COUNTY OF ALAMEDA

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL No. 902769 for

Drug Testing Kits and Laboratory Services

For complete information regarding this project, see Request for Proposal (RFP) posted at County of Alameda Procurement Portal [https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/acgov] or contact the County Thank you for your interest!

Contact Person: C. Chan Phone Number: (510) 208-9623 Email Address: C.Chan@acgov.org General Services Agency (GSA) – Procurement

RESPONSE DUE

by 2:00 p.m.

on September 11, 2026 through Alameda County, GSA-Procurement County of Alameda Procurement Portal https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/acgov

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

DRUG TESTING KITS AND LABORATORY SERVICES

TO ATTEND ONLINE:

RFP No. 902769 Bidders Conference Meeting ID: 233 860 186 256 4 Passcode: iy7BK6qe

Dial in by phone +1 415-915-3950,,442351262# Phone conference ID: 442 351 262#

Join on a video conferencing device Tenant key: alamedacountyca@m.webex.com Video ID: 116 114 575 4

Written Questions Due via the “Question & Answer” tab of this project in the County of Alameda Procurement Portal August 19, 2026 by 5:00 p.m.

Response Due and Submitted through County of Alameda Procurement Portal

September 11, 2026 by 2:00 p.m.

Followed immediately by online Public Bid Opening which can be joined here:

RFP No. 902769 Bid Opening Meeting ID: 258 135 927 607 453 Passcode: Dd7sc9oT

Dial in by phone +1 415-915-3950,,775065680# Phone conference ID: 775 065 680#

Join on a video conferencing device Tenant key: alamedacountyca@m.webex.com Video ID: 116 199 654 2

NOTE: All dates are tentative and subject to change.

Alameda County Vendor Outreach

Wednesday, August 19, 2026 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

TO ATTEND ONLINE:

Vendor Outreach Call-in: +1 415-915-3950 Conference ID: 504 517 635#

COME MEET ALAMEDA COUNTY’S

PROCUREMENT TEAM!

This public event is not specific to any RFQ, where vendors can speak with GSA professionals, get to know them, and learn more about contracting opportunities with the County.

These are conducted on most Wednesdays. Dates and locations can be confirmed by checking at Upcoming Events [https://gsa.acgov.org/do-business-with-us/upcoming-contracting-events/]

SPECIFICATIONS, TERMS & CONDITIONS

for

DRUG TESTING KITS AND LABORATORY SERVICES

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

ATTACHMENTS

EXHIBIT A Bid Response Packet

STATEMENT OF WORK

0. INTENT

It is the intent of these specifications, terms, and conditions to describe drug testing kits and laboratory services being requested by the County.

The County intends to award a three (3)-year contract (with the option to renew for two [2] years) to the Bidder selected as the most responsive and responsible Bidder whose response conforms to the RFP and meets the County’s requirements.

SCOPE/BACKGROUND

The Alameda County Probation Department (ACPD) requires oral fluid and urine drug testing kits, alcohol testing kits and any laboratory services required for routine court-ordered testing. ACPD will administer the tests themselves. ACPD requires the primary testing method be of urine and oral tests to be a secondary option.

These tests will detect methamphetamine, amphetamine, ecstasy, cocaine, opiates, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, heroin, methadone, oxycodone, phencyclidine, propoxyphene, tri-cyclic anti-depressants, tetrahydrocannabinol, synthetic cannabinoids, morphine, and other substances as required. All testing laboratories will confirm positive results and/or test negative results with enzyme immunoassay (EIA), gas chromatography (GC), and/or gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and/or liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS), to ensure compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). ACPD may require laboratory testing when confirmation of the on-site test result is needed.

BIDDER QUALIFICATIONS

0. BIDDER Minimum Qualifications Bidder must be regularly and continuously engaged in the business of providing laboratory testing supplies and services for at least five (5) years, which must be clearly stated or demonstrated in the bid response.

Bidder must possess all permits, licenses, and professional credentials necessary to supply products and perform services specified under this RFP. Unless noted otherwise in the RFP, including any Addendum, Bidder is not required to submit copies or verification of the permits, licenses and credentials; however, Bidder must provide such proof if requested by County.

SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

0. Contractor must provide reliable, timely, accurate, secure, and fully compliant drug testing supplies, laboratory confirmation services, and related support that ensure uninterrupted operations, preserve the integrity and admissibility of test results, maintain regulatory compliance and chain of custody, protect confidential information, and consistently meet the Alameda County Probation Department's operational, legal, and performance requirements throughout the contract term.

