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The Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District requests proposals for
Laboratory Information Management System Proposal The Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) is soliciting proposals for a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS). These proposals should identify services, scope, process, schedule, and not‐to‐exceed cost estimates for a Professional Services Contract. MMSD understands that proposers may have questions that cannot be answered by the information contained within this RFP. Proposers are welcome to contact MMSD in advance of submitting proposal documents. The deadline for asking or submitting (via email) questions is the end of the day on 3/27/2015.
Questions related to general RFP requirements (schedule, contacts, scoring) must be addressed via email to the Project Manager, Laurie Dunn, [email protected].
Questions related to our laboratory specific requirements must be addressed via email to the Laboratory Manager, Rhonda Riedner, [email protected].
All questions will be answered during a conference call scheduled to be held on March 31st. Preliminary (pre‐demonstration) proposals must be submitted by the end of the day on 4/20/2015. The deadline for submitting final proposals is the end of the day on 5/18/2015. See the Submission Instructions section for additional details and for a detailed project timeline. Submit proposals via email to:
Laurie Dunn
[email protected] Your Email subject should clearly state that the enclosed proposal is for:
MMSD Laboratory Information Management System Proposal
The Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District reserves the right to reject any or all proposals.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Intro and Overview .............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 4 Background ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 4 Summary and Scope ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 5 High Level Overview of MMSD Processes................................................................................................................................................................... 5
Functional Requirements ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 8 0. General Requirements ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 8 1. Sample Accessioning ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 9 2. Sample Preparation and Sample Disposal ............................................................................................................................................................ 10 3. Anions ................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 10 4. Bacteria ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 11 5. BOD ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 12 6. Field Measurements ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 12 7. Metals ................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 13
7.1 Metals ‐ Spec ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 13 7.2 Metals ‐ Hg ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 14 7.3 Metals – ICP ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 14 7.4 Metals – GF ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 15
8. Nutrients ............................................................................................................................................................................................................... 16 9. Solids ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 16 10. Volatile Fatty Acids ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 17 11. Other Testing ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 18 12. Send out .............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 19 13. Peer review and supervisor approval ................................................................................................................................................................. 20
13.1 Peer review: ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 20 13.2 Supervisor approval ............................................................................................................................................................................ 20
14. Plant processing system (DARC) ......................................................................................................................................................................... 21 15. Reporting ............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 22 16. Invoicing (nice to have) ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 22 17. Reagent tracking (nice to have) .......................................................................................................................................................................... 23 18. Location tracking (nice to have) .......................................................................................................................................................................... 23 19. Maintenance (nice to have) ................................................................................................................................................................................ 24 20. QA ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 25
General Inquiries ................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 27
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21. General Company & Product Information .......................................................................................................................................................... 27 22. Implementation Process ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 28 23. Technical Platform ‐ Software ............................................................................................................................................................................. 29 24. Technical Platform ‐ Hardware ........................................................................................................................................................................... 30 25. Configuration and Customizability ...................................................................................................................................................................... 30
Contract Details ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 31 26. Contract Terms ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 31
Post Implementation Review and Update .................................................................................................................................................. 31 Help Desk .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 32 Optional Long‐term Maintenance Support Contract .................................................................................................................................. 32 Kick‐Off Meeting ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 32
27. Conflict of Interest .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 32 28. Removing Contractor Employee for Misconduct or Security Reasons ............................................................................................................... 32
Submission Instructions ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 33 Timeline for Proposal Evaluation .............................................................................................................................................................................. 33 Proposal Submittal Instructions and Deadlines ........................................................................................................................................................ 35 Proposal Format........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 35
Evaluation .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 36 LIMS Team ................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 36 Evaluation Criteria .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 37
Additional Provisions ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 38 Revision to the RFP ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 38 Use, Disclosure, and Confidentiality of Information ................................................................................................................................................. 39 Errors in Proposals .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 39 Professional Services Contract .................................................................................................................................................................................. 39 Taxes ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 39 Confidentiality ........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 40 Use of MMSD’s Name ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 40
Appendix A ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 41
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INTRO AND OVERVIEW
BACKGROUND The Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) is a wastewater treatment facility committed to resource recovery and protecting the public health in central Wisconsin. In order to support these aims and streamline workflows, MMSD wishes to purchase a commercial LIMS to replace their current LIMS which was developed in house. The current LIMS uses a combination of Microsoft Access databases, a Microsoft SQL Server database, Visual Basic 6 applications, various macros, and a significantly large amount of Visual Basic for Applications code. It supports analysis and reporting for 9 analysts and 13 analytical instruments. These instruments run 30 different analytical methods and approximately 55,000 individual analyses each year. The results of these analyses support plant operations, inform local home well owners, and drive special projects in collaboration with local businesses and the University of Wisconsin‐Madison. In addition, MMSD is responsible to report findings to various government agencies, including the DNR. MMSD has identified significant issues with their current systems. These issues are preventing the laboratory from implementing operational protocols in an efficient and stable manner. In addition, the aging technology stack is quickly driving up the cost of operational maintenance of the system to unacceptable levels. For these reasons, MMSD intends to purchase and implement a LIMS that will: Fully support their testing workflow needs Be cost effective to implement and maintain Allow for better integration with other internal and external systems Integrate numerous functions that are currently handled in separate databases Will be expandable and adaptable to future requirements
MMSD engaged Yahara Software to analyze their current workflow and LIMS and to create an RFP based on their unique needs. During the preparation of this document, Yahara led MMSD through a series of workshops that were structured upon the Value Stream Mapping components of LEAN process improvement planning. In creating our RFP, we are working on the assumption that most LIMS platforms provide a common core set of functionality in terms of system configurability, basic sample and workflow tracking, and reporting capabilities. With that in mind, we have chosen to focus on asking vendors to provide information regarding key functional requirements that we believe represent areas in which we require more specialized functionality. However, if your system has differentiating characteristics regarding the more common functional areas we encourage you to call that fact out in the notes sections provided in each category.
