ESBD_491667_1772630599256_582-27-00030-Addendum 1-Pre-Proposal Conference-Final_ESBD.pdf

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality P.O. Box 13087, MC 182

Austin, Texas 78711-3087

Addendum Number 1

Request for Proposal (RFP) Solicitation 582-27-00030

Laboratory Analysis Services

March 4, 2026

RESPONSES DUE DATE: March 23, 2026, no later than 3:00 PM Central Time

Attached are the Pre-Proposal Conference presentation and attendee roster (Sign-In).

ISSUED BY: Yvette Owens, Contract Specialist DATE 3/4/2026

Note to Respondent: Respondent is requested to acknowledge receipt of this addendum by signing and dating on the space below, and including this page along with your response.

Responses may be considered non-responsive if this cover page is not signed and returned. To view the solicitation package, visit the Texas Marketplace website at http://www.txsmartbuy.com/sp.

Signature/Date

Page 1 of 37 RFP: 582-27-00030 Laboratory Analysis Services

Addendum 1 http://www.txsmartbuy.com/sp

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality P.O. Box 13087, MC 182

Austin, Texas 78711-3087

ADDENDUM NUMBER 1

Request for Proposal (RFP) Solicitation 582-27-00030

Laboratory Analysis Services

*Important Notice to Vendors*

This addendum is issued to share information presented during the Pre-Proposal Conference. Please review the following attachments:

• Exhibit A – Pre-Proposal Conference Presentation This PDF contains the PowerPoint presentation from the conference, including key deadlines, process logistics, and technical highlights.

Note: This document is for informational purposes only. Do not include Exhibit A in your proposal submission.

• Exhibit B – Pre-Proposal Conference Sign-In Sheet This document lists attendees from the conference and may assist in developing your HUB subcontracting plan.

Note: This document is also for informational purposes only. Do not include Exhibit B in your proposal submission.

Page 2 of 37 RFP: 582-27-00030 Laboratory Analysis Services

Exhibit A:

Pre-Proposal Conference PowerPoint Presentation

Page 3 of 37 RFP: 582-27-00030

Pre-Proposal Conference

Office of Compliance & Enforcement (OCE) Program Support and Environmental Assistance Division (PSEAD)

Request for Proposal (RFP)

582-27-00030

Agenda

• Opening Remarks

• Introduction

• Housekeeping

• Response Requirements

• VetHUB (HUB) Requirements

• Scope of Work

• Legal Considerations

• Closing Remarks

582-27-00030 Laboratory Analysis Services

Introduction

Yvette Owens Contract Specialist, Procurement & Contracts

Demetria Avery Contract Specialist, Procurement & Contracts

Claribel Diaz VetHUB (HUB) Program Coordinator

Sonya Riebock Contract Manager, Program Support and Environmental Assistance Division

Tom Heitman Work Lead, Program Support and Environmental Assistance Division

Ryan Esparza Attorney, General Law Division

Housekeeping

Please respond to the questionnaire. This serves as your sign-in. The link is in the Q&A section of the Town Hall Event.

Attendees cannot be heard during the conference.

If you have a comment or question, please type it in the Q&A chat.

Q&A periods will be offered at the end of each segment.

Enter your questions in the Q&A chat, and they will be addressed during each Q&A period.

Housekeeping cont’d. • NOTE: Any comments, remarks, or communication expressed during this conference do not affect or change any aspect of the solicitation.

• NOTE: Any official changes will be in writing and will be posted as an addendum to the Electronic State Business Daily (ESBD).

• Please submit all questions in writing via email to procurements&contracts@tceq.texas.gov.

• Communication with TCEQ personnel regarding this solicitation is restricted to P&C Contract Specialist.

Failure to adhere could result in your proposal being subject to disqualification.

mailto:procurements&contracts@tceq.texas.gov

Response Requirements Deadline for submittal of questions: March 6, 2026, at 3:00 PM (Central Time)

Must be in writing and submitted via email to procurement&contracts@tceq.texas.gov.