0. The laboratory used by the Contractor must have the following certifications (proof of these certifications must be included with bid submittal):

Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) certification, Certificate of Compliance (COC) or Certificate of Accreditation (COA) or Certificate of Waiver (CW);

California Department of Health Services Clinical Laboratory License; and State of California certification to provide Alcohol, Methadone, Amphetamine (AMP), Cocaine (COC), Opiates (OP), Phencyclidine (PCP), Barbiturates (BAR), Ecstasy (MDMA), and Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) testing or DEA Controlled Substance Registration Certificate for Analytical Labs.

Contractor must be able to provide a 24-hour turnaround time for supply orders and test results. ACPD may require a faster turnaround time under extenuating circumstances.

All laboratories responsible for testing specimens as a result of this RFP must possess and maintain a minimum of one or more of the following certifications/accreditations:

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA);

Department of Health and Human Services, Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment (CLIA) of 1988;

College of American Pathologists (CAP). This certification must be maintained during the term of any contract that may arise out of this RFP.

Product Qualification Criteria: Both urinalysis on-site devices and oral fluid on-site devices must include, but are not limited to, the following:

Device must not require any mixing of reagents or pretreatments/special handling of samples.

Test results must be easy to read and interpret decisively, without any need for subjective interpretation.

Device must not require refrigeration.

Drug testing cups must have a shelf life of at least 12 months from the date of manufacture when stored at room temperature.

Contractor must provide all supplies (i.e. specimen cups, labels, requisition forms, tamper-proof seals, etc.) required to perform on-site drug testing.

Device must be immunoassay-based on the principle of competitive binding.

Device must use colloidal gold technology or immunochromatographic technology.

Device must include built-in procedural controls that confirm sufficient specimen volume, adequate membrane wicking, and correct procedural technique.

Urinalysis On-Site Devices Minimum Criteria:

Device must be an integrated all-in-one collection cup, test, and transport system, thus eliminating exposure to and handling of urine samples. Cups must be capable of detecting at minimum the following fifteen substances at or below the cut-off levels specified:

Amphetamine (AMP) 1,000 mg/mL Alcohol 500 ng/mL Barbiturates (BAR) 300 mg/mL Benzodiazepines (BZO) 300 mg/mL Cocaine Metabolite (COC) 300 mg/mL Ecstasy (MDMA) 1,000 mg/mL Ketamine 100 ng/mL Medetomidine 750 ng/mL Methamphetamines (M-AMP) 1,000 mg/mL Nitazenes 1,000 ng/mL or the manufacturer’s validated screening cut-off for each detectable analogue Opiates (OPI) 2,000 mg/mL Oxycodone (OXY) 100 mg/ml Phencyclidine (PCP) 25 mg/ml Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) 50 mg/mL Xylazine 500 ng/mL Drug testing cups must be capable of producing test results within five (5) minutes.

Test results must be highly accurate and reliable, with performance data in the product insert demonstrating how the device compares to GC/MS test results.

Cup device must have built-in temperature strip to indicate validity of specimen.

Cup device must have built-in adulteration strip that tests for at minimum, three of the following: specific gravity and pH level, glucose and creatinine. The County would also prefer it to test for oxidants and nitrites.

Urinalysis on-site devices must have verified Federal Drug Administration (FDA) 510K clearance for commercial distribution. Bid responses must include a letter from the manufacturer certifying that the products they are offering passed the FDA-510K must be submitted. Failure to submit this certification may be grounds for disqualification.

Oral Fluid On-Site Devices Minimum Criteria:

Device must be an integrated all-in-one collection test and transport system. Drug combinations per device are to be at or below the cut-off levels specified as follows:

COC20/THC12/OPI40/MAMP50/AMP50/PCP10.

COC20/THC12/OPI40/MAMP50/AMP50/PCP10/BZO10.

COC20/THC12/OPI40/MAMP50/AMP50.

Contractor must specify available cut-off levels in each product offered as an attachment to the Description of the Proposed Testing Supplies. Contractor should provide and confirm the data.

Device must offer an indicator of proper sponge saturation and/or confirm optimal fluid collection amount for immediate results and subsequent laboratory confirmation, if needed.

Results from oral fluid device must be available in 10 minutes or less.

Results must be stable for a minimum of one hour.

Alcohol Products Saliva Test:

Contractor must provide an Instant Alcohol Saliva Test Strip that detects a saliva alcohol concentration (SAC) greater than 0.02% and must be an Ethyl Glucuronide (EtG) test.

Laboratory Drug and Alcohol Testing Services:

Multi-drug Comprehensive Panel testing with Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) Confirmation (Urine Lab Test).

Synthetic Cannabinoids (K2 / Spice Test).

Synthetic Stimulants (Bath Salts) to include Cathinone.

Laboratory Specifications: All laboratory services must include, but are not limited to, the following:

Contractor must collect and transport positive urine and oral fluid samples from Probation Department to the laboratory for verification testing.

