​​​APHL, with funding support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is pleased to offer funds to one or more state, local or territorial laboratories to develop or enhance an existing childhood blood lead testing program.

Eligibility

State, local, or territorial laboratories are eligible to submit proposals. Interested parties must submit a proposal to APHL that provides all of the information specified in the Proposal Requirements section below. In order to be considered, complete proposals must be submitted no later than the Proposed Due Date specified in the Anticipated RFP Schedule section below. Applicants will find proposal submission information in the Response Submittal section below.

Anticipated Schedule

Applications are due to eh@aphl.org by 5:00 pm Eastern Standard Time (EST) on April 12, 2019. APHL anticipates the following schedule for the entire competitive bidding process:

March 28, 2019                     APHL Issues RFP

April 12, 2019                        Complete proposals due to eh@aphl.org by 5:00 pm EST

April 13, 2019                         Proposal Review

April 24, 2019                         APHL posts names of the selected applicant(s) to procurement site, www.aphl.org/rfp.

If APHL makes any modification to this anticipated schedule, it will post the change to APHL's procurement site, www.aphl.org/rfp.

Response Submittal

APHL must receive a complete proposal by no later than 5:00 pm EST on April 12, 2019. Applicants must send proposals via email to eh@aphl.org.

APHL will send an email acknowledging the receipt of your proposal. If you do not receive an acknowledgement within 72 hours, please email brianna.carey@aphl.org to confirm receipt.

Scope of Work

The selected applicant(s) will be expected to enhance their childhood blood lead testing program in their laboratory, or to help start a program. Funding can be used for initiatives to begin or enhance a program, including but not limited to:

·         Equipment, reagents, proficiency test challenges and/or certified reference materials

·         Partial payment towards an analytical instrument

·         Instrument service agreement

·         Instrument interface to laboratory information management system (LIMS)

·         Specimen collection materials and outreach

·         Specimen transport

·         Communication materials

Proposal Requirements

The proposal should be kept to a maximum of 5 pages. Any documents included as an appendix are not included in the 5-page count. The applicant must include the following in their response:

  1. A description of the laboratory’s need for this funding
  2. A description of the laboratory’s current blood lead testing program (if applicable)
  3. A description of the proposed childhood blood lead testing program
    1. Include a description of the appropriate staff and their role in program development and implementation.
  4. Budget and justification
    1. APHL will award one laboratory an award of $120,000 or two laboratories an award of $60,000 each. Please create a detailed budget and justification for each item requested in the proposal.  

Request for Proposal Materials

The Funding to Begin or Enhance an Existing Childhood Blood Lead Testing Program provides details on how to complete this RFP. The RFP contains a copy of the evaluation criteria that will be used for evaluation of proposals.

Questions

Please direct all questions regarding this RFP or its requirements via email to Brianna Carey at brianna.carey@aphl.org with a copy to Julianne Nassif at julianne.nassif@aphl.org.

​Questions and Answers

What is the overall goal for the RFP – is it to expand Lab capacity, Program capacity? Or both? Or other?

Will there be any priority given to Labs that do not have existing programs versus those who do?