Deadline for submittal of proposals: March 23, 2026, at 3:00 PM (Central Time)

The Response (proposal) must be signed and submitted as one Adobe portable document format (PDF) searchable file via TCEQ’s File Transfer Protocol Secure (FTPS) Server. The price form is also submitted as an excel document.

NO OTHER MEDIA PLATFORM IS ACCEPTED

Please note: Responses uploaded to TCEQ’s FTPS server without completing the share file(s) steps will not be considered as submitted.

Refer to page 6 for details using TCEQ’s FTPS Server.

*ALL SUBMISSIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY ESTABLISHED DEADLINES*

Read the solicitation thoroughly!

Ensure all required documents and signatures are included with proposal.

Refer to Section 4 of the solicitation, starting on page 84.

mailto:Procurements&Contracts@tceq.texas.gov

Response Requirements, cont’d.

Evaluation Criteria

10 POINTS Organization

15 POINTS Qualifications and Key Personnel

20 POINTS Past Performance

35 POINTS Sample Work Plan

Pass/Fail Price Form

20 POINTS Price

100 POINTS Total Maximum Points

Refer to “Evaluation Criteria” starting on page 41 of the solicitation

582-27-00030 Laboratory Analysis Services 8

Response Requirements, cont’d Responder’s Signature and Information

Remember to Sign and Date

See page 85 of Solicitation

Response Contents

Response Contents Organization

See page 86 of Solicitation

Sample Contract Review & Exceptions

• Review the provided sample contract carefully.

• Submit all objections or exceptions to Terms and Conditions or Insurance requirements with your proposal.

• Tab Other

This is the time to provide this information!

Response Requirements 2

Questions?

VetHUB

Presented by:

Claribel Diaz

VetHUB (HUB) Program Coordinator

Texas Statewide Veteran Heroes

United in Business (VetHUB) Program

Claribel Diaz – VetHUB (HUB) Program Coordinator

VetHUB (HUB) Program State: The State of Texas’ Veterans Heroes United in Business VetHUB Program was created to promote full and equal procurement opportunities to small businesses. Note: HUB = VetHUB.

• Active VetHUBs: Rule changed on 12/2/25 to state “small business that are disabled veterans”.

For more information on VetHUB qualification go to: Veteran Heroes United in Business (VetHUB)

• Texas Government Code (TGC) §2161.252: If a state agency determines that subcontracting opportunities are probable, the Solicitation must document the requirement of the HUB Subcontracting Plan (HSP).

• 34 Texas Administrative Code (TAC), §20.281 - §20.298: A Respondent may demonstrate good faith effort to utilize Texas certified HUBs for its subcontracting opportunities.

• 34 Texas Administrative Code (TAC), §20.284:

This rule states that each agency may achieve the statewide and/or agency-specific annual VetHUB goals.

• VetHUB Utilization Goals: On 12/2/2025, the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts (CPA) instructed each state agency to assign their own procurement VetHUB utilization goals. These goals are based on contracting directly with VetHUBs or indirectly through subcontracting opportunities.

• VetHUB Utilization Goals: TCEQ’s new procurement VetHUB utilization goals are 1.0% for each procurement category: Special Trades, Professional Services, Other Services and Commodities. TCEQ does not have Construction contracts.

• HUB Subcontracting Plan (HSP): If the HSP is required the Respondent must process one of the three Good Faith Efforts (GFEs) and submit with their proposal.

15 582-27-00030 Laboratory Analysis Services https://comptroller.texas.gov/purchasing/vendor/hub/

Good Faith Efforts (GFE)

GFE 1

Solicitation

Method

Use this GFE if you are subcontracting any portion of the contract to Texas certified VetHUB vendors and Non-HUB vendors or only to

Non-VetHUB vendors.

HSP Attachment B

CMBL vendor profiles required!

GFE 2

Active

VetHUBs

Use this GFE if you are subcontracting all the work with Texas certified VetHUB vendors only.