“Collection” must mean ACPD will collect the specimen and package it for shipment using contractor supplied (prepaid) specimen shipping container, pouches, or boxes addressed to the testing laboratory Contractor must coordinate the transportation of the urine and/or oral fluid (specimen) to the laboratory and must provide the transportation via overnight delivery.

Contractor must provide toxicology analysis for drug abuse in human urine and/or human saliva.

Upon request, Contractor must confirm test positive results and/or test negative results and issue a final report.

Contractor must provide and maintain a secure, web-based reporting system that enables authorized County personnel to access, view, search, print, and download laboratory test results and related information throughout the term of the contract. At a minimum, the online reporting system must meet the following requirements:

The system must be available twenty-four (24) hours per day, seven (7) days per week, except during scheduled maintenance periods, and must maintain a minimum system availability (uptime) of 99.5 percent. ACPD must be notified within twenty-four (24) hours of any system outage, service disruption, or other event that materially impacts system availability.

Access to the system must be restricted to authorized County personnel through unique user accounts and secure authentication methods. Contractor must provide role-based access controls that limit user access based on assigned responsibilities.

All data transmitted between the County and the Contractor's system must be encrypted using industry-standard encryption protocols. Contractor must maintain appropriate administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect confidential and protected information.

The system must comply with the HIPAA, the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, applicable California privacy laws, and all other applicable federal and State information security requirements.

The system must provide the capability to:

Search laboratory results by participant, specimen identification number, case number, collection date, test type, and other searchable fields, as applicable;

View, print, and download laboratory reports in a commonly used electronic format (e.g., PDF);

Identify pending, completed, confirmed, and canceled laboratory tests;

Display specimen collection, receipt, testing, and reporting dates and times;

Display chain-of-custody status, where applicable; and Generate standard reports and export data in a format acceptable to the County.

Contractor must maintain audit logs documenting user access, modifications, and system activity and shall make such logs available to the County upon request, as permitted by applicable law.

Contractor must maintain all laboratory records and electronic reports in accordance with applicable federal and State record retention requirements and shall provide the County continued access to its records throughout the contract term.

Contractor must notify the County within twenty-four (24) hours of becoming aware of any cybersecurity incident, unauthorized access, system outage, or data breach that affects or may affect County data or system availability. Contractor shall provide regular status updates until the issue has been resolved.

Contractor must perform routine system maintenance in a manner that minimizes disruption to County operations and shall provide the County with advance notice of scheduled maintenance that may affect system availability.

Contractor must provide technical support during normal business hours and emergency support for critical system outages that affect the County's ability to access laboratory results.

Upon expiration or termination of the resulting contract, Contractor must provide the County, at no additional cost, with an electronic copy of all County-owned laboratory data and reports in a mutually agreed-upon format and shall securely dispose of County data remaining in Contractor's possession in accordance with applicable legal and contractual requirements.

Contractor must ensure privacy under the HIPAA.

Contractor must provide training on all aspects of the service at no additional cost including, but not limited to:

Ordering procedures;

Specimen collection and handling;

Packaging for shipment;

Specimen storage;

Online reporting;

Strict chain of custody procedures; and Training must either be in person or web-based.

Contractor must deliver routine supply orders within 24 hours after receipt of County order unless otherwise approved by the County. Initial laboratory screening results must be reported within 24 hours after laboratory receipt of specimen. Confirmatory laboratory testing requiring GC/MS or LC/MS/MS must be completed within 72 hours after laboratory receipt of specimen unless documented technical issues require additional analysis.

Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and/or liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) is required for all laboratory confirmation.

Contractor must provide all necessary supplies without cost. This includes prepaid overnight mailers, specimen labels, urine specimen bottles, chain of custody forms, and security seals.

Contractor must provide ongoing training to ACPD staff as needed, on the proper handling, administering, reading of tests, chain of custody procedures, and other related topics.

Warranty Requirements Contractor warrants:

products free from defects products meet manufacturer specifications products meet FDA clearance products are not expired replacement within five (5) business days Performance Requirements. Contractor must perform all services in a manner that ensures timely, accurate, secure, and uninterrupted drug testing supplies and laboratory services that support the Alameda County Probation Department's operational and court-related requirements. Contractor performance will be continuously monitored by the County throughout the contract term.

General Performance Contractor must perform all services in accordance with the requirements of this RFP, applicable federal, State of California, and local laws and regulations, manufacturer recommendations, and accepted laboratory industry standards.

Contractor must maintain all licenses, certifications, accreditations, permits, and registrations required to provide the products and services specified throughout the term of the contract.

