood Health (36C25221D0072, $3,397,102; 10/01/21–09/30/26) provided delivery of leukoreduced red blood cells, fresh frozen plasma, and apheresis platelets with FDA/AABB compliance and routine/timed/stat services, which aligns with the current requirement to supply specific blood components (including platelets and irradiated products) with regulatory testing and delivery support. Additionally, American National Red Cross (36C24422D0020, $290,920; 12/01/21–11/30/26) supplied FDA-licensed blood products to a VA medical center with transfusion support functions such as irradiation/leukocyte reduction as needed and 24/7 delivery/inventory management, consistent with the current need for continuous, compliant blood component distribution.