Suppliers Q & A

Supplier Q & A

RFQ Number: 40500-DPH0000066 RFQ Title: Serological Immunoassay Lease & Service

Requesting State Entity: Georgia Department of Public Health Date: 02/11/2014

Issuing Officer: Margie Preston RFQ Initially Posted to Internet: 01/24/2014 eMail Address: mapreston@dhr.state.ga.us Telephone: 404.232.1141

The purpose of this document is to provide answers to supplier questions. Please see Questions and Answers included herein.

Note: This document is intended for informational purposes only. Any changes to the RFQ must occur through a published addendum (or through publication of a new version of the RFQ in Team Georgia Marketplace™). If multiple Q & A documents are posted, the most recent Q & A shall govern in the event of a conflict.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

# Questions Referenced RFQ Section

Answers

The following questions were received by the DPH via email and/or during the Pre-Bidders/Offerors Conference Call on or before 02/06/14:

1. 1

The preferred lease/rental arrangement is a reagent rental that is all inclusive pricing for reagents. What about the cost of controls, calibrators, reaction modules, etc? Should they just be listed as separate line items?

Attachment 5 Cost Proposal

The cost of controls, calibrators, reaction modules, etc., should be included in the total cost/pricing for each reagent/test kit; and

Yes, the cost of controls, calibrators, reaction modules, etc. should be listed as line items on the “Cost Proposal Worksheet, Cost Details tab. These items may be listed separately or under “miscellaneous”.

2. 2

Per attachment A, 1.1.1. The volume of reagent testing is mentioned at 285 ELISA kits at Decatur and <50 “manual analyses” at the Waycross facility. Is this <50 ELISA kits used (96 well plate), or just 50 total tests at the Waycross facility for the year? I think it is 50 additional kits, for a total approximate annual kit volume of 335. Please verify.

Section 1.1.1.

Background/History

The latter is correct—the 335 is the sum total of test kit volume for the Decatur Central (285) and Waycross (50) labs.

3. 3

The existing approximate cost per kit is mentioned at $278 in attachment A, 1.1.1. Is this an average for all tests, or is this a fixed price for each test kit? DiaSorin reagent pricing typically varies as much as 100% depending on the test type, and is priced individually depending on the test. Is Georgia Department of Public Health laboratory needing one price for all reagents listed in the bid, or can we price them individually as per our normal process?

Section 1.1.1.

Background/History

The $278 price represents a fixed price for each test, regardless of the test type. .

In response to this question and the bidder/offeror’s request to provide reagent/kit pricing based on test type, the Department has revised its requirement and Cost Proposal Worksheet [Attachment F] to allow pricing on a per test basis.

The Cost Details worksheet was revised to include each test listed in Section 1.1.2 Scope of Service of the eRFQ document [Attachment A] and the estimated number of units performed for the Decatur Central and Waycross Facilities.

mailto:mapreston@dhr.state.ga.us

Supplier Q & A (cont)

Georgia Department of Public Health Page 2 of 4

Serological Immunoassay Lease and Service, eRFQ 40500-DPH0000066

Section

Answers

Please use the revised Cost Proposal Worksheet (v2) to submit relevant cost/pricing proposal.

Note: The cost per test, which is all inclusive of the test kit, lease, ancillary equipment, control kits, calibration, etc. supplies, etc., is automatically calculated on the Cost Details worksheet (tab 1). To ensure consistency the corresponding fields on the Cost Proposal worksheet (tab 2) are auto-populated from data entered in the Cost Details worksheet (tab 1).

4. 4

Has a new bid submission date been determined, as a result of the weather issues in Georgia/Atlanta?

Section 1.1.1.

Background/History

Yes. Due to increment weather and State office closures, the bid event closing date was moved to February 13, 2014 at 4:00 pm.

Refer to the GPR for current bid closing information.

5. Pertaining again to Attachment A, 1.1.1 This is more of a comment. I was surprised to see the Waycross location on the bid. I know that it mentioned they would like the ability to automate testing there, however if the volume is low, it will skew the reagent pricing higher for the entire lab bid as a whole. This is obviously because we have to work the cost of the equipment into the reagent pricing. I want to be sure that even though the volume is currently low at Waycross, that the GA Public Health Lab wants BOTH facilities to have a fully automated chemiluminescent instrument (or other current technology), and not just the Decatur location.

Section 1.1.1.

Background/History

Yes. The Department intends to move both the Decatur Central and Waycross labs to fully automated chemiluminescent instrumentation and to ensure the same test kits utilized are consistent.

6. Is there any way to verify the number of tests run at both facilities by test TYPE for 2013? CMV IgG and

IgM volumes would be especially helpful. This would greatly assist me in the pricing calculation for your bid based on Question #3.

