CONSULTING LABORATORY & TESTING SERVICES

The City of East Orange, New Jersey, through its Division of Procurement, issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for Consulting Laboratory and Testing Services. This critical solicitation sought qualified laboratories to perform urine and oral toxicology tests specifically for patients receiving treatment at the East Orange Substance Abuse Treatment Division. The comprehensive scope of work includes reviewing orders for laboratory tests, diligent collection and accurate labeling of specimens, meticulous recording of specimen numbers and types, and ensuring the proper completion of all test requisition forms, including test orders, billing information, and patient/physician signatures. The selected contractor is also responsible for maintaining adequate and sanitary supplies/equipment at the facility, managing the safe disposal and storage of hazardous waste derived from specimen collection, ensuring the integrity of stored specimens, and delivering medical reports to facility physicians in a timely manner. All services must strictly comply with the New Jersey Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act (N.J.S.A. s 45:9-42.26 et seq.) and the federal Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act (42 C.F.R. 493.1 et seq.). Prospective contractors were required to demonstrate specific qualifications, including operating as a Clinical Medical Laboratory with all necessary Accreditations and Certifications, notably being accredited by the College of American Pathologists (CAP) and CLIA Certified. The successful bidder was also expected to provide two qualified Collectors, preferably bilingual, and capable of servicing at least one practice site with flexibility for Saturday and evening hours, maintaining 24-hour, 365-day per year operations. Mandatory IT requirements included a bi-directional interface, HL7 compliance, compatibility with the City's Electronic Health Record (EHR) system, remote server connectivity, 24/7 IT support, EDI, VPN network integration, and optional population analytics software. Bidders needed to provide a qualification statement, details on key personnel and their credentials, and a list of at least three client references for similar services, including contact information, dates, costs, scope, and status. Furthermore, vendors had to comply with New Jersey's Affirmative Action (N.J.S.A. 10:5-31 et seq., N.J.A.C. 17:27 et seq.), Disclosure of Ownership (N.J.S.A. 52:25-24.2), and Americans with Disabilities Act requirements, and maintain Workers Compensation and General Liability insurance with minimum limits of $1,000,000 per incident and $3,000,000 in the aggregate. A highly recommended Pre-Proposal Conference was held on Thursday, March 19, 2020, at 11:00 AM. Sealed RFP responses were due on Thursday, April 2, 2020, at 11:00 AM, and were to be submitted to the Purchasing Agent at the Municipal Council Chamber, located at 44 City Hall Plaza, East Orange, NJ 07018. Submissions required one original and four copies, with the submittal package clearly marked “CONSULTING LABORATORY & TESTING SERVICES” and addressed to the Purchasing Agent. A non-refundable fee of $25.00 was required for RFP packets obtained physically from the Division of Procurement. Required submission forms included a Proposal Cost/Signature Form, Non-Collusion Affidavit, Disclosure of Ownership, Insurance Requirement Acknowledgment, Affirmative Action compliance documents, Business Registration Certificate, Qualification Affidavit, Submission Form, and other certifications. Proposals were required to remain firm for a period of sixty (60) days after the submission date. For any questions regarding the RFP, firms were instructed to contact Lisa L. Jackson, Purchasing Agent, at (973) 266-5162, with all binding interpretations issued exclusively through formal written Addenda. The contract has an initial term of two years, with the City reserving the option to extend for three additional one-year periods.