9-RFO AB02182026 SPECIFICATIONS AND SCOPE.docx

Employee Drug and Disease Testing Services - RFO # AB02182026

REQUEST FOR OFFER (RFO) _NO. AB02182026

Employee Drug and Disease Testing Services for Harris Health

Project Summary: The Harris County Hospital District dba Harris Health, is soliciting offers from qualified vendors to provide comprehensive testing services for applicants who have been offered employment, random testing for persons employed in safety-sensitive positions, and all other employees whose activity in the workplace is reasonably suspicious of substance abuse. The selected vendor will be responsible for conducting testing for pre-employment, post-accident, random, and for-cause. Testing should be in accordance with all relevant local, state, and federal regulations and guidelines. The initial term of the contract shall begin on or about June 1, 2026 and end twelve (12) months thereafter.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. SCOPE OF WORK

a. OVERVIEW AND PURPOSE The Harris County Hospital District, dba Harris Health, is soliciting offers from qualified vendors to provide comprehensive testing services for applicants who have been offered employment, random testing for persons employed in safety-sensitive positions, and all other employees whose activity in the workplace is reasonably suspicious of substance abuse. The selected vendor will be responsible for conducting testing for pre-employment, post-accident, random, and for-cause. Testing should be in accordance with all relevant local, state, and federal regulations and guidelines.

b. SCOPE OF SERVICES

The scope of services includes, but is not limited to:

1. Provide Collection Supplies Furnish all required supplies for urine and saliva specimen collection, including chain-of-custody forms and materials, for specimens collected by Harris Health staff at designated Harris Health facilities.

2. Specimen Pickup and Transport Retrieve collected specimens from secure lockboxes at designated Harris Health locations, including but not limited to:

a. Ben Taub Hospital, 1504 Ben Taub Loop, Houston, TX 77030

b. Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital, 5656 Kelley Street, Houston, TX 77026

3. Transport specimens to the vendor’s laboratory facilities in accordance with applicable chain-of-custody and regulatory requirements.

4. Off-Site Vendor Collection Provide the capability to receive current and prospective employees at vendor-designated collection sites for specimen collection and processing, including nationwide locations as required.

5. Chain of Custody Maintain strict chain-of-custody procedures for all specimens, regardless of collection method or location.

6. Drug Testing Urine and saliva drug testing for, at a minimum, but not limited to, the following substances:

Amphetamines, Cocaine Metabolites, Methamphetamines, Opiates, Phencyclidine (PCP), Barbiturates, Benzodiazepines, Buprenorphine, Ecstasy (MDMA), Morphines, Marijuana Metabolites, Methadone, Propoxyphene, Fentanyl.

7. Other blood testing Blood testing for, at minimum, but not limited to the following:

Immunity to Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Varicella, Hepatitis B, and Interferon Gamma Release Assay (IGRA) testing for tuberculosis.

8. Post-Accident, Random, and Reasonable Suspicion Testing Testing may include but is not limited to :

Urine or saliva drug testing and Breath alcohol testing

All testing shall be conducted using chain-of-custody collection procedures

Post-accident and Reasonable suspicion testing must be available 24/7.

9. Reporting Provide test results to Harris Health via fax and/or other approved secure communication methods.

10. Vendor must ensure availability of a Medical Review Officer (MRO) to review laboratory results and make final determinations in accordance with applicable requirements.

11. Training Provide training to Harris Health Occupational Health staff on ordering procedures.

c. BUDGET

The current annual budget is estimated at around $100,000 but is subject to change depending on the availability of funding.

II. RENEWAL OPTIONS

The term of the Agreement may be extended for four (4) one-year renewal options, renewable one (1) year at a time.

Any price escalations for services will not exceed the following Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the preceding year:

Base Period: 1982-84=100 Series Id: CUUR0000SA0,CUUS0000SA0 Not Seasonally Adjusted

- The calculation will be the difference between the current year and the prior year and applied at the time for the annual renewals only.

- Example: the effective date of the agreement is July 1, 2024, the cap would be the difference between the CPI of April 2024 and April 2025 and effective on July 1, 2025.

