Laboratory Toxicity Testing

Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners is soliciting competitive sealed bids for Acute and Chronic Toxicity testing services under ITB-26-00323, with bids due July 31, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Contractors must hold Florida Department of Health and National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program certifications — the core eligibility requirement.

The scope encompasses freshwater and marine organism bioassay testing to demonstrate compliance with State regulations for treated wastewater discharge to surface waters. Testing must follow EPA methods and standards. The contractor's laboratory must operate within EPA Region 4 (Southeast) boundaries. The contractor must provide sample collection containers, ice chests, and analytical reporting; notify the Project Manager within one business day of test failures; and submit final reports and quality assurance results within five working days of test completion. Service delivery must commence no later than fourteen days after receipt of a Purchase Order.

The estimated contract value is $460,350.00 over a three-year term. Pricing is subject to annual CPI-U adjustments beginning one year after award, calculated using the simple percentage method. The contract does not guarantee minimum purchase volumes; actual requirements vary and orders are issued on an as-needed basis through Standard Purchase Orders. No bid, performance, or payment surety bonds are required.

Award will be made to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder meeting all specifications in a single award covering all line items. Hillsborough County reserves the right to terminate for convenience with written notice; the County will pay for all accepted services provided before termination.

Contractors must provide Certificates of Insurance before performing work, with coverage from Florida-authorized insurers rated A-, Class 7 or better. Required coverages include Commercial General Liability ($1,000,000–$5,000,000), Professional Liability ($1,000,000–$5,000,000 per claim), Automobile Liability ($300,000–$1,000,000), Workers' Compensation, Cyber Liability ($1,000,000 minimum), Physical Abuse and Molestation Insurance ($1,000,000), Crime Protection/Employee Dishonesty ($1,000,000), and Directors and Officers Liability ($1,000,000). Hillsborough County must be named as Additional Insured on General, Auto, and Aircraft Liability policies. The contractor must provide 30 days' written notice before cancellation or material change to any required coverage. Vendors must submit a completed Drug-Free Workplace Certification Form and Substitute W-9 Form as part of the bid.