Medical Laboratory Testing

An advanced contract award notice (ACAN) is a public notice indicating to the supplier community that a department or agency intends to award a contract for goods, services or construction to a pre-identified supplier, thereby allowing other suppliers to signal their interest in bidding, by submitting a statement of capabilities. If no supplier submits a statement of capabilities that meets the requirements set out in the ACAN, on or before the closing date and time stated in the ACAN, the contracting officer may then proceed with the award to the pre-identified supplier.

1. Definition of the requirement:

Correctional Service Canada (CSC) Health Services have a requirement to provide a full range of Medical Laboratory Testing to be available to the offender population through the Health Care Units in the Pacific Region. The Contractor must provide diagnostic testing and laboratory follow-up and must collaborate with institutional health services teams. The work will involve the following:

1.1 Objectives:

Provide accurate and timely analysis of medical specimens.

1.2 Tasks:

a. The Contractor must provide medical and diagnostic analysis services (blood, urine, stool and other bodily fluids or tissue) for CSC in accordance with the provincial Laboratory Services Regulations;
b. The Contractor must provide same day transportation of collected samples from the institutions listed in section 1.6.1 a), to the lab on designated days listed in section 1.6.2 b), ;
c. The Contractor must deliver analysis reports to the relevant institutional Health Care Unit.

1.3 Expected results:

The Contractor must provide the analyses of lab specimens within the required time frames as specified in the provincial laboratory directory and in accordance with the Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) Act, 1992 and the current TGD Regulations.

a. CSC may request emergency laboratory services outside the scheduled pick-up times, but during the contractors operating hours. If CSC requires a STAT lab analysis (short turn around time), then a TGD trained CSC employee will drop off the specimen at the designated local lab site.
b. For time sensitive lab samples that require aliquoting, the Contractor must provide special courier boxes with instruction to the sites on how to send those samples to the lab within the 2-hour time frame required. CSC nurses will not aliquot lab sample. Aliquoting samples will be the responsibility of the Contractor.
1.4 Performance standards:

Provision of same day pick up of lab specimens at various Institutions and transportation of these specimens to the laboratory.
Medical and diagnostic analysis services in accordance with provincial Laboratory Services Regulations.
Provide fully accredited Medical Laboratory Services.

1.5 Deliverables:

a. Analytical reports

i. The Contractor must post the analysis results on an electronic web inbox with institution, as listed on the completed lab requisition, as the primary reference to assist institutions in sorting results.
ii. The information the Contractor must include in the report includes but is not limited to: the inmate’s name and date of birth, the date of the request and of the analysis, the analysis results and the range of normal values.
iii. The Contractor must complete the tests upon receipt at the testing facility and provide the test results within a 48 hour turnaround time within the business hours of the institution as indicated in 1.6.a, unless the CSC health care unit advises the Contractor that the results are required on an immediate basis (also known as STAT), except for tests which cannot be performed within this time period such as cultures or viral specimens due to longer incubation period requirements or processing times or low volume tests that are batched weekly as indicated in the Contractor’s online test directory.
iv. When an Institution requests the results of an analysis as STAT or when a specimen results in a critical lab value (if there is an imminent risk to the patient’s health or life, for example: a risk of toxicity), the Contractor must immediately communicate the information directly to the health care unit of the institution where the inmate is located via telephone (in addition to sending these results via facsimile as indicated on the lab requisition). If the Contractor must communicate STAT results after the operational hours of the Health Care unit, the Contractor must contact the Institutional Physician to ensure patient care.
b. Required Analyses:
i. The Contractor must forward specialty lab specimens to the appropriate provincial laboratory for testing and note lab name and contact number for specimen sent on the lab report. Specialty lab specimens include, but are not limited to, T3 Revers, Anti-GAD, Manganese Plasma, Myeloperoxidase, Anti-Insulin Antibodies and metals.
ii. The list of available tests the Contractor must perform is outlined at Annex B – Basis of Payment. The list is not exhaustive, the Contractor must charge the additional tests that do not appear on this list at the Contractor’s standard commercial rate
c. Statistical reports:
The Contractor must provide statistical results on CSC’s use of analysis services. This report must include, the number of tests per type of analysis, at each institution on a monthly basis.

