The Department of Veterans Affairs is soliciting proposals for a Bulk Salt Brine Pumping System, identified by Solicitation Number 36C24226R0027. This Request for Proposal (RFP) is set aside for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Concerns (SDVOSBC) and falls under NAICS Code 236220. The project involves the installation and implementation of a brine pumping system at the East Orange VAMC located at 385 Tremont Ave, East Orange, NJ 07018, USA. The response deadline for this solicitation is January 6, 2026, at 11:00 AM Eastern Time. Key documents for this RFP include the solicitation details, wage determinations, a Buy American Certificate, and information on subcontracting limitations, along with architectural diagrams for the brine pit and system layouts. Nicholas Muro is the primary point of contact for this contract.

The Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking bids for a Bulk Salt Brine Pumping System project at the East Orange VA Medical Center in New Jersey. This Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) set-aside procurement requires contractors to furnish all materials, supplies, equipment, personnel, and supervision for the installation of a new above-ground brine delivery system within 60 calendar days of receiving a Notice to Proceed. The project includes supplying and installing two salt-resistant submersible pumps, a control panel, float assemblies, approximately 200 feet of 2-inch CPVP piping, and all necessary electrical and controls. A mandatory site visit is scheduled for December 16, 2025, with questions due by December 19, 2025. Cost proposals, including a detailed breakdown, must be submitted via email by January 6, 2026. Offers will be evaluated based on technical merit, product description, past performance, and price. Contractors must be registered in SAM and verified as an SDVOSB in DSBS.

The “Buy American Certificate” provision (FAR 52.225-2) requires offerors to certify the domestic status of their end products, distinguishing between domestic and foreign items. Offerors must identify foreign end products by origin and indicate if they exceed 55% domestic content, unless they are Commercially Available Off-the-Shelf (COTS) items. Additionally, domestic end products containing critical components must be separately listed. The document defines key terms like “COTS item,” “critical component,” “domestic end product,” “end product,” and “foreign end product” by referencing the “Buy American—Supplies” clause. This provision is crucial for federal acquisition regulations, ensuring compliance with domestic sourcing policies outlined in FAR Part 25.

The VAAR 852.219-75 (JAN 2023) DEVIATION outlines subcontracting limitations for VA contracts, ensuring compliance with 38 U.S.C. 8127(l)(2). For general construction contracts, contractors cannot pay more than 85% of the government-paid amount to firms not certified as Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSBs) or Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (VOSBs). This 85% limit includes any further subcontracted work by similarly situated certified SDVOSB/VOSB subcontractors, while material costs are excluded. Offerors must certify their compliance, acknowledging potential criminal, civil, or administrative penalties, including prosecution under 18 U.S.C. 1001, for false certifications. The VA may request documentation to verify compliance and can impose penalties, such as referral to the Suspension and Debarment Committee, fines, or prosecution, for non-compliance or bad faith. Failure to provide required certification renders an offer ineligible for evaluation and award.