HSP Attachment A

CMBL vendor profiles required!

GFE 3

Meeting/ Exceeding

VetHUB Goal

Subcontracting and meeting/exceeding the contract

VetHUB Goal with Texas certified VetHUB vendors that you do not have a continuous contract in place for more than five (5) years and Non-

VetHUBs.

HSP Attachment A CMBL vendor profiles required!

If you will not be subcontracting any portion of the contract and will be fulfilling the entire contract with your own resources, ensure this is stated in your HSP.

Self- Perform

• Follow the HSP Checklist to complete your HSP:

VetHUB Subcontracting Plan Form (PDF)

• Centralized Master Bidders List (CMBL):

https://mycpa.cpa.state.tx.us/tpasscmblsearch/tp asscmblsearch.do

• If processing GFE 1 - Email notifications to a minimum of 3 active VetHUBs from the CMBL and a minimum of 2 Minority/Woman Owned Organizations will be required. In addition, copies of these email notifications and active VetHUB CMBL profiles will be needed with the HSP.

Due to changes in the Program, if further clarification regarding the HSP Form is needed, please contact:

statewidehubprogram@cpa.texas.gov.

16 582-27-00030 Laboratory Analysis Services https://comptroller.texas.gov/purchasing/docs/hub-forms/hsp-allfms.pdf https://comptroller.texas.gov/purchasing/docs/hub-forms/hsp-allfms.pdf https://mycpa.cpa.state.tx.us/tpasscmblsearch/tpasscmblsearch.do https://mycpa.cpa.state.tx.us/tpasscmblsearch/tpasscmblsearch.do https://comptroller.texas.gov/purchasing/vendor/hub/resources.php mailto:statewidehubprogram@cpa.texas.gov

GFE 1 – Solicitation Method – 7 Working Days Example

If processing GFE 1 - Email notifications to a minimum of 3 active VetHUBs from the CMBL and a minimum of 2 Minority/Woman Owned Organizations will be required. In addition, copies of these email notifications and active VetHUB CMBL profiles will be needed with the HSP.

The notifications must have the “7 working days deadline” provided in the body of the email.

The 7 working days deadline doesn’t include:

Email notifications submission day Weekends State Holidays TCEQ Agency Closures (example, closed due to bad weather)

17 582-27-00030 Laboratory Analysis Services

Disadvantage Business Enterprise (DBE) Program

Federal: TCEQ has Contracts that are also federally (EPA) funded. The DBE Program is based on entities owned and/or controlled by a socially and economically disadvantaged individuals as described by Title X of the Clean Air Act Amendments.

• Title 40 Part 33 - Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).

• Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) are entities that are at least 51% owned and/or controlled by a socially and economically disadvantaged individual.

• Women-Owned Business Enterprises (WBEs) are entities that are at least 51% owned and/or controlled by women.

• EPA’s Class under 40 CFR Part 33 - On March 17, 2025, suspended the above reporting for all agencies that receive federal funding. However, Primes must continue to report their MBE/WBE subcontracting payments to the agency. TCEQ will continue to track these payments for future reference.

• For the latest updates regarding this program go to: https://www.epa.gov/resources-small-businesses/disadvantaged-business-enterprise-program-resources.

• Check the Solicitation to see if the EPA’s DBE Program is also a Contract requirement.

