Notice of Intent to Award to Sole Source - LAMP Program

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) intends to award a sole source, firm fixed price contract to the UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN SYSTEM.

This contract action is for supplies or services for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under the authority of FAR 12.102(a) (FAR Overhaul) and 41 U.S.C. 3304(a)(1). The North American Industry Classification System code for this procurement is 541380 - Testing Laboratories and Services. Interested persons may identify their interest and capability to respond to the requirement or submit proposals.

This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals; however, all responses received within fifteen (15) days of the issuance of this notice will be considered by the government.  A determination by the government not to compete this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the government.  Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement.  Any quotation/response should be emailed to the  contract specialist Ruben Reyes at qmz3@cdc.gov by 06:00AM, January 28, 2026.

JUSTIFICATION

The CDC has over 250 laboratories that participate within the LAMP program which is the laboratory accuracy base for many state public health lead poisoning prevention programs. The analytical labs that participate in the program rely on the continuous receipt of quality assurance samples at the intervals that have already been established. The Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene (WSLH) is a full service proficiency testing provider that currently provides contract support for the CDC’s LAMP Program. WSLH has proven through a history of contract support that they have the technical expertise and capabilities to provide the service that we require. Continuing service with the WSLH will allow the CDC to provide the service at the prescribed intervals. Working with an alternate contractor, if one was available, would delay the scheduled rounds due to the time needed to set the program up, procure the materials and make the new materials. Additionally, WSLH has proven experience in working with bovine blood, which is a technical requirement for this contract. WSLH has veterinary support within the limits of animal care and use protocols, as well as experience distributing highly characterized Quality Control and Proficiency Testing samples monthly. The WSLH also maintains a trace clean room laboratory environment used in conjunction with a state-of-the-art inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer that enables the lab to quantify prepared bovine whole blood pools for homogeneity and assign target values while continuing to monitor all collection, pooling and distribution materials for trace metal contamination. Most importantly, WSLH encompasses the ability to produce and maintain bovine whole Rev. 5/14/19 blood needed for this project in accordance with all state and federal regulations. This distinctive ability to produce large quantities of highly characterized bovine blood, is essential for the continued support of the CDC’s LAMP Program.

Contractors were identified that offered similar services, but none of the potential contractors met all CDC requirements, specifically the requirement of having lead dosed bovine blood readily available. Lead-dosing of bovine blood is required to obtain blood lead material that more accurately matches the properties of the lead in the whole blood to be tested and to maintain the scientific basis (bovine blood matrix) of historical programs at CDC going back more than 25 years. Since the contractors did not possess the appropriate bovine quality control materials or requirements, it was determined that none could offer a service contract comparable to that of the WSLH. WSLH is the only organization that can provide the service contract to meet all of the program requirements (e.g. highly characterized bovine blood, accurate and precise target values assigned, homogeneity testing and certification, shipping services, controls on trace metal contamination, etc.) including time constraints.

The Inorganic and Radiation Analytical Toxicology Laboratory has made substantial efforts to identify a potential source to provide a proficiency testing service contract that meets the program’s needs using bovine blood. Examples of such efforts include discussions of existing programs at scientific meetings, thorough searches of vendors on the Internet, and analyses of scientific publications. No other potential vendors were identified that could perform the required laboratory services for this quality assurance program.