Invitation For Bid (IFB) 26-10083 LFS Staffing Contract

The California Department of Public Health, Center for Laboratory Sciences, is issuing Invitation for Bid (IFB) 26-10083 to procure staffing services for Clinical Laboratory Scientists in its Laboratory Field Sciences division. The procurement seeks a staffing agency to provide ten (10) full-time equivalent Clinical Laboratory Scientists (CLS) holding either Generalist or Specialist licenses for a three-year contract period extending from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2029, with a potential one-year extension at the State's discretion. Each CLS must possess a minimum of three years of experience in field consultation, supervision of professional laboratory staff, laboratory director roles, or technical work in clinical or public health laboratory sciences. These scientists are essential for California's regulatory compliance requirement to inspect licensed clinical laboratories at least every two years under federal Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) guidelines, and they will support regulatory compliance, quality testing, result interpretation, emergency response, and research advancement while collaborating with healthcare professionals. The bid was released on May 14, 2026, with questions due by May 21, 2026 at 3:00 PM (PT), a bid submission deadline of June 2, 2026 at 3:00 PM (PT), and public bid opening scheduled for June 3, 2026 at 2:00 PM (PT). The anticipated Notice of Intent to Award is June 5, 2026, and the contract will be awarded to the lowest responsive responsible bidder. Bidders must submit three sealed copies with mandatory attachments including business certifications, staff resumes, references, insurance documentation, and various state compliance forms.

This procurement includes several set-aside designations and restrictions on eligible responders. A minimum 3 percent Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) participation requirement is mandatory, with failure to meet this threshold rendering bids non-responsive. Small business preferences of up to 5 percent are available for certified small businesses or non-small businesses committing to 25 percent subcontractor participation, while the Target Area Contract Preference Act (TACPA) provides up to 5 percent preference for California-based companies performing 90 percent of labor hours in distressed areas. Combined preference maximums are capped at 15 percent of the bid amount or $100,000, whichever is less. No subcontractors are permitted for this contract, restricting the staffing agency to direct service delivery. The maximum contract budget is $7,000,000, with any bids exceeding this amount deemed non-responsive and ineligible for award consideration.