blank_form_for_macroinvertebrates.csv

The file is a blank CSV template for macroinvertebrate sampling data, associated with a Request for Proposal (RFP) issued by the Tennessee Department of Health Division of Laboratory Services (TDH-DLS). The procurement seeks up to eight vendors to provide comprehensive scientific services for analyzing water samples, specifically targeting 1,593 Kick/Bank Samples for Semiquantitative Macroinvertebrate Genus identification, along with 160 samples each for Sorting QA/QC and Taxonomic QA/QC. The contract is a multi-year agreement spanning three years with two optional one-year renewals, totaling a potential 60-month period. The proposal is due by June 25, 2025, with an anticipated contract start date of July 2, 2025, and all samples will be shipped to Laboratory Services in Nashville, Tennessee.

The procurement emphasizes vendor qualifications, requiring at least one staff member to hold taxonomic certification from the Society of Freshwater Science and limiting resources to US-based personnel. Vendors must provide comprehensive insurance coverage and demonstrate compliance with state requirements, including Tennessee Department of Revenue registration. The contract will be awarded using a multi-vendor, lowest-cost methodology, with vendors ranked by proposed cost and sample allocation following a cascading distribution method. The solicitation encourages diversity business participation, specifically seeking engagement with minority-owned, woman-owned, service-disabled veteran-owned, disabled-owned, and small business enterprises. Vendors are required to use the Edison system for proposal submission and must be prepared to identify 160-240 organisms per subsample, maintain chain of custody, and report results within 60 calendar days of sample receipt.