d. Supplies and Equipment
The Contractor must supply the institutions with the collection equipment and supplies required to perform the specified sample collection at no additional cost. The supplies include, , but are not limited to, the following:,
o the Contractor's laboratory requisitions;
o laboratory tubes and sampling containers;
o needles and adaptors; and
o biohazard bags and transport containers, in accordance with TDG standards

CSC will be responsible for purchasing centrifuges, alcohol swabs, tourniquets, biomedical waste containers and making arrangements for biomedical waste disposal. CSC will be responsible for performing annual preventative maintenance on the centrifuge device.

e. Reference tool
i. The Contractor must provide a reference tool (online tool, booklet or binder, or poster or any combination of the three) listing the analyses and the sampling procedural requirements.
ii. The Contractor must specify which blood analyses can be performed on a single tube. It is mandatory that the Contractor uses the fewest possible sampling tubes for the requested analysis (the reference tool must indicate the analyses that can be grouped together in a single tube).
f. Sampling
CSC nursing staff will take the blood and other samples but will not aliquot the samples. CSC nursing staff will ensure that samples are packaged appropriately and ready for transport by scheduled pick up dates and times..

g. Training
The Contractor must provide CSC with training material if any of the Contractor’s required collection and preparation processes are updated.

h. Transportation

i. The Contractor must arrange courier pick up services of the collected lab samples at the front gate house of the institutions listed in section 1.6.1a at the times specified in 1.6.1b.
ii. The Contractor must arrange transportation of the lab specimens at its own expense.
iii. The Contractor must ensure that the transportation service complies with the Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) Act, 1992 and current TDG Regulations and that each courier is TDG certified.
iv. The Contractor must provide transport containers that comply with part 5 of the TDG Regulations and are clean and secure. The Contractor must ensure couriers use quality containers that protect and maintain the contents within in the required condition (including, but not limited to sealable bags, vial holders, and absorbent material and plastic folders for lab requisitions).
v. The Contractor must provide a minimum of two (2) containers to each institution at all times. The courier must leave one empty transport container at the location of pick up each time specimens are collected.
vi. Any CSC employee who transports lab specimens will be TDG certified, and CSC will be responsible for maintaining employees’ current certification.
1.5.1 Paper consumption:

a. Should printed material be required, double sided printing in black and white format is the default unless otherwise specified by the Project Authority.

b. The Contractor must ensure printed material is on paper with a minimum recycled content of 30% and/or certified as originating from a sustainably managed forest.

c. The Contractor must recycle unneeded printed documents (in accordance with Security Requirements).

1.6 Constraints:

The Contractor must perform the work at the Contractor’s business locations and must make arrangements for collection of lab specimens from the following CSC sites in accordance with the courier pick up schedule.

a. Collection Sites and Hours of Operation:
Fraser Valley Institution
PO Box 5000 - 33344 King Road
Abbotsford, BC V2S 6J5
Hours of Operation (daily): 06:45a.m to 7:15p.m
Kent Institution
PO Box 1500 - 4732 Cemetery Road
Agassiz, BC V0M 1A0
Hours of Operation (daily): 06:30a.m to 6:30p.m

Kwikwexwelhp Healing Village
PO Box 110 - 16255 Morris Valley Road
Harrison Mills, BC V0M 1L0
Hours of Operation (Monday to Friday): 06:30a.m to 2:30p.m
Matsqui Institution
PO Box 2500 - 33344 King Road
Abbotsford, BC V2S 4P3
Hours of Operation (daily): 06:45a.m to 7:00p.m

Mission Institution (Medium)
PO Box 60 - 8751 Stave Lake Street
Mission, BC V2V 4L8
Hours of Operation (daily): 06:30a.m to 6:30p.m

