Laboratory Analytical Services for Fish TissuesBid Documents

The Indiana Department of Administration (IDOA) and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) are seeking a laboratory services contractor to perform comprehensive analytical testing of fish tissues and aquatic sediment samples from Indiana's rivers, streams, and lakes. The primary objective is to analyze approximately 200 biological tissue samples and up to 20 sediment samples annually, with a focus on detecting chemical contaminants that could impact fish consumption advisories. Contractors must provide all necessary sample containers, shipping materials, and overnight courier services, and perform detailed chemical analyses using prescribed EPA methods. The contract requires a high level of technical expertise, with laboratories required to maintain Data Quality Assessment Level 4 standards, provide both written and electronic analytical reports, and be available for expert testimony. Proposals will be evaluated across 103 possible points, with 45 points for management and quality assessment, 35 points for cost, and additional points for diversity participation and Buy Indiana initiatives. Key dates include a proposal submission deadline of March 31, 2025, at 3:00 PM ET, with pre-proposal questions due by January 29, 2025, and a pre-proposal conference held on January 28, 2025.

The procurement includes significant set-aside and diversity participation goals, specifically requiring 8% Minority Business Enterprise (MBE), 11% Women's Business Enterprise (WBE), and 3% Indiana Veteran Owned Small Business (IVOSB) participation. Prime contractors must document subcontractor commitments using specialized forms and ensure subcontractors are certified on the State of Indiana's approved vendor lists. Subcontractors must provide signed commitment letters detailing their scope of work, services, and valuable contributions to the contract. While the previous contract expenditure was $594,800, the current RFP does not specify a precise budget range or maximum contract value. The contract term is initially two years with two optional one-year renewals, potentially extending the total contract period to four years. Respondents must be registered bidders in the state's Supplier Portal and provide comprehensive documentation including financial statements, references, technical capabilities, and Indiana Economic Impact forms demonstrating the contract's potential economic benefit to the state.