Contractor must provide qualified personnel possessing the education, training, certifications, and experience necessary to perform all required services.

Contractor must designate a Contract Manager who will serve as the primary point of contact for all contract administration matters and shall have authority to resolve operational issues.

Contractor must maintain sufficient staffing and inventory levels to ensure uninterrupted services throughout the contract term.

Product Availability and Delivery Contractor must maintain adequate inventory to fulfill all routine County orders without interruption.

Contractor must deliver routine supply orders within twenty-four (24) hours after receipt of a County order unless otherwise approved by the County.

Contractor must notify the County immediately, but no later than one (1) business day after becoming aware of any anticipated inventory shortage, manufacturer backorder, product recall, or supply disruption that could affect contract performance.

No substitute product will be provided without prior written approval from the County.

Contractor must replace defective or damaged products at no additional cost to the County.

Laboratory Performance Contractor must provide initial laboratory screening results within twenty-four (24) hours after receipt of specimens by the laboratory.

Laboratory confirmation testing requiring GC/MS and/or LC-MS/MS must be completed within seventy-two (72) hours after laboratory receipt of specimens unless documented technical circumstances require additional testing.

Contractor must immediately notify the County of any laboratory delays that may impact required turnaround times.

Contractor must maintain documented chain-of-custody procedures for all specimens transported to and processed by the laboratory.

Contractor must maintain laboratory quality assurance procedures to ensure the accuracy and reliability of all testing performed.

Information Security and Confidentiality Contractor must maintain confidentiality of all County information and protected health information in accordance with the HIPAA, applicable California privacy laws, and all other applicable regulations.

Contractor must maintain secure electronic reporting systems utilizing password-protected user accounts, encryption of transmitted data, and role-based user access controls.

Contractor must immediately notify the County of any actual or suspected data breach, unauthorized disclosure, cybersecurity incident, or compromise affecting County information.

Customer Service Contractor must respond to routine County inquiries within one (1) business day.

Contractor must acknowledge urgent operational issues within two (2) hours during normal business hours.

Contractor must resolve routine service issues within five (5) business days unless otherwise approved by the County.

Contractor must provide ongoing technical assistance and customer support throughout the contract term.

Training Contractor must provide initial training prior to implementation covering all products, specimen collection procedures, chain of custody requirements, laboratory submission procedures, online reporting, and result interpretation.

Contractor must provide refresher training annually and additional training upon request when new products, procedures, or personnel changes occur.

All training must be provided at no additional cost to the County.

Business Continuity Contractor must maintain a documented Business Continuity Plan and Disaster Recovery Plan designed to ensure uninterrupted laboratory services and product availability.

Contractor must immediately notify the County of any event that could significantly affect contract performance.

Contractor must implement contingency measures to minimize service interruptions and restore normal operations as quickly as possible.

Quality Assurance Contractor must maintain a documented Quality Assurance Program covering all testing supplies, laboratory operations, specimen handling, reporting, and customer service.

Contractor must investigate all reported discrepancies or quality concerns and provide written corrective actions upon request by the County.

Contractor must cooperate with County audits and quality reviews during normal business hours.

Product Changes and Regulatory Compliance Contractor must notify the County at least thirty (30) calendar days prior to implementing any product, manufacturer, packaging, or testing methodology changes that may affect County operations.

Contractor must immediately notify the County of any FDA safety notices, recalls, manufacturer advisories, or regulatory actions affecting products supplied under this contract.

Contractor must remain compliant with all applicable CLIA, CAP, SAMHSA (if applicable), FDA, DEA, California Department of Public Health, and other applicable regulatory requirements throughout the contract term.

Performance Monitoring and Corrective Action The County reserves the right to monitor Contractor performance throughout the contract term.

If Contractor fails to meet any performance requirement, the County may require a written Corrective Action Plan identifying:

The cause of the deficiency;

Immediate corrective measures;

Preventive actions to avoid recurrence; and The implementation schedule.

Repeated failure to meet performance requirements may be considered a material breach of contract and may result in contract remedies as provided under the resulting agreement.

Performance Standards

DELIVERABLES / REPORTS

0. Contractor must provide monthly reports regarding the tests conducted, containing the following information:

Total number of tests done;

Number of positive drug results; and Breakdown of types of positive results by substance detected (i.e., THC, cocaine, PCP, etc.).

Number of confirmation tests Average turnaround Delayed tests Backorders Invalid specimens Chain of custody exceptions ACPD reserves the right to modify or change the type of reporting requested and the frequency that the reports are required.