Mission Institution (Minimum)
PO Box 50 - 33737 Dewdney Trunk Road
Mission, BC V2V 4L8
Hours of Operation (daily): 06:30a.m to 5:00p.m

Mountain Institution
PO Box 1600 - 4732 Cemetery Road
Agassiz, BC V0M 1A0 Hours of Operation (daily): 06:30a.m to 7:00p.m
Pacific Institution
PO Box 3000 - 33344 King Road
Abbotsford, BC V2S 4P4
Hours of Operation (daily): 06:30a.m to 7:00p.m

Regional Reception Assessment Centre (RRAC)
PO Box 3000 - 33344 King Road
Abbotsford, BC V2S 4P4
Hours of Operation (daily): 06:30a.m to 7:00p.m
William Head Institution
6000 William Head Road
Victoria, BC V9C 0B5
Hours of Operation (daily): 07:00a.m to 4:00p.m

b. Schedule for courier pick up:
Institution: Dates: Times:

Fraser Valley Mon, Wed, Fri
12:22
Kent Tue, Thurs, Fri
13:43
Kwikwexwelhp Every 2nd Thurs 11:00
Matsqui Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs

12:28
Mission Minimum Wed

13:50
Mission Medium Mon, Wed, Fri
13:54
Mountain Tue & Thurs 13:39
PI/RTC Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri

12:36
RRAC Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri
12:29
William Head Every Thurs 13:45

1.6.1 Travel

i. No travel is anticipated for performance of the work under this contract.

1.6.2 Language of Work:

The contractor must perform all work in English.

1.6.3 Security Requirements:

This contract includes the following security requirements:

SECURITY REQUIREMENT FOR CANADIAN SUPPLIER:
PWGSC FILE No. 21801-24-0028

1. The Contractor must, at all times during the performance of the Contract, hold a valid Designated Organization Screening (DOS), issued by the Contract Security Program (CSP), Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC).

2. The Contractor personnel requiring access to PROTECTED information, assets, or sensitive site(s) must EACH hold a valid RELIABILITY STATUS, granted or approved by the CSP, PWGSC. Until the security screening of the Contractor personnel required by this Contract has been completed satisfactorily by the CSP, PWGSC, the Contractor/ personnel MAY NOT HAVE ACCESS to PROTECTED information or assets, and MAY NOT ENTER sites where such information or assets are kept, without an escort.

3. Processing of PROTECTED materiel electronically with the Contractor's IT equipment and/or systems is NOT permitted under this Contract. The use of personal devices to connect to or conduct any activity on GC networks and GC furnished IT equipment is strictly prohibited.

4. Subcontracts which contain security requirements are NOT to be awarded without the prior written permission of the CSP, PWGSC.

5. The Contractor must comply with the provisions of the:

a) Security Requirements Check List and security guide (if applicable), attached at Annex C;
b) Contract Security Manual (Latest Edition).

CSC Approved Health Services Exemption for the Removal, Offsite Storage and Electronic Data Processing of Offender Personal Medical Information under CSC issued contracts.

1. The Contractor/Offeror must practice and take measures to protect shared personal health information in accordance with the applicable legislation which governs the disclosure of personal and health information under federal and provincial laws, applicable provincial health information acts, and the provincial/territorial regulatory body’s professional practice standards. This includes collection, receipt, transmission, storage, disposal, use and disclosure of information under its control among authorized persons of employees of the Contractor/Offeror.

2. In case of security breach or the unauthorized use of shared personal information, the Contractor/Offeror must notify the CSC Project Authority and implement all procedures and disclosure requirements as defined by their professional certifying body and those required of federal and provincial laws and regulations.

