Autonomous Healthcare Delivery Robot
Updated
Sources Sought from the Department of Veterans Affairs, for work in Long Beach. Due Nov 13, 2026, 10:00 AM (UTC-8), 7 days left.
| Title as posted | 6515--Autonomous Healthcare Delivery Robot |
|---|---|
| Solicitation number | 36C26227Q0103 |
| Agency | Department of Veterans Affairs |
| Office | 262-Network Contract Office 22 (36C262) |
| Notice type | Sources Sought |
| Set-aside | None |
| Trade (NAICS) | Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing (334510) |
| Product or service code | 6515 |
| Place of performance | Long Beach |
| Posted | Nov 5, 2026 |
| Response deadline | Nov 13, 2026, 10:00 AM (UTC-8) (7 days left) |
| Add the deadline to | Google Calendar · Apple / Outlook (.ics) |
Bid documents (2)
- Bid document 22 KB
- Bid document 264 KB
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Description
This request for information (RFI) / sources sought notice issued solely for information and planning purposes. THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION. Submission of information about pricing, delivery, the market, and capabilities is highly encouraged and allowed under this RFI for planning purposes in accordance with (IAW) FAR 15.201(e).
DISCLAIMER This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes and does not constitute a solicitation. All information received in response to this RFI that is marked as proprietary will be handled accordingly. IAW FAR 15.201(e), responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract.
Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI. SOURCES SOUGHT/RFI DESCRIPTION This is NOT a solicitation announcement. This is a Sources Sought Notice / RFI only.
The purpose of this Sources Sought Notice / RFI is to gain information about potential qualified sources and their size classification relative to NAICS 334510 Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing. Responses to this Sources Sought Notice / RFI will be used by the Government to make appropriate acquisition decisions. After review of the responses to this Sources Sought Notice / RFI, further RFIs and/or a solicitation or other announcements may be published.
The purpose of this procurement is to acquire autonomous healthcare delivery robot system for interior use at the VA Long Beach Healthcare System Pharmacy (VALBHS). 1. Functional and Performance Requirements The system shall autonomously transport and deliver critical Pharmacy medical supplies, pharmacy orders, and similar healthcare items within interior areas of VA Long Beach without continuous human teleoperation during normal operation.
The system shall employ self driving obstacle avoidance technology that uses at least two sensing modalities from among 3D vision, eye safe laser ranging, and sonar (or functionally equivalent technologies) to map and navigate the facility while avoiding people and obstacles in a dynamic hospital environment. The robot shall be capable of continuous transport operations at a nominal walking pace appropriate for safe operation among staff and patients (approximately 2 4 miles per hour), with the ability to adjust speed as needed to comply with VA safety policies.
2. Payload and Capacity The robot shall provide at least one lockable, top loading cargo compartment designed for interior healthcare use. The primary cargo compartment shall have a total internal volume of at least 41 liters (approximately 11 gallons).
The cargo compartment shall support a minimum payload of 50 pounds of medical items (e.g., linens, infusion pumps, towels, pharmacy totes, blood products, specimen racks). The system shall include configurable or removable internal accessories (e.g., liners, trays, baskets, or equivalent) that allow safe carriage of a variety of healthcare items such as prescription medications, 24 hour urine bottles, IV bags, test tube racks, and food containers commonly used at VA Long Beach.
3. Physical Characteristics The mobile robot width shall not exceed approximately 20 inches, enabling safe passage through standard VA corridors, doorways, and elevators. The overall height of the robot shall be approximately 37 inches to maintain visibility and accessibility for staff in nurse stations and corridors.
The system shall be constructed of sturdy, resilient, easy to clean materials suitable for VA clinical environments, with smooth exterior surfaces compatible with commonly used hospital grade disinfectants. 4. Power and Endurance The robot shall support at least 24 hours of operation in a typical healthcare duty cycle with intermittent charging (i.e., the robot automatically or manually docks to recharge between runs without being removed from service for a full working day).