18 582-27-00030 Laboratory Analysis Services https://www.epa.gov/resources-small-businesses/disadvantaged-business-enterprise-program-resources https://www.epa.gov/resources-small-businesses/disadvantaged-business-enterprise-program-resources https://www.epa.gov/resources-small-businesses/disadvantaged-business-enterprise-program-resources https://www.epa.gov/resources-small-businesses/disadvantaged-business-enterprise-program-resources https://www.epa.gov/resources-small-businesses/disadvantaged-business-enterprise-program-resources https://www.epa.gov/resources-small-businesses/disadvantaged-business-enterprise-program-resources https://www.epa.gov/resources-small-businesses/disadvantaged-business-enterprise-program-resources https://www.epa.gov/resources-small-businesses/disadvantaged-business-enterprise-program-resources https://www.epa.gov/resources-small-businesses/disadvantaged-business-enterprise-program-resources https://www.epa.gov/resources-small-businesses/disadvantaged-business-enterprise-program-resources https://www.epa.gov/resources-small-businesses/disadvantaged-business-enterprise-program-resources https://www.epa.gov/resources-small-businesses/disadvantaged-business-enterprise-program-resources https://www.epa.gov/resources-small-businesses/disadvantaged-business-enterprise-program-resources

Reminders

HSP: Ensure all your subcontractors are listed in the HUB Subcontracting Plan (HSP).

Key Personnel Tab - Reminder: All “1099 employees” must be listed in your proposal’s Key Personnel tab. These are considered “subcontractors”.

HSP Signature (and reminders if awarded): Don’t forget to read the reminders and sign your HSP!

Internal policy: HSP vendors’ CMBL profiles must be submitted with the HSP.

TAC 34, Rule §20.285: Responses without the HSP submitted shall be rejected due to material failure to comply with Government Code, §2161.252(b).

Progress Assessment Report (PAR): The awarded Prime must complete and submit the PAR with each invoice.

HSP Courtesy Review: The TCEQ HSP Courtesy Review is recommended. The TCEQ VetHUB Program will not review any HSPs submitted after the assigned HSP Courtesy Review deadline.

TCEQ VetHUB Program Coordinator Claribel Diaz – TCEQ VetHUB Program Coordinator claribel.diaz@tceq.texas.gov

19 582-27-00030 Laboratory Analysis Services mailto:claribel.diaz@tceq.texas.gov

VetHUB end

Scope of Work

Sonya Riebock Contract Manager, PSEAD

Tom Heitman Work Lead, PSEAD

Presented by:

Office of Compliance and Enforcement (OCE) Program Support and Environmental Assistance Division (PSEAD)

High Level Overview of Scope of Work (SOW)

• Wastewater

• Public Drinking Water

• Municipal Solid Waste

• Industrial Hazardous Waste

• Petroleum Storage Tanks

• Emergency Response

Purpose of this solicitation:

Laboratory Analysis Services for the OCE Regional Office Programs of Water, Solid Waste, and Emergency Response

REQUIRED

SERVICES:

Routine and emergency samples

Sample Receipt, Acceptance, or Rejection

Performing requested analytical Procedures

Meet sample holding times

Preventive maintenance of lab equipment

Data review & Quality Control

Data Reporting & Analysis Results

Billing

24-hr, 7-day a week availability

Explanation of Routine and Emergency samples

• Most samples will be routine, submitted to lab during normal hours of operation with turn around times of 5-days or more.

• Emergency analysis of samples is sometimes needed in conjunction with Emergency Response events that pose imminent threat to human health, safety, and the environment of Texas.

• Emergency samples may be submitted outside the normal hours of operation and will frequently have a turnaround time of 24-hours or 48-hours.

• The lab will need to be able to accept samples and perform analyses after hours, weekends, and holidays or secure alternative arrangements through a subcontracted laboratory for same, should an emergency Response event arise.

• The lab should have a method for being accessible and ready to respond as the need arises on a 24-hour, 7 day a week basis.

HELPFUL

INFO

• Solicitation will have multiple awards.

• Vendors with a network of labs are preferred but not required. Be sure to list all of network labs that will be available for use under this contract.

• Vendor should be able to perform all analyses on Price Form either themselves or through an accredited subcontracted lab.

• Under the terms of this contract, TCEQ will not pay rush fees, after hour fees, or emergency turnaround time fees.

• Invoice minimums are not permitted.

• Be sure that the price form is completed in full using the instructions on the Price Form and in the Evaluation Criteria.

• The rate you list on the price form is the max that TCEQ will pay. This includes analyses that you subcontract to another lab.

