Agency Wide Clinical Laboratory Services

The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD is requesting proposals for Agency Wide Clinical Laboratory Services, with responses due June 17, 2026. The vendor must maintain a local Houston area office established and operational for a minimum of one year prior to RFP submission — a qualification filter that eliminates new market entrants.

The scope encompasses routine and specialized laboratory testing, specimen collection and phlebotomy, courier and specimen transportation, and electronic result reporting across four clinic locations (Northwest, Southwest, Southeast, Northeast) for phlebotomy services and eight additional Harris Center facilities across the Houston area. Estimated monthly test volume is approximately 2,200 tests spanning Complete Metabolic Profile, Complete Blood Count, Urinalysis with Microscopy, Lipid Panel, Drug Screening, infectious disease panels, cardiac markers, thyroid function, hematology, and specialized diagnostics including chromosome analysis and fragile X screening. Phlebotomists must work four hours daily from 8:00 a.m. to noon at the four clinic locations. All tests require next-day reporting (within 24 hours); critical or panic values must be reported within one hour. The vendor must supply 10 percent of all collection materials, centrifuges, and lock boxes at no charge and provide Electronic Health Record interface capability via EPIC EHR using HL7 or similar systems at no additional cost, with electronic submission of results at no additional cost.

The contract runs from September 1, 2026, through August 31, 2027, with four optional one-year renewal periods at The Harris Center's sole discretion. The vendor must hold current HHS Clinical Laboratory License, Medicare License, Medicaid License, and College of American Pathologists accreditation. Criminal background checks are required for all clinical laboratory employees. Evaluation criteria are weighted as follows: EMR Interface capability (30%), Complete Proposal (10%), References (10%), Performance History (10%), Standards Compliance (10%), Laboratory Tests (20%), and Cost (10%). All responses must constitute irrevocable offers valid for 120 days after solicitation opening. The Harris Center anticipates an award recommendation within ninety days of the due date.