RFP Notice for 2016 Automated Immunochemistry Analyzer

The Colorado Department of Human Services, Division of Procurement, issued RFP #IHJA 2015000204 on behalf of the Colorado Mental Health Institute at Pueblo (CMHIP) seeking a qualified vendor to provide a fully automated immunochemistry analyzer and comprehensive related services. The procurement encompasses a five-year rental agreement with pricing structured on a cost-per-reportable-test basis, with the vendor responsible for providing the analyzer, reagents, de-ionized water if required, a UPS system capable of maintaining eight minutes of uninterrupted operation, bi-directional data management software, operator training at the manufacturer's facility including travel and accommodations, complete in-house setup with linearity and precision studies, and business hours service (Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) with all parts, labor, and travel expenses included. The analyzer must be fully automated with immediate, continuous, random access and STAT testing capabilities; self-contained with no external plumbing requirements; capable of handling 5ml, 7ml, and 10ml primary tube sampling with barcode identification; equipped with on-board reagent storage and refrigeration; and support a comprehensive test menu including immunoassays for thyroid function, cardiac markers, vitamins, hepatitis panels, and HIV testing to accommodate a projected annual test volume of 5,976 tests. The vendor must provide five-year rental and reagent pricing with a no-price-increase guarantee for the entire five-year period, with service response time of eight hours or next business day on-site if technical issues cannot be resolved remotely. The RFP was published April 2, 2015, with a written inquiry deadline of April 15, 2015, and a proposal submission deadline of May 4, 2015 at 2:30 p.m. at the Pueblo office located at 1600 West 24th Street. Evaluation criteria include reagent stability and expiration, calibration stability, service quality and warranty, CAP survey compliance, and price, with proposal evaluation estimated for the week of May 11, 2015, and contract finalization estimated for the week of June 1, 2015. The contract period is estimated from July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2016, with four optional one-year renewal periods at the State's sole discretion.

The RFP documentation does not specify set-aside designations or restrictions on the types of organizations eligible to respond, nor does it identify any incumbent vendors or current contractors to be considered for renewal. Proposals must be submitted in hard format with one signed original and one copy, plus two unencrypted flash drives compatible with MS Office 2007 or higher, and must include payment terms of 45 days or longer, with pricing remaining effective for 180 days following award. All proposals should be quoted F.O.B. destination to the specified delivery location, and vendors must provide a Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) or Social Security Number (SSN) as registered on Colorado VSS. The procurement requires vendors to comply with the Colorado Model Business Associate Addendum (HIPAA BA) for handling Protected Health Information (PHI) in accordance with HIPAA and HITECH Act requirements, including implementation of appropriate administrative, technical, and physical safeguards, breach notification within two business days, maintenance of insurance covering PHI data loss and privacy violations, and retention of PHI for six years following contract termination. The award value or budget range for this procurement is not specified in the available documentation, though the State reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and may request financial documentation from the awarded vendor to demonstrate financial responsibility and stability.