BIDDERS CONFERENCE(S)/VENDOR OUTREACH

0. The Bidders Conference(s) held on the date(s) specified in the Calendar of Events will have online conference capabilities for remote participation. Bidders can opt to participate via a computer with a stable internet connection (the recommended Bandwidth is 512Kbps) at:

RFP No. 902769 Bidders Conference Meeting ID: 233 860 186 256 4 Passcode: iy7BK6qe

Dial in by phone +1 415-915-3950,,442351262# Phone conference ID: 442 351 262#

Join on a video conferencing device Tenant key: alamedacountyca@m.webex.com Video ID: 116 114 575 4

5. Vendor Outreach is usually conducted on Wednesdays at Vendor Outreach Link (Call-in: +1 415-915-3950; Conference ID: 504 517 635#). Dates and locations can be confirmed by checking at: Upcoming Events [https://gsa.acgov.org/do-business-with-us/upcoming-contracting-events/].

Information regarding the RFP will be presented during the conference(s). To get the best experience, the County recommends that Bidders who participate remotely use equipment with audio output such as speakers, headsets, or a telephone.

Bidders Conference(s) will be held to:

Provide an opportunity for Small Local Emerging Businesses (SLEBs) and large firms to network and develop subcontracting relationships to participate in the contract(s) that may result from this RFP.

Provide an opportunity for Bidders to request clarification on this RFP and ask specific questions about the project, goods, and services.

Provide the County with an opportunity to receive feedback related to this RFP.

The Bidders Conference(s) Attendees List will be released in a separate document.

Written questions submitted by the stated deadline will be addressed in a posted RFP Questions and Answers (Q&A) following the Bidders Conference(s). Should there be a need to amend or revise the RFP, an Addendum will be issued. Any verbal statements, including at any Bidders Conference(s) are not binding. Only the written documents will be binding.

Questions regarding these specifications, terms, and conditions are to be submitted in writing through the “Question & Answer” tab of this project in the County of Alameda Procurement Portal by 5:00 p.m. on the date specified in the Calendar of Events.

Attendance at the Bidders Conference(s) and Vendor Outreach are highly recommended but are not mandatory. Vendors who attend the Bidders ssConference(s) will be added to the Vendor Bid List.

COUNTY PROCEDURES, TERMS, AND CONDITIONS

EVALUATION CRITERIA / SELECTION COMMITTEE

1. Initial Evaluation (Completeness of Response and Debarment and Suspension). All proposals will first be reviewed to determine if they pass the initial Evaluation Criteria (Section A), which are determined on a pass/fail basis.

2. Evaluation by County Selection Committee. All proposals that have passed the initial Evaluation Criteria will be evaluated by a County Selection Committee (CSC). The CSC may be composed of County staff and other parties that may have expertise or experience related to the goods or services that are being procured. The CSC will score the proposals according to the Evaluation Criteria set forth in this RFP. Other than the initial pass/fail Evaluation Criteria, the evaluation of the proposals will be within the sole judgment and discretion of the CSC.

3. Unrealistic Bids. Bidders should bear in mind that any proposal that is unrealistic in terms of the technical or schedule commitments or unrealistically high or low in cost may be deemed reflective of an inherent lack of technical knowledge or indicative of a failure to comprehend the complexity and risk of the County’s requirements as set forth in this RFP.

4. Price Discrepancy. In the case of a discrepancy between the unit price and an extension, the unit price will be used for evaluation purposes.

5. Evaluation Criteria Descriptions. The items listed in the Evaluation Criteria should be considered as minimum requirements. All information contained in a proposal and presented in vendor interviews (if there are interviews) will be considered during the evaluation process and included in scoring within the appropriate Evaluation Criteria.

6. Evaluation Scores. Proposals will be evaluated and scored on the zero to five-point scale within each Evaluation Criteria below. Scores for all Evaluation Criteria (see the section below) will then be added, according to their assigned weight (below), to arrive at a weighted score for each proposal. A proposal with a higher-weighted total will be deemed of higher quality than a proposal with a lesser-weighted total.

7. Shortlist Process. The evaluation process may include a two-stage approach including a preliminary evaluation of the written proposal and preliminary scoring to develop a shortlist of Bidders that will continue to the final stage of optional vendor interview, and reference checks. The preliminary scoring will be based on the total points, excluding any points allocated to references, and optional vendor interview. The five (5) Bidders receiving the highest preliminary scores may advance to the next evaluation phase. All other Bidders will be deemed eliminated from the process. All Bidders will be notified of the shortlist participants; however, the preliminary scores at that time will not be communicated to Bidders.

8. Reference Checks. The County reserves the right to conduct reference check(s) on all Bidders who submitted a bid proposal. The CSC will then score the reference check(s), as identified in the Evaluation Criteria below, which will then be included in the final score.

