(Sole Source) Phenomenex BHTX MA

The Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences is soliciting a sole-source five-year master agreement for laboratory columns and related equipment from Phenomenex, with responses due September 15, 2026. No substitutions are permitted; the solicitation specifies five exact Phenomenex catalog items (Kinetex 2.6µm Phenyl-Hexyl LC columns, SecurityGuard ULTRA cartridges and holder, Zebron ZB-624 GC capillary column, and Lux 3µm AMP LC column) for use by the toxicology section of the Birmingham Lab.

The not-to-exceed contract value is $25,000 for the entire five-year agreement including any renewals. The agency has stated it must stay within budget when processing the award. Suppliers must be registered in Alabama Buys and submit electronic responses through that platform.

Suppliers must provide cost-realism and price-reasonableness justifications. Any price escalation requests during contract performance cannot exceed 5 percent of annual contract cost and must be supported by manufacturer or raw-materials supplier documentation. Additional compliance requirements include E-Verify enrollment verification for suppliers with Alabama employees, sales tax exemption certification, and compliance with the Beason-Hammon Alabama Taxpayer and Citizen Protection Act. Contracts exceeding $25,000 require submission of a Disclosure Statement; however, the not-to-exceed here is $25,000, creating ambiguity on this requirement.

The contract is governed by Alabama law with exclusive venue in Montgomery. Disputes are subject to non-binding alternative dispute resolution through mediation.