Section 1.1.1.

Background/History

Yes. The list below represent the 2013 utilization by test for the Decatur facility:

Test Name # Decatur # Waycross

Cytomegalovirus IgG Cytomegalovirus IgM HSV Type Specific 1 HSV Type Specific 2 Measles IgG Measles IgM Mumps IgG Rubella IgG Rubella IgM Syphilis IgG/lgM Toxoplasma IgG Toxoplasma IgM Varicella Zoster lgG West Nile Virus IgG -

6,253 6,251 1,065

1,031 2,352

4,099 1,333

1,431

The 2013 utilization for the Waycross lab is limited to the Syphlis IgG/IgM tests and controls/validations. This information was not available during the Pre- Bidders/Offerors conference.

7. Are the contracts 1 year in length? Section 1.7. Contract Term [Attachment A].

Yes. All Departmental contracts terms are one (1) year with up to four (4) renewal options. Renewal options are at the discretion of the Department and are not

Georgia Department of Public Health Page 3 of 4

Answers

Attachment G Agency Contract guaranteed.

8. Could the bid be extended another 2 days to allow time for bidders to calculate based on the utilization data provided for the Decatur and Waycross facilities?

Section 1.4 Schedule of Event

The utilization data was provided for the Decatur facility during this call. The Waycross facility’s 2013 utilization was minimal—limited to one or two tests—and does not warrant extending the closing date at this time. The bid event closing date is as published on the GPR.

The following questions were received by the DPH via email following the 02/06/2014 Pre-Bidders/Offerors Conference Call:

9. Do I need to include an LIS interface allowance for wither or both sites?

Section 4.3.2.2. Yes, in accordance with the requirements of the eRFQ document, Section 4.3.2.2. Instrumentation and Ancillary Equipment Lease, Delivery and Installation, which cites:

c. Instruments must have an automated bi-directional interface compatible with current laboratory Information Systems and validated as fully operational during onsite installation.

10. Would it be possible to have an audience/phone call with the end user on this invitation to bid. In reading the document, it seems there is a want for an automated chemistry analyzer, but it does not specify the needed analytes/species desired to test.

Section 1.2 Schedule of Events

Section 1.1.2

The second of two Pre-Bidders/Offeror's conference calls occurred Thursday, February 6, 2014; where key laboratory personnel responded to bid related questions (outlined in the Suppliers Q & A document.

The list of “desired tests” is outlined in Section 1.1.2 Scope of Service in the eRFQ document [Attachment A].

The aforementioned list of reagent assays is not intended to be all inclusive as the GPHL reserves the right to coordinate with the vendor to add additional reagent assays as needed to address emerging public health concerns.

11. I tried to register today for the online bid next week and it is telling me we are already registered under tax

ID # 91-1319190. However, I don't know our user name or password. Can you assist? Thanks for the help?

Section 2.2.8 Help Desk Support

The Issuing Officer is unable to provide technical assistance pertaining to log-on, password changes and access, or navigating the Team Georgia Marketplace (TGM), etc. Per the instructions in the Attachment A, eRFQ Instructions, you are encouraged to contact the Procurement Services Help desk directly at

404.657.6000 or via email at procurementhelp@doas.state.ga.gov.

12. I am attempting to register to bid on the below RFQ. It seems, however, that a previous employee has already registered Gold Standard Diagnostics (TIN:

205487988).

NOTE Dwight is no longer with the company, but his email has been forwarded to me (I don’t have his username though). Please let me know the process to reset the password/username, or please re-assign the account to me.

Section 2.2.8 Help Desk Support

The Issuing Officer is unable to provide technical assistance pertaining to log-on, password changes and access, or navigating the Team Georgia Marketplace (TGM), etc. Per the instructions in the Attachment A, eRFQ Instructions, you are encouraged to contact the Procurement Services Help desk directly at

404.657.6000 or via email at procurementhelp@doas.state.ga.gov.

13. Could we please get the annual test volume for each assays shown in 1.1.2 (you have already provided the kit volume in 1.1.1).

Section 1.1.2 Refer to question/response # 6 above.

14. Will the State of Georgia negotiate term if Contractor Section 7 Contract Yes, the terms of the eRFQ document is negotiable; but mailto:procurementhelp@doas.state.ga.gov

Georgia Department of Public Health Page 4 of 4

Answers has exceptions/revisions to the terms?

If exceptions are to be allowed will we be able to make changes (exceptions) when submitting electronically

Terms and Conditions and Contract Exceptions not the standard terms and condition of the actual contract agreement.

Exceptions may be submitted in a separate document.