9. Optional Vendor Interviews. The County may in its sole discretion, conduct vendor interviews. Should the County opt to conduct a vendor interview, the interview may include responding to standard and specific questions from the CSC regarding the Bidders’ proposal. Whether or not a shortlist process is used, the score of any evaluation criterion below may be revised or informed based on the vendor interview.

10. Final Score. The final maximum score for any procurement is 550 points, including the possible 50 points for local and small, local and emerging, or local preference points (maximum 10% of the final score; derived from 5% for local preference and 5% for either Small and Local or Emerging and Local preference). Proposals will be ranked by their final scores.

a. Without Vendor Interview. In procurements where there are no vendor interviews, the score received by the evaluation of the written proposal with the references score added will be the final score.

b. With Vendor Interview. In procurements where there are vendor interviews, the CSC will consider the interview and may adjust the scores received by the evaluation of the written proposal which, with the reference scores added, will be the final score.

11. Contact During Evaluation Process. All contact during the evaluation phase must be through the GSA-Procurement department only. Bidders must neither contact nor lobby CSC during the evaluation process. Attempts by Bidders to contact and/or influence members of the CSC may result in disqualification of Bidders.

12. Determining Award. As a result of this RFP, the County intends to award a contract to the highest-ranked responsible Bidder(s), as determined by the combined weight of the Evaluation Criteria, whose response conforms to the RFP and whose bid presents the greatest value to the County considering all Evaluation Criteria. The combined weight of the Evaluation Criteria is greater in importance than the cost in determining the best value to the County. The County may award a contract of higher qualitative competence over the lowest priced response.

13. The zero to five-point scale range is defined as follows:

14. The Evaluation Criteria and their respective weights are as follows:

Responses to this RFP must be complete. Responses must address all the requirements identified within this RFP and all related documents, including any Addenda. Failure to meet the Bidder Minimum Qualifications may also be considered an incomplete response and may result in the disqualification of the Bidder.

Pass/Fail

Bidders, its principal, and named subcontractors are not identified on the list of Federally debarred, suspended, or other excluded parties located at www.sam.gov/SAM.

Pass/Fail

The points for Cost will be computed by dividing the amount of the lowest responsive and responsible bid received by each Bidder’s total proposed cost.

Cost evaluation points may be adjusted by considering:

1. Reasonableness (i.e., how well does the proposed pricing accurately reflect the Bidder’s effort to meet requirements and objectives?).

2. Realism (i.e., is the proposed cost appropriate to the nature of the products and/or services to be provided? Is the price affordable to the County, including if costs exceed any budget contained in the RFP? ).

20 Points

Proposals will be evaluated considering the RFP specifications and the questions below:

1. How well does the Bidder demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the County's operational, legal, regulatory, and technical requirements, and provide an approach that meets or exceeds the requirements of the RFP?

2. To what extent does the proposed methodology for supplying testing products, laboratory confirmation services, chain of custody, reporting, training, customer support, and implementation demonstrate the ability to provide reliable, accurate, timely, and uninterrupted services?

3. How effectively does Bidder describe quality assurance processes, performance monitoring, corrective action procedures, business continuity planning, inventory management, and risk mitigation to ensure consistent contract performance?

4. How well does Bidder’s online reporting system, information security measures, data management, and cybersecurity approach support the County's operational and confidentiality requirements?

5. How well does Bidder’s proposed services demonstrate their ability to successfully achieve the County's desired performance outcomes throughout the contract term?

30 Points

Proposals will be evaluated, including considering the RFP specifications and the questions below:

1. To what extent does the Bidder demonstrate successful experience providing comparable drug testing supplies and laboratory services for public agencies, probation departments, correctional agencies, courts, or similarly regulated organizations?

1. How comparable are Bidder’s previous projects in terms of size, scope, complexity, regulatory requirements, and service levels to those required under this RFP?

1. How well does the proposal demonstrate successful performance in meeting laboratory turnaround times, maintaining chain of custody, regulatory compliance, and customer service expectations?

1. To what extent do Bidder’s references, performance history, and documented outcomes demonstrate successful long-term contract performance and customer satisfaction?

1. How well does Bidder’s previous experience demonstrate the ability to successfully perform this contract with minimal performance risk?

20 Points

Proposals will be evaluated, including considering the RFP specifications and the questions below:

1. To what extent does the Bidder demonstrate that the Bidder and proposed laboratory possess and maintain all licenses, certifications, accreditations, and regulatory approvals required by the RFP?

2. How well does the Bidder demonstrate that the Bidder has qualified personnel, organizational resources, and operational capacity necessary to successfully perform the contract?

3. To what extent does the Bidder demonstrate compliance with applicable federal and State regulatory requirements governing drug testing, laboratory services, privacy, and information security?