The system shall include a docking/charging station compatible with standard 110 volt AC power, with a footprint not exceeding approximately 18 inches wide by 8 inches high by 10 inches deep. 5. Navigation and Maneuverability The robot shall support multiple navigation modes, including point to point delivery and other facility defined behaviors (e.g., delivery, usher, mingle, or functionally equivalent modes) that support VA logistics and clinical workflows.
The robot shall have an effective turning radius of 0 feet (i.e., shall be capable of point turns in place) to maneuver in tight spaces such as corridors, patient room entries, and pharmacy/laboratory areas. 6. Communications and User Interface The system shall communicate with facility infrastructure using secure wireless communication, including Wi Fi; support for wide area connectivity (e.g., LTE or equivalent) is desired or shall be offered if commercially available.
The system shall allow VA staff to initiate, monitor, and manage deliveries through a user interface appropriate for clinical and logistics personnel with minimal training (e.g., on robot touchscreen, workstation client, or mobile application). The user interface shall provide clear, task oriented controls and shall avoid vague performance descriptors such as user friendly or fastest, consistent with sound salient characteristics practices.
7. Environment and Support The system shall be designed and configured for interior use in VA healthcare facilities, including inpatient wards, outpatient clinics, ancillary services, and associated clinical spaces. The contractor shall provide technical and maintenance support appropriate for 24/7/365 VA healthcare operations (e.g., remote support, troubleshooting assistance, and replacement or repair procedures), consistent with commercial practices for mission critical hospital equipment.
8. Trade Agreements Act and Domestic Preference The offered robot system (including docking station and integrated software) shall comply with applicable Trade Agreements Act (TAA) requirement
The description continues in the official notice.
Contracting contact
- Sam Choo · Contracting Officer · [email protected] · [email protected]
As published on the official notice. Ask questions in writing and before any questions deadline the notice sets.
Is your business small enough?
For NAICS 334510, a business counts as small if it has no more than 1,250 employees (SBA size standard). This notice is not set aside, but the size decides your small business status on it. SBA table, current as of Oct 15, 2026.
Notice history
- Nov 5, 2026: Sources Sought Due Nov 13, 2026, 10:00 AM (UTC-8)
Companies that win this kind of work
Federal contractors paid for electromedical and electrotherapeutic apparatus manufacturing work, who also hold VA contracts (last 12 months): possible competitors, or partners to team with.
- Sonova USA Inc $91.1 million in this trade
- Starkey Laboratories Inc $46.2 million in this trade
- Trillamed LLC $21.0 million in this trade
- Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc. $15.5 million in this trade
- Olympus America Inc $14.3 million in this trade
About the buyer
The Department of Veterans Affairs awarded $84.6 billion in contracts in the last 12 months; its biggest suppliers were Optum Public Sector Solutions, Inc., Mckesson Corporation and Triwest Healthcare Alliance Corp. See what VA is buying now.
Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing contracts right now
There are 22 open government contract opportunities in this trade (NAICS 334510), 13 posted in the last 7 days; 36% are set aside for small businesses. The agencies buying the most are Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of the Army and Defense Logistics Agency. Most of the work with a stated place is in Maryland, Oklahoma and Virginia. A notice in this trade gives a median of 14 days from posting to deadline; this one gives 8 days.
All open electromedical and electrotherapeutic apparatus manufacturing contracts
Coming up in this trade
Planned contracts from the agencies' procurement forecasts, often months before a solicitation. Plans can change.
Recent awards in this trade
- Agfa Healthcare Corporation $166,963 · Department of Veterans Affairs · Oct 26, 2026
- Agfa Healthcare Corporation $282,737 · Department of Veterans Affairs · Oct 26, 2026
- Agfa Healthcare Corporation $304,445 · Department of Veterans Affairs · Oct 26, 2026
- Agfa Healthcare Corporation $22,244 · Department of Veterans Affairs · Oct 26, 2026
- Agfa Healthcare Corporation $87,367 · Department of Veterans Affairs · Oct 26, 2026
From the award notices agencies publish.