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SUMMARY AND SCOPE MMSD is anticipating procurement of a LIMS including the basic application and ancillary software necessary to support their testing and reporting workflows. The specific functional requirements are detailed in the following sections. However, at a high level, the ideal LIMS will include the following functionality:
Batch operations for common workflow steps, for example: accessioning, test assignment, specimen disposal, etc. Ability to track samples as they are processed by the laboratory Workflow support for the implementation and configuration of common assays typically done within wastewater treatment facilities Track workflow progress for routine test assays to enable laboratory managers the ability to monitor key laboratory operations based
upon turnaround time, hold times, and QA performance Flexible reporting capabilities, including the ability to transfer results data to other internal and external systems
In addition to the functional match of the system to MMSD’s needs, MMSD will be evaluating proposals based upon:
Budgetary impact of initial licensing and implementation costs Long term cost of ownership of the proposed solution Ease of use of the system and training requirements The vendors’ proposed implementation schedule and approach The technology platform used by the vendor
Configuring and implementing a new LIMS will involve a high degree of collaboration with MMSD staff. The analysts, users, and administrators of the current LIMS take great pride in their stewardship and knowledge of that system. It will be very important that these individuals continue this tradition by playing a key role in designing workflows and configuring a new system.
HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF MMSD PROCESSES The MMSD laboratory provides analytical and related services to both internal and external customers. Analytical data provided to internal customers serves a number of different purposes including: Compliance with WPDES permit requirements Operation of the treatment plant
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Operation of MMSD’s biosolids reuse program (Metrogro) Pollution prevention/source reduction initiatives User charge billing Pretreatment and waste acceptance initiatives Research Watershed monitoring activities
External customers include select local municipal entities and wastewater treatment plants. The laboratory also provides contracted services for the Yahara WINS Watershed Adaptive Management Pilot Project and has provided contract services to support various external research projects (e.g., UW‐Madison and Water Environment Research Foundation projects).
The laboratory performs analyses on a wide range of analytes which require varying levels of complexity, both in terms of analytical methods and associated instrumentation. Sample turnaround time is relatively short, which is necessary to provide timely information in support of various MMSD programs. MMSD’s laboratory produces high quality results, is certified by the State of Wisconsin, and recently received certification by the United States Geological Survey. The table below describes the variety and volume of specimens typically processed by the MMSD laboratories.
Table 1 ‐Lab Analysis Totals in 2014 The analyses total does not include analyses required for quality assurance/quality control purposes, which increases the analyses total by approximately 30% (17,000). The number of analyses is expected to increase by 3% to 5% annually.
PARAMETERS QUANTITY Nutrients (TKN, TP, NH3‐N, NO2‐N, PO4‐P, WEP) 18,048Solids (Suspended and Total) 17,094Biochemical Oxygen Demand, CBOD 5,256Anions (Cl, NO3‐N, NO3+NO2, NO2, SO4) 5,554Field Measurements (pH, TEMP, COND, DO) 4,423Metals 5,738Bacteria (FCOLI, TCOLI, ECOLI, Salmonella) 1,259Volatile Fatty Acids (VFA) 889Misc. Testing (Alkalinity, Density, Chlorophyll, CH4, CN, WET) 1,360Total 59,621
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Figure 1 below shows the high level overview of how we grouped our requirements by the components of MMSD’s laboratory process. In each of the processing blocks identified we collected key functional requirements where LIMS, data automation and data analytics will be required.