4. How well does the Bidder demonstrate the Bidder's ability to maintain required certifications, staffing, and operational capabilities throughout the contract term?

5. How well does the Bidder demonstrate they possess the organizational qualifications and credentials necessary to successfully perform the required services?

20 Points

10 Points

Should the County opt to conduct a vendor interview, the interview may include responding to standard and specific questions from the CSC regarding the Bidder’s proposal. Whether or not a shortlist process is used, the scores of any evaluation criterion above may be revised or informed based on the vendor interview.

Vendor Interview may be used to revise / inform scores of criteria above

SMALL LOCAL EMERGING BUSINESS PREFERENCE

0. CONTRACT EVALUATION AND ASSESSMENT

During the initial 120-day period of any contract awarded, the County may review the proposal, the contract, any goods or services provided, and/or meet with the Contractor to identify any issues or potential problems.

The County reserves the right to determine, at its sole discretion, whether:

The Contractor has complied with all terms of this RFP and the contract; and Any problems or potential problems with the proposed goods and/or services were evidenced, which makes it unlikely (even with possible modifications) that such goods and/or services have met or will meet the County requirements.

If, as a result of such determination, the County concludes that it is not satisfied with the Contractor’s performance under any awarded contract and/or Contractor’s goods and services as contracted for therein, the Contractor may be notified that the contract is being terminated. The Contractor must be responsible for returning County facilities to their original state at no charge to the County. The County will have the right to invite the next qualified Bidder(s) to enter into a contract. The County also reserves the right to re-bid this project if it is determined to be in its best interest to do so. The County’s right to go to the next qualified Bidder(s) and/or rebid is not limited by the award of a contract or the 120-day period.

NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD

1. At the conclusion of the RFP response evaluation period, all Bidders will be notified in writing by email or US Postal Service mail of the contract award recommendation, if any, by GSA-Procurement. The document providing this notification is the Notice of Intent to Award/Non-Award.

The Notice of Intent to Award/Non-Award will provide the following information:

The name(s) of the Bidder(s) being recommended for contract award; and The names of all other parties that submitted proposals.

The submitted proposals will be made available upon request no later than five calendar days before approval of the award and contract is scheduled to be considered by the Board of Supervisors.

BID PROTEST / APPEALS PROCESS

The County of Alameda prides itself on the establishment of fair and competitive contracting procedures and the commitment made to follow those procedures. The following is provided in the event that Bidders wish to protest the bid process or appeal the recommendation to award a contract once the Notices of Intent to Award/Non-Award have been issued. Bid protests submitted prior to issuance of the Notices of Intent to Award/Non-Award will not be accepted by the County.

1. Any bid protest must be submitted in writing by 5:00 p.m. on the SEVENTH (7th) calendar day following the date of issuance of the Notice of Intent to Award/ Non-Award, not the date received by the Bidder. The bid protest must be submitted to the office that has been designated for review of protests for this procurement (the Protest Evaluator). For this procurement, the Protest Evaluator is:

GSA–Office of Acquisition Policy ATTN: Contract Compliance Officer 1401 Lakeside Drive, 10th Floor, Oakland, CA 94612 Email: GSA-BidProtests@acgov.org

A bid protest received after 5:00 p.m. is considered received as of the next calendar day. A protest received after 5:00 p.m. on the SEVENTH (7th) calendar day following the date of issuance of the Notice of Intent to Award/Non-Award will not be considered under any circumstances by the Protest Evaluator or their designee.

Generally, the County will promptly send an email acknowledging receipt of the protest; it is the responsibility of the protestor to confirm that the protest was timely received.

The bid protest must contain a complete statement of the reasons and facts for the protest.

The protest must refer to the specific portions of all documents that form the basis for the protest.

The protest must include the name, address, email address, and telephone number of the person submitting the protest on behalf of the protesting party.

The Contract Specialist will send a notification to Bidders if a protest is received.

The Protest Evaluator, or their designee, will review and evaluate the protest and issue a written decision. The Protest Evaluator may, at its discretion, do any of the following: investigate the protest, obtain additional information, provide an opportunity to settle the protest by mutual agreement, and/or schedule a meeting(s) with the protesting Bidder and others (as appropriate) to discuss the protest. The decision on the bid protest must be final prior to the Board hearing.

A notification of the decision will be communicated by email and/or US Postal Service mail to the protestor. Notification will be provided to Bidders when a decision has been made on the protest and whether or not the recommendation to the Board of Supervisors in the Notice of Intent to Award/ Non-Award will stand.

