The storage of Durable Medical Equipment, tracking of deployment, and retrieval as necessary for DSHS

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), on behalf of the Department of State Health Services (DSHS), issued Invitation for Bids (IFB) HHS0017028 on April 9, 2026, seeking a qualified contractor to provide warehouse storage, tracking, and deployment services for durable medical equipment and public health supplies in the Austin area. The procurement requires the contractor to provide up to 75,000 square feet of climate-controlled warehouse space within Travis County to store medical equipment including ventilators, medical beds, patient monitors, and IV pumps, with current inventory occupying 20,000 square feet. Key deliverables and services include receiving, storing, picking, packing, and shipping inventory; maintaining facility security and pest management; providing 24/7/365 access for DSHS personnel; conducting annual inventories; and providing transportation and white-glove services for equipment deployment during public health emergencies. Respondents must demonstrate a minimum of seven years' experience in warehouse and storage services, seven years in transportation and freight services, and three years each in disaster preparedness and emergency facility support management, supported by three verifiable references from similar contracts completed within the last five years. Required insurance includes workers' compensation, commercial general liability ($1,000,000 per occurrence/$2,000,000 aggregate), commercial automobile liability ($1,000,000 combined single limit), professional liability ($1,000,000), and umbrella liability ($1,000,000). Bidders must submit firm, fixed pricing on the required Pricing Sheet (Exhibit C) covering all labor, equipment, materials, and supplies, with pricing structured on a per-square-foot annual storage rate basis, warehouse labor rates per hour, transportation rates per truckload, and weekly rental rates for equipment and supplies. The optional vendor conference was held on April 16, 2026, with a questions deadline of April 17, 2026, and bids are due on April 29, 2026, at 10:30 AM Central Time, with an anticipated contract start date of July 1, 2026.

No specific set-asides are noted in the solicitation, though HUB (Historically Underutilized Business) subcontracting plan submissions are encouraged but not required, and no restrictions on eligible respondent types are identified. There is no identified incumbent contractor listed. The initial contract term runs from July 1, 2026, through August 31, 2027, with three optional one-year renewal periods available through August 31, 2030, plus one additional one-year extension option at HHSC's discretion. The historical spend for similar services is $772,820 for September 2024 to present, provided as a guideline only with no guarantee of volume or compensation, and price adjustments may be permitted annually based on the Consumer Price Index formula using Bureau of Labor Statistics data. All respondents must comply with extensive HHS affirmations and uniform terms and conditions, including E-Verify requirements, background check procedures for all personnel, compliance with civil rights laws, cybersecurity training, and prohibitions on boycotts of Israel and energy companies and discrimination against firearm industries. Bidders must submit responses either through the HHS Online Bid Room or alternative submission methods to the PCS office located at 1100 W. 49th Street in Austin, Texas, with office hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and all documentation requirements including completed Exhibit A HHS Solicitation Affirmations, Exhibit C Pricing Sheet, Exhibit D Bidder Reference Form, and Form 4109 Application for Texas Identification Number must be included.