2. Criteria for assessment of the statement of capabilities (minimum essential requirements):
Any interested supplier must demonstrate by way of a statement of capabilities that it meets the following requirements:

1. The supplier must have a minimum of 3 years experience, acquired within the last 5 years prior to the ACAN closing date, in providing high volume ( laboratory services 7 days per week.
2. Must be able to provide a high volume of medical and diagnostic analysis services (blood, urine, stool and other bodily fluids or tissue) per month, a minimum of 1800 samples per month;
3. Be located in the Fraser Valley to enable CSC Nurses to transport specimens directly to the lab for STAT requests;;
4. Complete standard test results upon receipt at the supplier’s testing facility within a 48-hour turnaround time within business hours indicated in 1.6a;
5. Complete STAT upon receipt at the supplier’s testing facility within XX hours turnaround time within business hours;
6. Provide emergency laboratory services outside CSC scheduled pick up times, but during Contractors operational hours.
7. Provide special courier boxes with instructions to the sites on how to send collected samples to the supplier’s lab within the 2-hour time frame required for time sensitive lab samples that require aliquoting,
8. Must be able to aliquot the blood and other samples;
9. must have a network of consolidated scheduled and on call courier pick-up services that provide Category B transport;
10. Provide Dedicated Customer Support (telephone number) Monday to Friday, 24 hours a day and on weekends during business hours;
11. Provide updates regarding clinical changes affecting lab testing;
12. Provide physician consultation for result inquiries;

Provide the institutions with all of the equipment and supplies required to perform the specified analyses. Including, but not limited to:
• laboratory requisitions;
• laboratory tubes and sampling containers;
• needles and adaptors;
• biohazard bags and transport containers, in accordance with TDG standards.

Professional designation, accreditation and/or certification:

Supplier must hold each a valid Certificate of Accreditation issued by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia and Accreditation Canada.

Laboratory technicians that operate equipment, perform testing and reporting result must be qualified Medical Lab Technologists that hold valid registration with the Canadian Society of Medical Lab Technology (CMSLT)

3. Applicability of the trade agreement(s) to the procurement

This procurement is not subject to any trade agreement.

4. Set-aside under the Procurement Strategy for Indigenous Business

This procurement is not subject to any set-asides for Indigenous Suppliers.

5. Comprehensive Land Claims Agreement(s)

This procurement is not subject to a Comprehensive Land Claims Agreement.

6. Justification for the Pre-Identified Supplier

The pre-identified supplier meets all of the minimum essential requirements described in this ACAN.

7. Government Contracts Regulations Exception(s)

The following exception to the Government Contracts Regulations is invoked for this procurement under subsection:

(d) only one person is capable of performing the contract.

8. Exclusions and/or Limited Tendering Reasons

This procurement is not subject to any trade agreement.

9. Ownership of Intellectual Property

There are no intellectual property terms in the contract.

10. Period of the proposed contract or delivery date

The proposed contract is for a period of four (4) years, from September 1, 2024 to August 31, 2028.

11. Cost estimate of the proposed contract

The estimated value of the contract, including option(s), is $2,500,000.00 (GST/HST extra).

12. Name and address of the pre-identified supplier

Name: LifeLabs Medical Laboratory Services
Address: Contractor’s place of business.

13. Suppliers' right to submit a statement of capabilities

Suppliers who consider themselves fully qualified and available to provide the goods, services or construction services described in the ACAN, may submit a statement of capabilities in writing to the contact person identified in this notice on or before the closing date and time of this notice. The statement of capabilities must clearly demonstrate how the supplier meets the advertised requirements.

14. Closing date and time for a submission of a statement of capabilities

The closing date and time for accepting statements of capabilities is August 16th, 2024 at 2:00PM Pacific Time.

15. Inquiries and submission of statements of capabilities

Inquiries and statement of capabilities are to be directed to:

Amber Hupper, Contracting & Procurement Officer
Regional Headquarters Pacific
Unit 100 – 33391 Gladys Avenue
Abbotsford, BC V2S 2E8
Telephone: 236-380-1379
Facsimile: 604-870-2444
E-mail: Amber.Hupper@csc-scc.gc.ca