LabN Macro to Genus 02725 - Updated

The Tennessee Department of Health Division of Laboratory Services (TDH-DLS) has issued a Request for Proposal (RFx) for Macroinvertebrate Genus Level Analysis, specifically targeting analytical services for identifying genus-level biota in water samples collected from sources within Tennessee. The procurement seeks up to eight vendors to provide comprehensive scientific services, with a primary focus on analyzing 1,593 Kick/Bank Samples for Semiquantitative Macroinvertebrate Genus identification, along with 160 samples each for Sorting QA/QC and Taxonomic QA/QC. Vendors must demonstrate expertise in aquatic invertebrate identification, with a requirement that at least one staff member hold taxonomic certification from the Society of Freshwater Science and limit staffing to US-based resources. The contract will be a multi-year agreement spanning three years with two optional one-year renewals, totaling a potential 60-month period. Key deliverables include identifying 160-240 organisms per subsample, maintaining chain of custody, and reporting results within 60 calendar days of sample receipt. The proposal is due by June 25, 2025, with an anticipated contract start date of July 2, 2025, and all samples will be shipped to Laboratory Services in Nashville, Tennessee.

The procurement encourages diversity business participation, specifically seeking engagement with minority-owned, woman-owned, service-disabled veteran-owned, disabled-owned, and small business enterprises. Vendors must provide comprehensive insurance coverage, including workers' compensation, commercial general liability, and automobile liability insurance with specific minimum coverage amounts. The contract will be awarded using a multi-vendor, lowest-cost methodology, with vendors ranked by proposed cost and sample allocation following a cascading distribution method. Specific vendor requirements include Tennessee Department of Revenue registration, prohibition of illegal immigrants, and adherence to state and federal regulations. While precise award values are not explicitly stated, the contract involves processing an estimated 531 samples annually, with vendors responsible for all shipping and handling charges. Bidders must use the Edison system for proposal submission, with Internet Explorer and Firefox recommended as browsers, and are advised that the system will sign users out after 30 minutes of inactivity. The procurement contact is Parker Birt, who can be reached at Parker.Birt@tn.gov or 615-291-5948 for any additional inquiries.