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VA Federal Supply Schedule Service

 

Customers - FSS Related Acquisition Purchasing Vehicles

  1. What are the purchasing priorities of use of Government supply sources?
  2. Where can I find more information about the VA’s National Contract Service and Prime Vendor Programs?
  3. What is the Prime Vendor Program?
  4. How do I participate in the Prime Vendor program?
  5. What products are offered under the Med/Surg & Pharmaceutical Prime Vendor programs?
  6. Am I required to purchase from the prime vendors?
  7. What is Disaster Recovery Purchasing?

1.  What are the purchasing priorities of use of Government supply sources?

Visit our Priorities of Use of Government Supply Sources page for a complete listing of the Government-wide and VA specific priorities of use.

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2.  Where can I find more information about the VA's National Contract Service and Prime Vendor Programs?

Learn about the National Contract Service and its programs via the NCS information portal.

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3.  What is the Prime Vendor Program?

The Prime Vendor Program is a streamlined acquisition method whereby Prime vendor contractors maintain stock of various contracted items and offer items from multiple contractors under a single order.  In a partnering effort between Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and the Office of Acquisition and Logistics (OAL), VA implemented three (3) national Prime Vendor Programs:

  • Medical/Surgical:  The MSPV is a national mandatory program that provides a customized distribution system that meets or exceeds facility requirements by providing efficient and cost-effective just-in-time distribution, inventory, electronic, and catalog ordering processes through seven prime vendor contracts.
  • Pharmaceutical:  The PPV provides VA facilities and other Government agencies with an efficient method of obtaining Government contracted pharmaceutical products with just-in-time deliveries.  This program services over 750 customers throughout the United States, the Virgin Islands, Saipan, and the Philippines.
  • Subsistence:  The SPV supports the purchase and distribution of subsistence commodities and ancillary supplies for all VA Medical Centers, Veteran Canteen Service Retail Cafeterias, and other Government agencies.

Product prices are primarily established by the Federal Supply Schedule Program (FSS), VA National Standardization Program, Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) and/or local contracts. 

In addition to the product fee, ordering activities pay a distribution fee to the prime vendor.  The distribution fee is a markup to the product prices and is intended to cover prime vendor costs for managing customer inventories, ensuring the timely delivery of needed products to customers in a more efficient and effective manner than other conventional ordering methods, and administering electronic commerce systems in support of the program.

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4.  How do I participate in the Prime Vendor program?

Companies offering items under commodity oriented Schedule programs may elect to participate in the Med/Surg Prime Vendor.  Participating companies must establish a contract with each prime vendors in order to add their products to the supply chain.  Participation in this program is optional and will have no impact on the Government’s award decision.

Companies with contracts under the 65 I B Drugs, Pharmaceuticals, & Hematology Related Products Schedule are required to participate in the Pharmaceutical Prime Vendor program.

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5.  What products are offered under the Med/Surg & Pharmaceutical Prime Vendor programs?

The following SINs are available for sale/purchase from the prime vendor programs:

Products Available through the Prime Vendor
ScheduleSINs
65 I B Drugs, Pharmaceuticals, & Hematology Related Products 42-1 Nonprescription Medicated Cosmetics & Surgical Soaps
622 Antiseptic Liquid Skin Cleansing Detergents and Soaps, Dispensers, and Accessories
65 II A Medical Equipment & Supplies All SINs except those for medical equipment, pharmacy furniture, and equipment maintenance and repair.
65 II F Patient Mobility Devices F-1 Manual Wheelchairs
F-5 Wheelchair Cushions
F-6 Accessory Products
65 VII Invitro Diagnostics, Reagents, Test Kits, & Test Sets 555-7 Phlebotomy (needles, collection tubes/sets, lancets, and skin preparation kits)
555-10 Miscellaneous (vacutainer kits, filter samplers, laboratory chemical and miscellaneous in vitro diagnostic products).  This does not include laboratory supplies.
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6.  Am I required to purchase from the prime vendors?

VA ordering activities are required to purchase from the Pharmaceutical prime vendor, and are strongly encouraged to buy from the Med/Surg prime vendors.

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7.  What is Disaster Recovery Purchasing?

Disaster Recovery Purchasing allows state and local government entities to purchase a variety of products and services from VA and GSA Schedule contracts to facilitate recovery from a major disaster, terrorism, or nuclear, biological, chemical, or radiological attack.

All VA Schedule contract holders may elect to accept orders under this program; however, participation is optional and will have no impact on the Government's award decision.

The GSA Disaster Recovery Purchasing frequently asked questions page provides in-depth program & ordering information.

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