• Vendor does not need to acquire new lab accreditation

• Be sure to list subcontract lab for any analysis that your lab is not accredited for.

Scope of Work end

Legal Considerations

Presented by:

Ryan Esparza

Attorney, General Law Division

Legal Considerations

Terms and Conditions

• Please review the Terms and Conditions and the Insurance Requirements in the draft contract documents section of the solicitation.

• If you have any objection to the terms or insurance requirements, please note this in your response under the appropriate TAB.

• Please be specific and avoid vague statements such as “We wish to negotiate if awarded the contract”.

• TCEQ may, in certain situations, consider negotiating terms.

• Do not object to all the terms.

• Some terms cannot be negotiated because they are required by law.

Legal Considerations 2

Latest Certification Changes

• EO GA-48 requires responders to it nor subsidiaries are:

• Listed in or covered by Section 889 of the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA);

• Listed in Section 1260H of the 2021 NDAA;

• Owned by the government of a country on the U.S. Department of

Commerce's foreign adversaries list under 15 C.F.R. § 791.4; or

• Controlled by any governing or regulatory body located in a country on the U.S. Department of Commerce’s foreign adversaries list under 15 C.F.R. § 791.4

• Prohibited Technologies

• *This is not intended to be a complete list*

Legal Considerations 3 Confidential Information

• The Texas Public Information Act is liberally interpreted by the courts to allow for the disclosure of any information regarding the expenditure of state funds.

• If a responder includes any information that it considers confidential or proprietary, it must label each and every page containing that information as confidential and proprietary and place that information behind TAB Confidential Information.

• Please do not mark every page of your proposal as proprietary and confidential. It is extremely unlikely that the Attorney General, or any court will find your entire proposal as proprietary and/or confidential.

Legal Considerations 4

Confidential Information

• If TCEQ receives a request for information in your proposal that is marked as proprietary and/or confidential, TCEQ will make an effort to notify you that a Public Information Request was made for the information. TCEQ will notify the Attorney General that information was requested that was marked by a third party as Proprietary and/or Confidential.

• If you want to prevent disclosure of information that is subject to a PIR request, you must make arguments to the Texas Attorney General as to why the information is proprietary and confidential.

Legal Considerations end

Closing Remarks

Deadline for questions: 3/6/2026 at 3:00 PM (CT) Must be submitted via email to procurements&contracts@tceq.texas.gov

Deadline for proposal submittals: 3/23/2026 at 3:00 PM (CT) Must be submitted via TCEQ FTPS Server

Deadline for HUB Subcontracting Plan Courtesy Review:

3/10/2026 at 12:00 PM

Important Reminder: Be sure to sign your proposal, any addenda and your HUB Subcontracting Plan (HSP) before submission.

Questions and proposal submittals must be received no later than the stated deadlines!

T H A N K Y O U F O R AT T E N D I N G T H I S P R E - P R O P O S A L C O N F E R E N C E W E L O O K F O R W A R D T O Y O U R R E S P O N S E

582-27-00030 Laboratory Analysis Services 47 mailto:Procurements&Contracts@tceq.texas.gov

Exhibit B:

Pre-Proposal Conference Attendee Roster (Sign-In)

Page 36 of 37 RFP: 582-27-00030

Pre-Proposal Conference “Sign-In” 582-27-00030 Laboratory Analysis Service

March 3, 2026

First and Last Name Company Name Company Address Phone Number Email Address

Is your company an active VetHUB?

Is your company a prime contractor?

Is your company a sub-contractor?

Enthalpy Analytical Eastex Environmental Laboratories, Inc.

Regina Stone Pace Analytical Services 12065 Lebanon Road Mount Juliet, TN 615-684-1229 regina.stone@pacelabs.com No No Not sure

Clifford Witten ALS Group USA, Corp 3468028057 clifford.witten@alsglobal.com No Yes No Eastex Environmental Laboratory, Inc

Page 37 of 37 RFP: 582-27-00030