Water & Fish Sample Testing

The Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission (PFBC) is soliciting an electronic bid for water and fish sample testing services focused on analyzing Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) and Per- and Poly-Fluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) compounds. The procurement spans Centre County, specifically involving Bethel CDP and Sugarcreek Borough jurisdictions. The selected vendor will be responsible for analyzing approximately 20 PCB samples and 100 PFAS samples annually, with a required 30-business-day turnaround time. Key vendor qualifications include laboratory accreditation and geographic proximity, specifically being located within a 150-mile radius of the PFBC's Centre Region Office. The bid opportunity (Solicitation 6100059698) was posted on November 22, 2023, with electronic submissions due by December 21, 2023, at 10:00 AM. Interested vendors must register on the PA Supplier Portal (www.pasupplierportal.com) to submit a bid response, and all bidders are required to monitor the Department of General Services website for potential change notices.

The procurement appears open to all qualified vendors without specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises. No incumbent vendor information was explicitly detailed in the documentation. The solicitation requires vendors to complete a Worker Protection and Investment Certification, demonstrating compliance with various Pennsylvania labor and workplace safety laws. While specific budget ranges were not disclosed, the Commonwealth anticipates submitting 10 samples of each matrix for PCBs and 50 samples of each matrix for PFAS, suggesting a consistent but modest annual testing volume. The selected vendor must be capable of accepting payment via purchasing card without additional fees and provide comprehensive analytical services for both water and fish tissue samples. Pricing will be differentiated between water analytical pricing, fish analytical pricing, and fish processing, with trout samples requiring specific preparation as filets. Vendors should note that providing false information could result in contract termination and potential three-year ineligibility for future state contract opportunities.