The decision on the bid protest by the Protest Evaluator may be appealed to the Auditor-Controller's Office of Contract Compliance & Reporting (OCCR) located at 1221 Oak St., Room 249, Oakland, CA 94612, Email: OCCR@acgov.org, unless the OCCR determines that it has a conflict of interest in which case an alternate will be identified to hear the appeal and all steps to be taken by OCCR will be performed by the alternate. The Bidder whose bid is the subject of the protest, all Bidders affected by the Protest Evaluator's decision on the protest, and the protestor have the right to appeal if they feel the Protest Evaluator's decision is incorrect. All appeals to the Auditor-Controller's OCCR must be in writing and submitted within SEVEN (7) calendar days following the issuance of the decision, not the date the decision is received by the Bidder. An appeal received after 5:00 p.m. is considered received as of the next calendar day. An appeal received after 5:00 p.m. on the SEVENTH (7th) calendar day following the date of issuance of the decision by the Protest Evaluator will not be considered under any circumstances by the Auditor-Controller OCCR or their designee.

The appeal must specify the decision being appealed and all the facts and circumstances relied upon in support of the appeal.

In reviewing protest appeals, the OCCR will not re-judge the proposal(s). The appeal to the OCCR must be limited to a review of the procurement process to determine if the contracting department materially erred in following the bid or, if applicable, County contracting policies or other laws and regulations.

The appeal to the OCCR must be limited to the grounds raised in the original protest and the written decision by the Protest Evaluator. As such, a Bidder is prohibited from stating new grounds for a Bid protest in its appeal.

The Auditor’s Office may overturn the results of a bid process for ethical violations by Procurement staff, County Selection Committee members, subject matter experts, or any other County staff managing or participating in the competitive bid process, regardless of timing or the contents of a bid protest.

The finding of the Auditor-Controller’s OCCR is the final step of the appeal process. A copy of the finding of the Auditor-Controller’s OCCR will be furnished to the protestor.

The finding on the appeal must be issued before a recommendation to award the contract is considered and contract awarded by the Board of Supervisors.

The procedures and time limits set forth in this section are mandatory and are each Bidder's sole and exclusive remedy in the event of a bid protest. A Bidder’s failure to timely complete both the bid protest and appeal procedures will be deemed a failure to exhaust administrative remedies. Failure to exhaust administrative remedies, or failure to comply otherwise with these procedures, will constitute a waiver of any right to further pursue the bid protest, including filing a Government Code Claim or legal proceedings.

TERM / TERMINATION / RENEWAL

1. The contract term, which may be awarded pursuant to this RFP, will be three (3) years.

By mutual agreement, any contract, which may be awarded pursuant to this RFP, may be extended for an additional two (2) years.

The County has and reserves the right to suspend, terminate or abandon the execution of any work, services and/or providing of goods by the Contractor without cause at any time upon giving the Contractor prior written notice. In the event that the County should abandon, terminate or suspend the Contractor’s work, services and/or providing of goods, the Contractor will be entitled to payment for services provided hereunder prior to the effective date of said suspension, termination, or abandonment. The County may terminate the contract at any time for cause without written notice upon a material breach of contract or substandard or unsatisfactory performance by the Contractor. In the event of termination with cause, the County reserves the right to seek any and all damages from the Contractor. In the event of such termination, with or without cause, the County reserves the right to invite the next highest-ranked Bidder to enter into a contract or rebid the project if it is determined to be in its best interest to do so.

BRAND NAMES AND APPROVED EQUIVALENTS

1. Any references in this RFP, including Addendum and other documents, to manufacturers’ trade names, brand names, and/or catalog numbers are intended to be descriptive but not restrictive unless otherwise stated and are intended to indicate the quality level desired. Unless otherwise noted, Bidders may offer any equivalent product that meets or exceeds the specifications; however, if the County, in its sole discretion, determines the product proposed is not equivalent, the Bid may be disqualified, or a lower score awarded by the CSC. Bids based on equivalent products must:

Clearly describe the alternate offered and indicate how it differs from the product specified; and Include complete descriptive literature and/or specifications as PDF attachments to the online bid submission as proof that the proposed alternate will be equal to or better than the product named in this RFP.

The County reserves the right to be the sole judge of what is equal and acceptable. It may require Bidders to provide additional information and/or samples or disqualify the bid proposal.

If Bidders do not specify otherwise, it is understood that the referenced brand will be supplied.

QUANTITIES

Quantities listed herein are estimates and are not to be construed as a commitment. No minimum or maximum is guaranteed or implied.

PRICING

1. All pricing as quoted will not increase, but except as noted below, remain fixed and firm for the term of any contract that may be awarded as a result of this RFP.

Unless otherwise stated, Bidder agrees that, in the event of a price decline, the benefit of such a lower price will be extended to the County.

Reasonable price increases or decreases for subsequent contract terms may be negotiated between Contractor and County…