Courier Service for Newborn Screening Samples

The Commonwealth of Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services is requesting bids on courier service for newborn screening samples with bids due July 20, 2026, at 1:30 PM EST and questions due July 13, 2026. Kentucky resident bidders receive reciprocal preference, and qualified bidders including Kentucky Correctional Industries (20 percent preference) and nonprofit agencies serving individuals with severe disabilities (15 percent preference) are entitled to preference points.

The scope encompasses daily pickup of newborn screening specimens and related clinical and environmental samples from 46 Kentucky birthing hospitals and 12 health departments (including one correctional facility) with delivery to the Kentucky Division of Laboratory Services in Frankfort. Pickups occur Sunday through Friday after 5:00 PM EST/CST from hospitals and Monday through Friday after 4:00 PM EST/CST from health departments, with all specimens required to arrive by 7:00 AM EST the next morning. The contract includes two pricing line items: Commodity Line 1 for monthly scheduled courier service and Commodity Line 2 for on-demand, time-critical specimens requiring delivery within 24 hours of notification (available 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM EST, with historical data indicating fewer than five annual requests). The contractor must provide coolers and refrigerants, maintain specimens at or below 80 degrees Fahrenheit with humidity preferably below 30 percent, comply with all HIPAA requirements, hold valid driver's licenses and insurance, and submit daily courier logs. Specimens must never be placed in sealed, airtight bags.

The current annual contract value is $520,260. The contract is awarded as a Master Agreement for an initial one-year term with four optional two-year renewal periods. Award is on a best-value ranking basis with 80 points allocated to Line 1 monthly pricing and 20 points to Line 2 on-demand pricing; the lowest-priced bidder receives maximum points and other bidders score proportionally. Pricing must remain firm for 60 days after the bid due date and for the entire first 12 months of the contract. Bidders must maintain Commercial General Liability Insurance of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate, plus Automobile Liability Insurance of $1,000,000 combined single limit. All submissions must be made electronically through the Kentucky Vendor Self Service system; bidders must register at least 24–48 hours prior to closing and submit required affidavits and tax registration documentation.