ESBD_367429_1720552077511_302-24-Parentage Testing Services.pdf

Request for Information

PARENTAGE TESTING SERVICES

Posting Number: 302-24-Parentage Testing Services

CLASS: 193 ITEM: 89

CLASS: 475 ITEM: 95

CLASS: 920 ITEM: 30

CLASS: 948 ITEM: 48

CLASS: 952 ITEM: 48

CLASS: 961 ITEM: 50

Version 1.0

Posting Date: July 9, 2024 Response Deadline: August 16, 2024 5:00 p.m. Central Standard Time (CST)

Office of the Attorney General

State of Texas i

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 INTRODUCTION

2 DISCLAIMER

3 PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT

4 BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

4.1 Background

4.2 Current Environment

4.3 OAG Objectives

5 GENERAL INFORMATION AND RESPONSE INSTRUCTIONS

5.1 Point of Contact Information

5.2 Response Submission Instructions

Parentage Testing Services, v1.0 PAGE 1 OF 3

1 INTRODUCTION

The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) Child Support Division (CSD) is the state agency responsible for the Texas child support program under Title IV-D of the Social Security Act. This includes collecting and disbursing child support payments on behalf of custodial parents and participating in federal programs such as Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), Medicaid, and Foster Care recovery.

The OAG CSD assists parents in obtaining the financial support necessary for the well-being and development of their children. To encourage parental responsibility, the OAG CSD establishes paternity of children, establishes court orders for financial and medical support, and enforces support orders.

The OAG CSD is currently seeking information from vendors who provide DNA testing services.

Information regarding tools, technologies, and solutions should address the stated objectives but does not need to be solely limited to those objectives. Information regarding applicable industry standards, best practices, potential performance measures, cost structures, or pricing methodologies and any across-the-board, comprehensive, integrated solution that addresses other related issues is welcome.

2 DISCLAIMER

The intent of this Request for Information (RFI) is to obtain information. It is not a formal request for a bid. There will be no award or contract developed from a response to this RFI. If the OAG decides to acquire any products or services based on the information submitted in response to this RFI, the appropriate procurement method will be used. The OAG offers no assurance or guarantee that a solicitation for procurement will result from this RFI.

This RFI is being issued on behalf of the OAG CSD. Vendors are invited to provide budget information and describe potential services or solutions for planning purposes only.

Expenses incurred in developing, preparing or submitting any information, documentation or other materials in response to this RFI and/or by attending meetings directly or indirectly related to this RFI are entirely the responsibility of the vendors and will neither be paid nor reimbursed by the OAG or any agency of the State of Texas. Vendors develop, prepare or submit any information, documentation or other materials in response to this RFI at their own risk and expense. All information, documentation or other materials submitted in response to this RFI become the property of the OAG. Vendors should retain submission copies for their records. The OAG reserves the right to use any and all ideas presented in any response.

3 PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT

As a state agency, the OAG will strictly adhere to the requirements of (a) Chapter 441, Subchapter L of the Texas Government Code regarding the preservation, management, and retention of state records and

(b) Chapter 552 of the Texas Government Code (the “Texas Public Information Act”) regarding the disclosure of public information. As a result, by participating in this RFI process the vendor acknowledges that all submitted information, documentation, and other materials may (a) constitute state records for the purposes of Chapter 441, subchapter L of the Texas Government Code and (b) be subject to public disclosure under the Texas Public Information Act.

The OAG CSD is without authority to agree that any information submitted will not be subject to disclosure. Disclosure is governed by the Texas Public Information Act (the "Act"), Chapter 552 of the Texas Government Code. Under the Act, all information held by governmental bodies is open to public disclosure unless it falls within one of the Act's specific exceptions to disclosure. Vendors are advised to consult with their legal counsel concerning disclosure issues resulting from this RFI process and to take precautions to safeguard trade secrets and other proprietary information. The OAG will have no liability to the vendor or any other person or entity for disclosing information in accordance with the Texas Public Information Act.

If it is necessary for a vendor to include proprietary or otherwise confidential information in its response, the vendor must clearly mark all copies of the proprietary or otherwise confidential information, documentation, or materials that are being provided to the OAG with a written notice identifying the

Parentage Testing Services, v1.0 PAGE 2 OF 3 specific exception(s) to disclosure under the Texas Public Information Act that the vendor claims apply to such information, documentation, or material. Subchapter C of the Texas Public Information Act sets forth the Act’s exceptions to the required disclosure of information. Please note that claiming a disclosure exception for provided information does not automatically render such information confidential. Further, merely making a blanket claim that all of the submitted information is protected from disclosure because it contains some proprietary information is not acceptable and shall not render the entire submission confidential. Any information that is not clearly identified as proprietary or confidential shall be deemed to be subject to disclosure pursuant to the Act.

