How to bid on blood and blood products for the Veterans Affairs Department

What the VA is buying

The Department of Veterans Affairs, through Network Contracting Office 17, plans to award a firm-fixed-price, single-award IDIQ for human blood and blood products. The work includes supply and delivery, plus guidance in clinical pathology procedures, for the South Texas Veterans Health Care System in San Antonio.

The VA intends to award the contract to South Texas Blood and Tissue Center. This notice gives other responsible sources a chance to show whether they can provide a comparable source that may be more advantageous to the government.

Key date and what happens next

The notice was published October 15, 2026. The deadline for email responses is November 5, 2026, at 10:00 AM ET.

The VA says it will consider capability statements, proposals, or quotations received within 21 days of publication. This is not a request for proposals, and the VA says it will not award a contract based on an offer submitted in response to this notice. If no affirmative written response is received within 21 days, the VA says it will issue the contract or order to South Texas Blood and Tissue Center without further notice.

Who this opportunity suits

This notice is relevant to blood suppliers and other healthcare firms able to provide human blood and blood products, delivery, and clinical pathology guidance for the South Texas Veterans Health Care System. Responding firms should be prepared to explain how their source is comparable to the one the VA intends to use.

How to access and respond

Open the opportunity through “View original source” on the portal. If the first click takes you to the portal homepage, click it again to reach the bid. A free account may be needed to view documents, though many bids do not require one.

Submit your capability statement, proposal, or quotation by email to the point of contact, and reference notice ID 36C25727Q0049. The notice text provided here does not include the point of contact’s email address.

Prepare a clear, relevant response

Keep the response focused on the stated need: human blood and blood products, supply and delivery, and guidance in clinical pathology procedures. Explain your firm’s ability to provide a comparable source and why it may be more advantageous to the government.

Check that your submission identifies notice 36C25727Q0049, addresses the VA’s stated requirement, and is sent by the deadline. Because this is a notice of intent to award sole source rather than a request for proposals, make the capability and comparability of your source clear.