RFP_34310-27627_Amendment_1.pdf

This is Amendment 1 to Request for Proposals #34310-27627 issued by the Tennessee Department of Health for inspection services of licensed veterinary facilities and certified animal control agencies across three regional divisions in Tennessee. The amendment updates the RFP schedule of events with revised dates for key milestones. The pre-response conference is scheduled for August 6, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. central time, with a Notice of Intent to Respond deadline of August 7, 2026. Written questions and comments must be submitted by August 14, 2026, with state responses provided by September 10, 2026. The response deadline is September 18, 2026, at 2:00 p.m., followed by technical evaluation completion by October 2, 2026. Cost proposals will be opened and scored on October 5, 2026, with optional negotiations occurring October 5-7, 2026. The State will release its Notice of Intent to Award and open RFP files for public inspection on October 9, 2026, with the protest period concluding October 16, 2026. The contract will be sent to the selected contractor on October 19, 2026, with a signature deadline of October 22, 2026, at 2:00 p.m.

The amendment confirms that all terms and conditions of the original RFP remain in full force and effect except as expressly amended herein. Respondents must be currently licensed veterinarians in Tennessee with a minimum of five years of clinical experience. The state anticipates awarding up to three separate contracts, one per region, with compensation on a firm per-inspection basis covering all costs including travel, expenses, meals, and lodging. The contract term is sixty months effective upon execution. Evaluation criteria are weighted at 30 points maximum for General Qualifications and Experience, 40 points maximum for Technical Qualifications, Experience, and Approach, and 30 points maximum for Cost Proposal. Required submissions include current Tennessee veterinary licensure, narrative documentation of five years of clinical experience, bank and vendor references, credit reports, and three professional references from similar projects completed within the past five years.