Newborn Screening

The Indian Health Service (IHS), a division of the Department of Health and Human Services, issued a Special Notice on February 11, 2026, regarding newborn screening laboratory services. This Special Notice is a notification of intent to award a sole-source contract to the State of Arizona under NAICS code 923120 (Administration of Public Health Programs). The IHS is soliciting capability statements from any responsible sources that believe they can provide the required newborn screening services as an alternative to the sole-source award. This is not a request for proposals or quotes, but rather an opportunity for interested parties to demonstrate their capability to perform the work. The contract authority for the sole-source award is based on FAR 6.302-1, with the justification that the State of Arizona is uniquely positioned to provide these services.

Interested contractors must submit capability statements by February 23, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. PST to dale.clark@ihs.gov, referencing notice number IHS1524015. The contract requires the performance of newborn screening laboratory tests in compliance with Arizona law, including screening for twenty-eight mandated disorders and newborn hearing screening, with timely and accurate results delivered according to state-established turnaround times. Contractors must maintain compliance with all federal, state, and laboratory accreditation requirements and handle the acceptance, processing, analysis, and reporting of newborn screening specimens. There are no specific stated eligibility restrictions in the notice, meaning any responsible entity capable of meeting these requirements may submit a capability statement. The Government reserves the right to determine whether to proceed with competitive procurement based on responses received and is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt or provide feedback on submissions.