Forensic Pathology Services

Alameda County is requesting proposals for forensic pathology services to support the Sheriff's Office Coroner's Bureau under RFP 902798, with proposals due October 15, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. and a bidders conference on September 16, 2026. The County intends to award a three-year contract with an option to renew for two years to a pool of up to three qualified bidders. Vendors currently holding Master Contract No. 902692 for forensic pathology services are not required to submit a response, as their existing contracts remain in effect.

Qualification requirements are strict: bidders must hold an active unrestricted medical license from the Medical Board of California or Osteopathic Medical Board of California, be certified by the American Board of Pathology, and have been regularly engaged in forensic pathology services for at least one year or completed a forensic pathology fellowship. All bidders must meet Small Local Emerging Business (SLEB) participation requirements; non-certified SLEBs must subcontract at least 20 percent of the total estimated bid amount to a certified SLEB.

The Coroner's Bureau performs approximately 1,200 autopsies and related toxicology services annually. Contractors must provide full and complex autopsies, limited autopsies, external examinations, scene response, record reviews, and consultation services on an as-needed basis. Pricing must be submitted through the County of Alameda Procurement Portal and include all costs except sales and use tax, plus travel expenses.

Proposals are evaluated on a zero to five-point scale across cost (20 points), description of proposed services (30 points), relevant experience (30 points), and reference checks (20 points), with optional vendor interviews potentially informing final scores and local and small/emerging local business preference points available, for a maximum of 550 points. The County reserves the right to award based on combined weighted evaluation criteria rather than lowest price alone. Written questions are due September 17, 2026. Vendor interviews are scheduled for the week of November 2, 2026, with Notice of Intent to Award on November 16 and Board consideration and award on January 12, 2027. Contract performance begins February 1, 2027.