30-25048-DPH Automated Liquid Handler Pipette Systems

The North Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) is seeking to procure two Automated Liquid Handler Pipette Systems for the State Laboratory of Public Health through an Invitation for Bid (IFB) 30-25048-DPH. The systems must support specific Illumina kits, including TruSight Cystic Fibrosis Library Prep and MiSeq Dx Reagent Kit v3, and be capable of performing the entire next-generation sequencing workflow from post-DNA extraction to instrument loading. Deliverables include two new systems with a minimum 12-month warranty and installation within 90 consecutive calendar days after purchase order receipt. The procurement will utilize a Best Value Analysis with the Lowest Price Technically Acceptable Source Selection Method. Key dates include a bid opening on January 7, 2025, with vendor questions due by December 18, 2024, at 2:00 PM Eastern Time. The contract term is one year with two optional one-year renewal periods. Vendors must provide pricing for the two systems and include annual maintenance service agreements for years 2 and 3, which must cover on-site labor, travel, software updates, toll-free technical support with 4-hour callback response, and at least two preventive maintenance visits per year.

No specific set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises are mentioned in the procurement documents. The contract includes E-Procurement terms requiring vendors to pay a 1.75% transaction fee on purchases. While no incumbent vendors are identified, the systems must be compatible with existing laboratory infrastructure, specifically Illumina sequencing technologies. Though a precise budget range is not specified, vendors must submit comprehensive pricing for the two Automated Liquid Handler Pipette Systems, including the initial equipment cost and three-year maintenance agreements. The procurement appears to be open to qualified vendors capable of meeting the technical specifications and performance requirements for high-precision laboratory equipment used in genetic testing and research. Potential respondents should carefully review the technical requirements, ensure they can provide systems that fully support the specified Illumina kits, and be prepared to demonstrate comprehensive support and maintenance capabilities.