ISP - RNA-DNA testing equip-sup.pdf

Request Form to Division of Purchasing (DOP)

Sole Source Authorization - SSA - New

If you have any questions please contact us at DOPHelpDesk@adm.idaho.gov

Form ID 11492

Generated after Receipt by DOP

Year

Requestor Information

Agency Name * Idaho State Police

Agency Acronym *

ISP

Requestor Name * Randy Byrne

Phone * 208-884-7031

E-mail * randy.byrne@isp.idaho.gov

Property Being Purchased: * DNA/RNA testing equipment and supplies

This field has a 300 character limit

Type of Exemption Check all that apply

Type of Exemption *

A solicitation has been completed and my Agency wishes to award contracts to multiple vendors for the same or smilar property (Multiple Award Authorization)

My Agency wishes to administer or award a solicitation at a dollar amount above its normal Delegated Purchasing Authority (Limited/One-Time DPA)

The property required is available on one or more open contracts, but my Agency wishes to purchase from a different vendor. (Note: if total value is over $10,000, Agency must also check the box for exemption from competition if requesting to pruchase from a specific vendor). (Utilization of Open Contract).

A solicitation is being developed (by my Agency under its DPA or in conjunction with DOP) and my Agency wishes to limit responses to a specific manufacturer/brand name (I.e. no substitutions). (Note: this option assumes that multiple vendors can offer the identified brand name; otherwise, select the option for exemption from competition to request a Sole Source Authorization (Brand Name Only)

A solicitation has been completed and there is a need to negotiate with one or more vendors. (Authorization to Negotiate)

My Agency is seeking to purchase directly from an identified vendor without completing a solicitation OR wishes to perform a level of competition that is less formal than would typically be required. (Various exemptions-additional questions to follow) mailto:randy.byrne@isp.idaho.gov

Additional Questions *

There is an immediate threat to public health, safety, or welfare (Emergency Purchase Authorization)

The required property can only be procured from a single supplier (sole manufacturer and distributor) (Sole Source Authorization)

There is an existing Policy Directive on the DOP website which requires authorization to be utilized (Utilization of Policy Directive)

It would be impractical, unreasonable, or disadvantageous to complete the required competitive process under the circumstances (One Time Exemption).

Sole Source Authorization

IDAPA 38.05.01.042.02 provides that sole source purchase shall be used only if a requirement is reasonably available from a single supplier.

Fiscal Year *

Type of Request *

New

Renew (Agency wishes to extend an existing sole source authorization)

Amend (Check this box to request a change to the goods/services, term or other conditions of the

SSA)

Both Renew and Amend

New

Name of Requested Vendor * Promega

Desired Term in Years *

Anticipated Total Cost (for full desired term): * $250,000.00

Do you anticipate the need for renewals?

Yes No

Property * Describe the property you are seeking

Promega Corporation provides all the chemical reagents and consumables for the DNA and DNA Database Units. Each chemical and reagent in the DNA unit are highly specialized and produced specifically for a purpose in the DNA process. There are specific specialty reagents for DNA extraction (DNA IQ), DNA quantitation (Plexor HY) and DNA amplification (PowerPlex16 HS). We will also begin validating the new Promega “Fusion” amplification kit because the FBI has increased the number of genetic markers we are required to report. The reagent kits that are manufactured by Promega Corporation are subject to years of developmental validation by the corporation to work on a specific piece of equipment for a specific purpose in the DNA extraction, quantitation, amplification, or capillary electrophoresis process.

The manufacturer invests millions of dollars on each validation to ensure that the product produces reliable and reproducible DNA results.

These are not in any way chemicals that you can buy from a chemical company or general supplier, they are specialized biochemical mixtures that are only produced by this manufacturer. In addition, the FBI must approve of each kit used in the DNA process. The FBI goes through a very thorough approval process and the limitations and abilities of each kit are well known to the laboratory for decision making purposes. Promega Corporation is the sole distributor for their products. When ISPFS evaluates a kit to work in the DNA process, we initially evaluate all the products that could potentially meet the objective and determine what the abilities and limitations are for each manufacturer and product. Any kit that could potentially meet the need is evaluated on technical merit and quality considerations. For example, Promega’s DNA quantitation kits are the only ones that use melt-curve analysis to guard against false positive results. We decide on an appropriate reagent kit based on the processes we use to extract, quantitate, and amplify DNA and how the new component will fit with those processes. We evaluate based on the instrumentation and software we have purchased and what is compatible with the platform we have to work with. We undertake a six month minimum validation process where we evaluate the product and ensure that it works in the process to produce reliable and reproducible results. Any small tweak to the process requires extensive revalidation and is time and cost intensive. ISPFS invests tens of thousands of dollars to validate and thoroughly test each of the reagent kits in this process https://adminrules.idaho.gov/rules/current/38/380501.pdf before we put it into use the lab. The DNA results from these processes are used in state and federal courts to convict or exonerate