III. BACKGROUND

The services are currently provided by an outside vendor. The current vendor utilizes a 10-panel drug screen that includes MDMA (Extasy), Oxycodone and Creatinine (CR) bundle.

In the last fiscal year, approximately 2600 drug screens have been performed at Ben Taub and Lyndon B. Johnson, and 250 urine drug screens were performed at vendor offsite locations.

In addition, Harris Health utilizes Post-accident, Random, and Reasonable Suspicion testing. Currently, the volume for these tests is approximately 30 per year. Tests are administered with both breath alcohol and urine. Testing is performed using a chain of custody collection.

Currently, Harris Health receives twenty-four (24) hour onsite accessibility of service for Post-accident, Random, and Reasonable Suspicion testing.

The estimated annual quantity of tests is as follows:

The quantities listed are estimates. Harris Health reserves the right to purchase more or less than the quantity stated.

IV. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

a. OPPORTUNITY Q&A

Questions relating to this RFO submitted in writing in Euna portal through an Opportunity Q&A message no later than March 10, 2026 at 5:00 PM CST, should be answered by March 13, 2026. The Opportunity Q&A will remain open in Euna. However, questions received after March 10, 2026 deadline are not guaranteed responses. All questions submitted in writing prior to the deadline will be compiled and answered via an Addendum, and vendors will be automatically notified of the Addendum by public notice in Euna.

V. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Harris Health has identified minimum vendor qualifications and solution requirements for offers to be considered for award. These minimum requirements are listed below. Those vendors and their offers that do not meet these minimum requirements described in this Section will not be considered for award under this solicitation.

a. QUALIFICATIONS REQUIREMENTS - The vendor must meet the following minimum qualifications:

1. Vendor must operate laboratories that are Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) certified for the testing services proposed.

2. Vendor must be properly licensed and authorized to perform drug and disease testing services in all jurisdictions where services are provided.

3. Vendor must retain a licensed physician qualified to serve as a Medical Review Officer (MRO) in accordance with applicable regulations and industry standards.

b. SOLUTION REQUIREMENTS - Vendor’s solution must meet the following requirements:

1. Vendor must have availability of nationwide specimen collection sites to support current and prospective employees located outside the State of Texas.

2. Vendor must complete and submit the MWBE Goal Participation Information Packet.

VI. PRICING

Pricing must be per each test. Pricing sheet will be provided as a separate attachment named Attachment B: Pricing sheet in Bonfire.

Pricing must be all-inclusive.

If you have an active contract for the services specified in this Scope through Premier or another Co-op, please provide information on the contract and the pricing per that co-op contract.

Pricing provided must be all-inclusive (no separate charges for supplies, shipping, standard reporting, or MRO). The quantities listed in the pricing sheet are estimates. Harris Health reserves the right to purchase more or less than the quantity stated. Analyte list for drug screens matches Harris Health's requested panel (6-AM, fentanyl, barbiturates, benzos, cocaine, MDMA, marijuana metabolites, methadone, opiates, oxycodone, PCP, propoxyphene).

Price Adjustment:

- Any price escalations for services will not exceed the following Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index (CPI):

Base Period: 1982-84=100 Series Id: CUUR0000SA0,CUUS0000SA0 Not Seasonally Adjusted

- The calculation will be the difference between the current year and the prior year and applied at the time for the annual renewals only.

- Example: the effective date of the agreement is July 1, 2024, the cap would be the difference between the CPI of April 2024 and April 2025 and effective on July 1, 2025.

VII. MWBE

Harris Health strives to engage with prime Vendors and subcontractors that represent the diverse businesses of the County. We will ensure that historically underutilized minority- and woman-owned businesses (M/WBEs) receive a fair and equal opportunity to participate in Harris Health’s procurement process. The MWBE participation goal for this solicitation is set at 12%.

Harris Health expects Vendors to make a good faith effort and the Vendor agrees to reasonably assist Harris Health to meet or exceed goals for awarding contracts associated with a project Harris Health procures, operates, maintains, or constructs to M/WBEs. Further information regarding appropriate documentation and submission details are outlined in the MWBE Goal Participation Information Packet.

