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B-266043 1 (1996-01-23)

handle is hein.gao/gaocrptadtx0001 and id is 1 raw text is: ' ITW' 331122 Comptroller General of the United States Washington, D.C. 20548 Decision Matter of: ABC HealthCare File: B-266043 Date: January 23, 1996 Alan M. Grayson, Esq., for the protester. Philip Kauffman, Esq., and Jeanne Anderson, Esq., Department of Veterans Affairs, for the agency. Jennifer D. Westfall-McGrail, Esq., and Christine S. Melody, Esq., Office of the General Counsel, GAO, participated in the preparation of the decision. DIGEST Protest objecting to solicitation requirement for contractor accreditation by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations as unduly restrictive of competition is denied where agency demonstrates reasonable basis for the requirement. DECISION ABC HealthCare protests the terms of invitation for bids (IFB) No. 590-05-96, issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center in Hampton, Virginia, for home oxygen equipment. Specifically, ABC protests that the solicitation requirement that the contractor be accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) is not necessary to meet the agency's minimum needs. We deny the protest. The IFB, which was issued on July 27, 1995, sought prices for the rental of oxygen equipment, delivery service, and monthly visits to the homes of eligible VA beneficiaries. The solicitation required that the contractor be accredited by the JCAHO and that a copy of the accreditation be submitted to the contracting officer prior to contract award.1 1To obtain JCAHO accreditation, a home care organization must demonstrate substantial compliance with a number of standards, governing such matters as personnel qualifications, staff training, and equipment management.