Justification * Check all that apply

Sole source provider of a licensed or patented good or service

Sole manufacturer AND distributor

Sole provider of factory-authorized/warranty service

Sole provider of items that are compatible with existing equipment, systems, programs, etc.

Other

Business Need * Describe the Agency's business need for the requested property

These kits, reagents and consumables are necessary for the processing of DNA samples in both the DNA Database and DNA Caseworks sections of the laboratory. These are specialty products that are custom tailored for the multi-step DNA analysis process. The Promega products are required to take the D

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Description * Describe what makes the identified property unique. Why is it the only property that could meet your business need?

The DNA extraction (DNA IQ), DNA quantitation (Plexor HY) and DNA amplification (PowerPlex16 HS) kits have been optimized and manufactured to specific standards. They have critical biochemical components in specific and well validated ratios. Several of the kits target specific areas on the DNA that are proprietary to the kit and provide information about the individual based on their genetic information. While many of these markers are specified by the FBI, the manufacturer of the kit can optimize more and different markers to increase the amount of information. Further, the manufacturer can use techniques (such as “hot start”) to optimize the process and provide better and quicker results. Per our accreditation and FBI quality assurance standards, the laboratory must thoroughly validate all kits, reagents, and consumables utilized in the processing of DNA samples. These products cannot be used on casework or database samples until the validation has been complete and all analysts have been competency tested in their use. The laboratory has been using Promega kits/reagents/consumables for many years, and laboratory protocols and analytical methods are based on the validation and use of these products. There are literally thousands of work hours and validation documents to support the kits we currently use.

Alternatives * Describe the research you conducted to identify other potential property/sources. What potential alternatives did you find and why will they not meet the Agency's business needs?

Provide a list of other suppliers contacted and describe the method for determining that there are no other possible suppliers.—Promega products are only available through Promega Corporation. They do not use distributors or retailers. While there are similar products on the market, they are not the same products. Other manufacturers with similar products use slightly different techniques, have different sensitivities and abilities, and even use different genetic markers for the amplification kits. They also use different instrument platforms in some cases and may require different software or computer infrastructure to be able to operate. These products are custom tailored for the instrumentation, process, and even computer software used by the laboratory. Switching to a different methodology and test kit would be operationally nearly impossible. To switch to a different testing methodology would require the laboratory to shut down for at least a year while the instruments and computer software were completely revamped and revalidated. This would result in a cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars in new equipment purchases, process modification, and validation expenses. It would also result in the court system in Idaho grinding to a halt for all homicide, sexual assault, and other cases requiring DNA analysis. It would also require extensive retraining of the analysts. Again, ISP constantly evaluates all the available technologies and kits on the market and selects the best technical and quality kit that will meet the work need.

File Upload and Certification

Notes Previous SSA's have been approved, latest was SSA22019, but was overlooked and not renewed in time.

File Upload

2026_Idaho_SP_Quote.pdf 149.97KB

Promega Sole Source Letter 01.13.26.pdf 180.87KB

Maximum File Size 250 MB

Agency Certification *

By submitting this form, I certify that the information provided above is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge, supports the requirement for a sole source procurement, and is in the best interest of the State.

Signature * Date Submitted * 2026-01-16

Approval - SSA

Administrator Intends to approve *

Yes No

(Pending legal notice and appeal period)

Optional Posting? * This exemption will be sent for posting before final approval.

Yes No

Notes Public View

This field has a 300 character limit

File Upload

Maximum File Size 250 MB

DOP Signature *

DOP Printed Name * Mike Gwinn

DOP Title * Deputy Administrator

Date Time 2026-01-26