VIII. EVALUATION CRITERIA

All offers will be examined by an Evaluation Committee which will consist of Harris Health staff.

Offers that do not meet the Minimum Requirements will be eliminated from consideration.

The offer response may be incorporated into any contract that results from this RFO, and vendors are cautioned not to make claims or statements it is not prepared to commit to contractually.

Evaluation Scoring

Award shall be made to the highest-scored responsive and responsible vendor whose offer is determined to be the best value offer taking into consideration the evaluation criteria in the following order of relative importance:

IX. REQUESTED INFORMATION (To be Submitted with the Offer)

Please fill out and submit the following information in Bonfire:

1. Proof of Insurance (see Minimum Insurance Requirements file)

2. RFO and Addenda Acknowledgement (signed)

3. Tax Residence Certification

4. Addenda (if any)

5. Vendor Experience Form

6. Subcontractor listing form- if your company plans to subcontract any portion of the work.

7. Pricing Schedule (Pricing must be all-inclusive)

8. Vendor’s eligibility to participate

9. MWBE Documentation

10. Qualifications – Provide a narrative that describes your company’s qualifications and experience as an organization and how it stands ahead of its competition, including, but not limited to:

a) Vendor’s history

b) Vendor’s background

c) Description of the employees (number of employees, their qualifications, certifications and licenses, etc., employees’ experience in providing drug and disease testing services for an entity similar in size and function to Harris Health, etc.)

d) Licenses/Accreditations for your organization (Including CLIA)

e) Provide information about your company’s structure, service regions, and operational capacity

f) If applicable, provide details on active Premier or other cooperative purchasing contracts related to this scope

g) Include any additional qualifications or experience that demonstrate your ability to support Harris Health successfully

h) List of nationwide locations capable of accepting and collecting specimens

11. Solution- Narrative: Provide a narrative that describes your approach and methodology for providing the requested services. Vendors are advised to provide information that would highlight the vendor’s strengths in providing the requested service, information that would demonstrate vendor’s leadership in the field, and information that would distinguish vendor from its competitors.

As part of the narrative, for a project beginning June 1, 2026 provide a detailed timeline indicating deliverables, responsibilities and resources needed from Harris Health for a successful implementation.

a) Describe your overall approach and methodology for delivering all required drug and disease testing services.

b) Explain your service model for on‑site collections, off‑site collections, laboratory processing, and reporting.

c) Describe how you will ensure scalability to meet current volumes and potential increases in demand.

d) Provide your contingency plan for urgent requests.

e) Describe the supplies you will provide for urine and saliva collections conducted by Harris Health staff.

f) Explain your procedures for specimen pickup from secure lockboxes and transport to your laboratory.

g) Describe your off‑site collection process for employees and candidates, including scheduling and walk‑in capability.

h) Provide details on your nationwide specimen collection network and how it will support out‑of‑state employees.

i) Explain your chain‑of‑custody procedures for all specimen types and all collection scenarios.

j) Describe your screening and confirmatory testing methodologies and escalation/verification process for positive results.

k) Provide an overview of your quality assurance and quality control practices.

l) Explain your Medical Review Officer (MRO) workflow and availability.

m) Provide your standard turnaround times for all test types and for negative vs. positive results.

n) Describe your 24/7 response procedures for post‑accident and reasonable suspicion testing.

o) Explain how test results will be delivered securely and provide sample reporting formats.

p) Describe how you handle exceptions such as invalid, diluted, canceled, or non‑compliant specimens.

q) Describe your transition plan from the current vendor, ensuring no disruption of service.

r) Describe the training you will provide to Harris Health staff and how often training will be refreshed.

s) Explain your ongoing support model, including help‑desk availability and escalation paths.

t) Provide an overview of your business continuity and disaster recovery plans.

u) Describe your process for preventing and managing specimen integrity issues.

v) Identify any subcontractors and describe how you will monitor their performance.

w) Describe your approach to pricing adjustments during renewal years.

x) Provide the KPIs you will use to monitor program performance.

y) Describe how you will gather and respond to feedback from Harris Health stakeholders.

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