Appendix A- Genetic Testing Services - General Tasks and Timelines.pdf

Appendix A - Genetic Parentage Testing Services - General Tasks and Timelines

A. Locations: Domestic Relations Section(s) (DRS) of the County Courts of Common Pleas. County DRS information is provided in Appendix B. DRSs shall collect tissue samples as often as possible, excluding collections involving family members of employees and co-workers. Additionally, it will be the responsibility of the Offeror(s) to collect tissue samples in all cases where a party may be incarcerated, and the DRS staff is restricted from collecting tissue samples per county union requirements. Collections for incarcerated parties must be made within thirty (30) calendar days of the notification provided to the DRS. The sample must be collected at the incarceration location.

B. Offeror(s) must be able to test cases where the mother is not available (motherless calculations).

C. Offeror(s) must be able to test cases where the father is not available and either the father’s tissue sample is available or tissue from father’s relatives is available (fatherless calculations).

D. Offeror(s) shall provide data on any re-collection of tissue samples, including the reason for any re-collection and the number of re-collections of tissue samples the Offeror(s) conducts.

E. Information Safeguards – Pursuant to all access, utilization, storage, and disposal of any data collected, Offeror(s) will comply with all applicable provisions related to safeguarding of information in accordance with 45 CFR 307.13 and any applicable Federal and State laws and regulations (23 PA C.S. §4301 et seq. and 5101, et seq.).

F. Offeror(s) shall respond to DRS phone calls and emails within two business days. Issues should be resolved within five business days.

G. The Offeror(s) shall be responsible to notify the County or Court within 48 hours of party’s attendance or non-attendance at the genetic test appointment at any site. This will be accomplished using web-based reporting and email.

H. Identification: Offeror(s) must adhere to an acceptable system for identifying the parties in the support case appearing for tissue collection including but not limited to:

1. Adult parties must have valid government-issued photo identification (i.e., state, military, school, or passport).

2. Thumbprints may be taken (upon DRS/County request, at no extra charge) for mother, father, and children two (2) years old and older.

3. Photo to be taken with either a Polaroid or digital camera from chest up with client looking into camera. Mom and child may be photographed together. Alleged father is to be photographed separately.

4. Clients must sign photograph verifying the photo is them.

5. When tested together, the parties must also identify each other. Signatures on forms and photos must be compared to signature on government issued photo ID.

I. The Offeror(s) shall be responsible for notification to the Court of attendance for parties scheduled for collection of tissue samples.

The Offeror(s) is responsible for management of inter-county and intergovernmental genetic testing. The Offeror(s) shall take into account federal regulations, including 45 CFR 303.7(e) that states in part that “the responding IV-D agency must pay the costs it incurs in processing intergovernmental IV-D cases, including the costs of genetic testing.”

J. In cases where the County is the responding jurisdiction in an intergovernmental paternity case, the Offeror(s) must agree to perform the necessary tissue testing and bill the responding jurisdiction directly in conformance with the regulations.

K. The Offeror(s) may provide a computer that shall have the capabilities to perform the required functions for the technician at the collection site to enable the technician to communicate with the agency staff by email. If provided, maintenance/upgrades of the computer will be Offeror(s)’s responsibility. The technician must have access to the Offeror(s)’s web site to view the status of the test results.

L. The Offeror(s) shall provide any other equipment the technicians will need to operate and maintain the testing facilities including two (2) cameras (Polaroid or digital) including any accessories needed to operate. The cameras must be of a high quality with latest technological capabilities able to provide close up facial pictures that have a zoom feature that will print high quality, clear color pictures. They shall have at least 8.1 megapixels, 3x optical zoom, digital image stabilizer, and face detection. A photo printer with at least 48-bit color scanner, 4800 x 1200 dpi may also be provided. Other equipment may include telephone, fax or copier machine, printer, supplies, refrigerator, etc. Any equipment provided at an agency location will be subject to on-site inspections.

M. Specimen Collector requirements. – Some locations for DNA Testing require the Offeror to provide a specimen collector. See Appendix B for current DRS addresses and estimated amount of time per month a specimen collector is needed at specific locations.

1. Specimen Collectors’ responsibilities:

a. Maintaining all necessary records, work logs, and tracking logs

b. Preparing reports as needed

c. Collecting buccal swab samples, using the established methods of storing, documenting, and shipping specimen samples as outlined.

The Offeror(s) shall provide a sufficient number of specimen collectors to work on-site at requesting locations, including but not limited to, multiple specimen collectors on an “as needed” basis. The DRS Genetic Testing Coordinator shall provide seven (7) calendar days email notice of the date the specimen collectors are required as well as the number of specimen collectors that are required.

N. Specimen Collection:

1. The Offeror(s) must be capable of collecting tissue samples by means of a routine non-invasive acceptable "buccal swab" or other similar acceptable procedure.

Buccal swab specimens are obtained using cotton or synthetic swabs to collect cells by gently stroking the lining of the inner cheek of the mouth. These cells contain the DNA required to perform parentage testing.

2. The Offeror(s) shall be able to arrange for a blood sample when deemed necessary.

3. DRS staff may collect swab specimens or have staff that supervises the parties as they swab themselves in some locations.

Hours: Shall be 7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. as required by specific locations as they will vary.

O. Pick-Up and Transportation:

1. The Commonwealth’s requirements for specimen pickup and transportation include acceptance via U.S. mail or private package delivery service (including overnight delivery), as well as pick up at no additional charge to Commonwealth facilities.

Appropriate procedure manuals, instructions, shipping materials, specimen collection kits, and any other necessary materials shall be provided to agencies as required.

2. Interstate/UIFSA/IFSA Long Arm Collections: The Offeror(s) will provide UIFSA/IFSA and Long Arm coordination. This service may be required within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, throughout the United States and internationally.

P. Testing:

1. Requirements for Tissue Sample Collection and Identification of the Person to Be

Tested:

a. Alternative Draw Site: Offeror(s) agrees to designate an alternative draw site should the agency elect to utilize this option. If the client does not show up for the scheduled date and time of the draw, the Offeror(s) must notify the DRS within three (3) to five (5) business days. If there is a date and time mix up, every reasonable effort must be made to accommodate or reschedule the appointment time with the client within three (3) to five (5) business days. The Offeror(s) will provide the DRS with a schedule report of who is being tested and date and time of the draw.

b. Test results are required within five (5) to ten (10) business days of receipt at the genetic testing laboratory. The Offeror(s) is to provide both a DNA Test Report (with redacted genetic markers) and a DNA Conclusion Report (with genetic markers identified) to the DRS. Results are to be emailed to the DRS. A hardcopy of the results may be mailed upon request by a DRS on those rare occasions when legal court matters do not support an electronic copy.

c. The test findings and conclusions presented, must either establish that the putative father is excluded (direct exclusion) by the test or tests performed, or provide that the probability of paternity is 99% or greater.

d. The Offeror(s) shall provide the name, position within the company, and qualifications of each individual who will be authorized to sign the report of findings.

e. In the event of out of state or out of country cases, the Offeror(s) shall perform the genetic testing in the manner prescribed by that jurisdiction.

f. Upon contract end, the Offeror(s) shall complete all tests begun under the contract.