Award Watch: VA SPS critical water testing (Milwaukee & Green Bay) — what to verify before you quote

Executive takeaway

The VA has a requirement for Sterile Processing Service (SPS) critical water testing aligned to ANSI/AAMI ST108 for two Wisconsin locations: the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center in Milwaukee and the Green Bay community-based clinic. If you already run healthcare-focused water testing programs with documented standards compliance and fast turnaround reporting, this is likely a clean, execution-forward quote opportunity—assuming the solicitation’s sampling frequency, test panels, and reporting requirements align with your lab’s capabilities.

What the buyer is trying to do

The VA is aiming to validate that water used for SPS activities meets the expectations of ANSI/AAMI ST108. The emphasis on “critical” water testing suggests the buyer cares about defensible methods, documentation, and timely results that support sterile processing operations across both facilities (Milwaukee VAMC SPS and Green Bay HCC/CBOC).

What work is implied (bullets)

• Perform SPS critical water testing in accordance with ANSI/AAMI ST108 standards.
• Support two performance locations: Milwaukee VAMC and Green Bay HCC/CBOC.
• Plan and execute sample collection and/or accept delivered samples (verify which approach is required in the RFQ/attachments).
• Provide documented test results and reporting suitable for clinical/sterile processing compliance records (verify required report format and turnaround time in the RFQ/attachments).
• Coordinate access and on-site logistics with facility operations (verify any site rules, hours, and escorting requirements in the RFQ/attachments).

Who should bid / who should pass (bullets)

• Bid if you are a laboratory/testing firm under NAICS 541380 that already supports healthcare facilities and can demonstrate routine testing aligned to ANSI/AAMI ST108.
• Bid if you can service both Milwaukee and Green Bay locations without stretching field resources or shipping/chain-of-custody controls.
• Bid if you have a disciplined reporting workflow (repeatable templates, QA checks, and clear delivery timelines).
• Pass if your water testing scope is limited to non-clinical/industrial programs and you cannot confidently map your methods to ANSI/AAMI ST108.
• Pass if you cannot meet the RFQ’s expected cadence/turnaround once you confirm it in the attachments.

Response package checklist (bullets; if unknown say 'verify in attachments')

• Signed quote/offer response aligned to Solicitation 36C25226Q0092 (verify required forms in attachments).
• Technical approach describing how you meet ANSI/AAMI ST108 for SPS critical water testing (verify any VA-specific method constraints in attachments).
• Testing scope confirmation: analytes/panels, sampling frequency, number of sample points, and reporting timelines (verify in attachments).
• Logistics plan for Milwaukee VAMC and Green Bay HCC/CBOC (site access, sampling method, shipping/chain-of-custody) (verify in attachments).
• Past performance examples for comparable healthcare water testing programs (verify if required in attachments).
• Completed representations/certifications as required by the RFQ (verify in attachments).

Pricing & strategy notes (how to research pricing; do not invent pricing numbers)

• Start with the unit of measure. Determine whether pricing is per sample, per sampling event, per month, or per location. Many water testing quotes become uncompetitive when the bidder guesses the wrong pricing structure.
• Price the compliance work, not just lab runs. ANSI/AAMI ST108 alignment often drives documentation, QA review, and reporting rigor—confirm what the RFQ expects and build those labor steps into your price.
• Account for the two-site footprint. Even if the test panel is identical, site access, travel, or sample shipping may differ between Milwaukee and Green Bay—model both pathways.
• Do a quick VA cross-check. Use BidPulsar and your internal history to benchmark prior VA water testing efforts under similar NAICS/PSC, then align your approach narrative to what the VA typically accepts (without over-committing beyond the attachments).

Subcontracting / teaming ideas (bullets)

• Team a local field sampling partner (if the RFQ requires contractor sampling) while keeping testing and QA/reporting centralized in your lab.
• If your lab lacks a specific method referenced by ANSI/AAMI ST108, consider a split-scope approach where a specialist lab handles the gap analytes and you integrate reporting (verify whether subcontracted testing is permitted in the RFQ/attachments).
• Coordinate with a logistics/courier provider experienced in time-sensitive sample transport and chain-of-custody workflows (if shipping is contractor responsibility—verify in attachments).

Risks & watch-outs (bullets)

• Scope ambiguity risk: “Critical water testing” can mean different panels and cadences; do not assume—confirm sampling points, frequency, and required parameters in the RFQ/attachments.
• Access and timing: SPS environments may have restricted access windows; confirm hours, escorting, and site procedures (verify in attachments).
• Reporting expectations: Turnaround time, formatting, and documentation can be the real discriminator; verify what is mandatory vs. preferred in the RFQ/attachments.
• Two-location execution: Ensure you can maintain consistent process control between Milwaukee and Green Bay.

Related opportunities

• VA pre-solicitation: Repair Building 100 Envelope Moisture Barrier (Anchorage VAMC)
• VA SDVOSB: Special Pack and Prep WorkStations (due date extended)
• VA RFI: Scanning System (Laser Optical Biometry) for Huntington VAMC

How to act on this

1. Open the BidPulsar notice and download the RFQ package: H146—SPS Critical Water Testing (Milwaukee VAMC & Green Bay CBOC).
2. Extract the required test panel, sampling cadence, sample count, and reporting/turnaround requirements from the attachments.
3. Build pricing around the actual unit structure (per sample/event/month) and validate your execution plan for both locations.
4. Submit by the stated deadline in the notice: 2026-02-09 16:00 UTC (confirm submission method in the RFQ/attachments).

If you want a second set of eyes on compliance positioning, scope interpretation, or a quote strategy that won’t get knocked out on technicalities, work with Federal Bid Partners LLC to tighten your response before you submit.