SOLE SOURCE 3150006970 SNA PROFESSIONAL FORENSICS LAB STAFFING AND SERVICES.pdf

Mississippi Forensic Laboratory

Notice of Proposed Sole Source Services

Sole source # 3150006970

The Mississippi Forensic Laboratory (MSFL) is seeking to procure Professional

Forensics Service in managing and delivering forensics, biometrics, and identity intelligence services.

1. What is the professional service that is being requested to Sole Source?

SNA provides staffing and enhances laboratory operations to build capacity and permanently reduce backlogs for government agencies.

SNA GSA Labor Labor Function Number of

Hours

SNA GSA Rate MSFL Rate* Projected Cost

Scientist 2 Controlled

Substance

Analyst/ Sr.

5,760 $126.82 $97.93 $564,076.80

Scientific Researcher 4 Controlled

Substance

Analyst

3,840 $66.20 $65.53 $251,635.20

Year 1 Projected Total

$815,712.00

SNA GSA Rate MSFL Rate* Projected Cost

Scientist 2 Controlled

Substance

Analyst/ Sr.

5,760 $130.62 $100.87 $581,011.20

Scientific Researcher 4 Controlled

Substance

Analyst

3,840 $68.19 $67.50 $259,200.00

Year 2 Projected Total

$840,211.20

SNA GSA Rate MSFL Rate* Projected Cost

Scientist 2 Controlled

Substance

Analyst/ Sr.

5,760 $134.54 $103.90 $598,464.00

Scientific Researcher 4 Controlled

Substance

Analyst

3,840 $70.24 $69.53 $266,995.20

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Year 3 Projected Total

$865,459.20

3-year Project Summary $2,521,382.40

2. Please provide an explanation of why the professional service is the only service that can meet the needs of the agency.

The Mississippi State Forensics Laboratory (MSFL) has had backlogs in Firearms and Drug testing that reached critical levels. SNA International, LLC, provides fully trained scientists in forensic disciplines that are capable of integration into the MSFL testing. Using the service of SNA International, LLC, has eliminated the drug test backlog and maintains sufficient turn-around-time (TAT) for our customers. While private laboratories offer outsourced testing services, the MSFL has determined that staffing and enhancing laboratory operations is the only reliable way to build capacity and permanently reduce the backlog.

3. Please provide an explanation of why the vendor is the only vendor that can offer the professional service that can meet the needs of the agency.

SNA International stands out for its comprehensive expertise. SNA International offers the full suite of services required to support the MSFL, including toxicology, firearm analysis, tool mark identification, and chemistry-based forensic consultant services. In addition, SNA International is the only company certified by both CMMI and ISO specifically for the delivery and management of forensics, biometrics, and identity intelligence services. This dual certification demonstrates a commitment to maintaining quality in their service offerings and sets them apart from other vendors.Further, SNA's combination of historical knowledge of the MSFL standards and procedures; specialized certifications to ensure the delivery of quality forensics services; expertise with Justice Trax;

experience supporting similar forensic operations; the number and type of SMEs to draw upon; and SNA's special screening and competency testing approach make SNA uniquely qualified to support this task.

4. Was any market analysis conducted in order to ensure that the service required was practicably available from only one source?

The Mississippi Crime Lab researched the market to identify the most suitable vendor for our forensic lab staffing project. Our research included analyzing the offerings, capabilities, and expertise of various service providers in the field. We also used a U.S. Government General Services Administration (GSA) schedule review to identify potential vendors. Through this evaluation, we discovered that

SNA emerged as the only prime vendor capable of meeting our project

3 | P a g e requirements after conducting research for companies that provide services in the forensics area for lab staffing.

5. Please provide an explanation of why the amount to be expended for the service is reasonable.

Estimated Cost: $2,521,382.40

The services requested will maintain operations at the crime lab by providing five

(5) forensic scientists trained in operations of the Mississippi Forensics

Laboratory (MSFL). The MSFL saves time in the search, hire, and training of new or replacement forensic scientists to address our casework, specifically in our two largest disciplines: Firearms and Seized Drugs. The delivery of trained scientists by SNA has significantly impacted the MSFL operations and reduced the start-up time to results for the 5 forensic scientists provided. Additionally, consideration was given to the employee hours and costs required to package and ship the outsourced evidence to a contract laboratory.

6. Please explain the efforts the agency went through to conduct a noncompetitive negotiation to obtain the best possible price for the professional service.

Negotiations were made with the vendor to address the funding required for the services. The quote was reviewed, MSFL rates reflect a discount from vendor

GSA schedule rates and include 3% annual escalation in years 2 and 3.

Any person or entity that objects and proposes that the Professional Forensics Service in managing and delivering forensics, biometrics and identity intelligence services listed is not sole source and can be provided by another person or entity should submit a written notice to:

Britney Wesley

Procurement Department

209 Allen Stuart Drive Floor, 3rd Floor Suite 3600

Pearl, MS 39208

The notice should contain a detailed explanation of why the service is not a sole source procurement, as well as, but not limited to the following information:

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Interested Party Information

• Contact Name, Phone Number, and email address

• Company Website URL, if applicable

Objection to Sole Source Justification

• Interested parties must present specific objections to the Sole Source certification, including, but not limited to the following:

a) A description of the service that Interested Party believes is comparable to

Forensics Service in managing and delivering forensics, biometrics and identity intelligence.

b) An explanation of why Interested Party’s service can also meet the needs of the agency; and

c) A list of sources from which Interested Party’s services may be procured.

• If Interested Party claims that the Forensics Service is available from a source other than SNA International, the objection must contain a written statement from

SNA International that the Interested Party is an authorized distributor or reseller of Professional Forensics Service

This information should be provided no later than Monday October 5, 2026, at 5:00 pm local time. Response may be delivered by hand, via regular mail or overnight delivery.

If after a review of the submitted notice and documents, MDPS determines that the service in the proposed sole-source request can be provided by another person or entity, then MDPS will withdraw the sole source request publication from the procurement portal website and submit the procurement of the commodity or commodities to an advertised competitive bid process.

If MDPS determines after the review that there is only one (1) source for the required commodity or commodities, then MDPS will appeal to the Public Procurement Review

Board. MDPS will have the burden of proving that the commodity or commodities is only provided by one (1) source.