Toxicology Services

San Mateo County and San Francisco City are seeking a forensic toxicology services contractor through RFP No. COR2025-02 to support death investigations for the County Coroner's Office. The selected vendor must be licensed and accredited by an internationally recognized laboratory accreditation body such as ILAC, IACME, or NAME, with the capability to process approximately 50 cases per month. Proposers are required to complete 90% of toxicology examinations within 90 calendar days of case submission and provide comprehensive postmortem toxicology testing including basic and expanded panels for various specimen types. The evaluation will be points-based, with 50 points allocated to firm qualifications and accreditation, 15 points each for scope of testing and performance/turn-around time, and 10 points for pricing. Key proposal deadlines include a pre-proposal meeting on October 15, 2025, at 1:30 PM via Microsoft Teams, with proposals due on October 31, 2025, at 4:00 PM PDT. The anticipated contract award date is January 2, 2026, and vendors must demonstrate the ability to provide secure electronic reporting through a client portal compatible with Coroners and Medical Examiners (CME) software.

The procurement includes a local business preference, with potential additional points awarded to local businesses, non-profits, and small or micro businesses. Proposers must submit detailed pricing proposals with unit costs for 18 different test types, including postmortem panels, carbon monoxide exposure tests, and specimen handling. While no specific set-aside designations are explicitly mentioned, the RFP suggests a preference for local and small business participation. The contract will be structured using either the Standard Contract Template for Over $200K or Under $200K, depending on the final negotiated amount, which includes comprehensive provisions for insurance requirements, compliance standards, and payment terms. These templates mandate specific insurance coverages, including workers' compensation, comprehensive general liability, motor vehicle liability, and professional liability, each set at $1,000,000. Though a precise contract value is not specified, the detailed requirements and volume of approximately 50 cases per month suggest a potentially significant annual contract value for the selected toxicology services provider.