Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Chief, Acquisition and Materiel Management (90C), One Veterans Drive, Minneapolis, MN 55417

65 -- HCV GENOTYPING ASSAY KITS SOL RFQ 618-109-00 DUE 051900 POC Linda Kelly 612-725-2183 Under statutory authority of 41.U.S.C. 253(c)(1) and 38 U.S.C. 1854 the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota, anticipates entering into a sole source contract agreement with Innogentics Inc. Negotiations will be conducted for INNO-LiPA HDV-II Genotyping Assay Kits to be used by the VAMC Minneapolis -- Microbiology Lab in participation with a national VA Hepatitis C genotyping study. The VA Minneapolis is one of four VA CRC Labs that will be using Innogenetics BioTechnology Genotyping Assay Kits in the genotyping of Hepatitis C virus isolates for a national VA Research Project entitled "A Multi-Center Trial to Evaluate the Epidemiology, Natural History and Treatment Response of Hepatitis C in United States Veterans." The research study will be approximately two years in length. This announcement is published to inform the public of the VA's intent to negotiate on a sole source basis. No solicitation documents will be made available. This notice may represent the only official notice of such a solicitation. The above authority is cited and justification is made based on the requirements for continuity and comparability of the research project that the Government's minimum needs can best be satisfied by using only one source. Posted 05/05/00 (W-SN452179). (0126)

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