In the event that the OAG receives a request under the Texas Public Information Act for a copy of any information, documentation, or other material for which an exception to required disclosure under the Act is claimed, the OAG will undertake its best efforts to provide the vendor with notice of the request for release of provided information and afford the vendor the opportunity to brief the facts that bring the information under the applicable exceptions of the Act. The vendor will submit the brief to the Open Records Division of the OAG. The Open Records Division is the division within the OAG that governmental bodies (including divisions of the OAG) seeking to withhold information under the Public Information Act must apply to for a decision on whether the information is excepted from disclosure. It is not possible to obtain a decision prior to a request for public disclosure being made since the Open Records Division does not render advisory opinions.

The OAG shall not have the obligation or duty to advocate the confidentiality of the vendor’s material to the Open Records Division of the OAG or to any other person or entity. It is the vendor’s sole obligation to advocate the confidential or proprietary nature of any information it provides in its response, and the vendor acknowledges that the Open Records Division of the OAG may determine that all or part of any claimed confidential or proprietary information should be disclosed.

As provided for in the Texas Public Information Act, upon request from a member of the Legislature when needed for legislative purposes, the OAG may release the vendor’s entire response, including alleged confidential or proprietary information.

Additionally, so that the OAG may contact the vendor concerning any public information requests it receives for the vendor’s response, the vendor will provide contact information to the OAG, including a phone number and email address for the named individual responsible for responding to such inquiries.

For more information on the Public Information Act’s processes and procedures, refer to Chapter 552, Texas Government Code.

4 BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

4.1 Background

The Texas child support program is currently the largest in the United States – by both caseload and dollars collected. The OAG CSD currently has over 1.5 million cases and collects over $4.4 billion dollars annually for Texas families.

The determination of parentage is a crucial step in the lifecycle of a child support case. It is the precursor to the establishment of support orders and affects all parties involved. The determination of parentage is established by either the signing of a valid Acknowledgement of Paternity or by an adjudication by a court (Texas Family Code § 160.102(5)). The results of genetic testing, if in accordance with the Uniform Parentage Act, are admissible in a proceeding to adjudicate parentage (Texas Family Code § 160.621).

4.2 Current Environment

The OAG currently has a state Parentage Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) testing service contract in place.

This contract includes sample collection and processing, genetic testing results reporting, and litigation support services.

4.3 OAG Objectives

The OAG is issuing this RFI to gather information about the current state of the art for scheduling, testing, documenting, and communicating test results.

https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/GV/htm/GV.552.htm https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/GV/htm/GV.552.htm

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5 GENERAL INFORMATION AND RESPONSE INSTRUCTIONS

5.1 Point of Contact Information

The Sole Point of Contact for this RFI is:

Sarah Whitsitt CTCD Procurement and Contract Operations Division

(512) 463-6353 sarah.whitsitt@oag.texas.gov

Vendors should not contact other OAG personnel concerning this RFI except as permitted by the Sole Point of Contact.

5.2 Response Submission Instructions

The RFI response deadline is August 16, 2024, 5:00 p.m. CST.

Please organize your response around the questions below. Also, please elaborate as needed and describe any other things the OAG should consider regarding Parentage Testing Services.

5.2.1 General Requirements

5.2.1.1 Describe the following:

• Your company's appointment scheduling system, including how you handle cancelations, no-shows, and rescheduled appointments

• The chain of custody procedures

• The geographic regions (e.g., state, national, international, military, and incarceration) where your company provides services

5.2.2 Collection Methods

5.2.2.1 Describe your company’s process for the following:

• Sample collections for scheduled, unscheduled (drop-in), military, and incarceration appointments

• Collection methods

5.2.2.2 Does your company provide self-collection kits? What is your process for delivering self-collection kits to various locations?

5.2.3 Testing Accreditation

5.2.3.1 Does your company comply with Texas Family Code §160.503? If not, what accreditations does your company have?

5.2.4 Lab Methods

5.2.4.1 Describe the following:

• What process does your lab(s) follow and comply with?

• What is the production turnaround time?

5.2.5 Scheduling and Results Process

5.2.5.1 Describe how your system receives and provides information to large volume customers in an automated manner. Information includes:

• Test order scheduling, rescheduling, and cancelation

• Interim updates regarding show/no-show parties

• Results provided to clients and large volume customers

• Other information received from and communicated to customers

5.2.6 Other Parentage Testing Service Items the OAG Should Consider mailto:sarah.whitsitt@oag.texas.gov

5.2.6 Other Parentage Testing Service Items the OAG Should Consider