In general, the laboratory receives samples from internal MMSD operations as well as a variety of external clients. Once accessioned, tests are assigned based upon either client requests or pre‐ascribed. Regularly scheduled protocols are run in support of wastewater treatment operations. Most tests will require the completion of sample preparation steps, such as creating aliquots and acid preservation. From there, the aliquots are distributed to various laboratory sections to complete specialized testing protocols. After testing and QC are complete, results go through a peer
Figure 1. MMSD workflow overview
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review process and supervisory approval before they are released. After release, various reports are created and data is transferred to other internal or external systems. In addition to this general workflow, other tasks supported by the new LIMS will include quality assurance, instrument maintenance, and possibly reagent tracking.
FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS
The functional requirements listed below will be used to evaluate the fit of a potential LIMS with the needs of MMSD. Please note that details are given regarding current instrumentation and methods, but MMSD anticipates the need to change methods and/or instrumentation in the future. Any specific details below should be considered as representative of the typical processes. Specific integration or method needs will be determined during implementation.
0. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS Requirements in this section pertain to all workflows in the lab. Key Requirements Grid
Requirement Proposed solution 0.1 Record Sample ID, date/time of analysis, instrument,
and analyst
0.2 Indicate sample purpose (e.g., screening, permit requirements) and use this designation to drive method and/or QA, and priority
0.3 Allow for scheduled and ad hoc samples and panels 0.4 Record method used and analytes tested 0.5 Track dilution factors used 0.6 Calculate and track LOD and LOQ values with associated tests 0.7 Record QC samples used 0.8 Calculate and track QC results based on method requirements 0.9 Allow for qualification of data 0.10 Allow for notes/observations 0.11 Use historical results to guide decisions (e.g., dilution factors) 0.12 Ability to easily accommodate changes in instrumentation, instrumentation software, or methods used.
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1. SAMPLE ACCESSIONING During accessioning, samples are received from operators and clients and stored in lab refrigerators until use. Modifying current procedures to allow for accessioning of routine plant samples on a scheduled basis would greatly improve efficiency. These process changes could include pre‐login of samples, batching of samples for further analysis, and efficient scheduling of sample collection including instructions to operators. Response Notes:
Key Requirements Grid Requirement Proposed solution 1.1 Assign each sample a unique ID 1.2 Enter date/time collected (grabs), start and end date/time (composites) collected, time dropped off, site ID, and operator/client
1.3 Enter date/time received by the lab, and also record the name/initials of the person who received them
1.4 Allow for entry/automatic assigning of metadata parameters, including project name
1.5 Enter type of sample (composite or grab) 1.6 Assign parameters based predetermined list or as per client needs
1.7 Pull flow data from DARC (or record flow data manually if pulling from DARC is not possible)
1.8 Enter sample condition exceedances and qualifiers 1.9 Flag samples to be sent out to other labs 1.10 Schedule sample collection times and notify operators of collections with the option to include instructions
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2. SAMPLE PREPARATION AND SAMPLE DISPOSAL When necessary, samples are further composited within the lab based on plant flow rates or straight percentage (e.g., 1:1). Sample aliquots are created and preserved as necessary for testing. These samples are then stored in lab refrigerators until testing. Once all testing has been completed, samples may be disposed. Response Notes:
Key Requirements Grid Requirement Proposed solution 2.1 Enter time composited and analyst 2.2 Track aliquot creation (subsampling), including: dilutions, preservative used and subsampling analyst
2.3 Track storage location of all aliquots 2.4 Record time disposed of and analyst 2.5 Flag to delay disposal of parent sample or subsample if all relevant tests have not been completed and reviewed (especially for non‐routine samples)
3. ANIONS For anions testing, sample dilutions are prepared for sample testing using a DionexDX‐120 ion chromatograph with EZChrom Elite Version 3.1.6 (2004) software. Sample types and frequencies are as follows: Home wells 60‐70 per week during May‐Aug Plant samples (24 hour composite), 13 per week all year Watershed (river and creek) samples (grab samples)10‐15 twice a month Special study samples done as needed
Holding times for Cl and SO4 are 28 days, and 48 hours for NO3‐N . Batch samples are imported and analyzed using EPA method 300.0 revision 2.1 with relevant QC. Then the results are exported to a file share. A bidirectional interface with the instrument is required. The ability to view historical data and use that data to suggest appropriate dilution factors is also required. Response Notes:
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Key Requirements Grid Requirement Proposed solution 3.1 Import instrument data with result data (e.g., analysis start date, column pressure)
3.2 Perform calculations with data when necessary (recoveries and duplicates)
4. BACTERIA Bacterial testing is performed on various samples including: Biosolids 2x/week throughout the entire year, with an additional 7/month during the hauling season Home wells daily from late May through mid‐August and occasionally in September‐December Plant samples 2x/week mid‐April through mid‐October Stream samples every other month, yearly Special studies, frequently
Samples are batched where appropriate and diluted if necessary. Colony counts and colony composition tests are performed as well as colony verification. QC and sterility verification take place before data is entered into the LIMS. In this department, there is frequent analysis for special projects. Methods used are all from Standard Methods. Total Coliform by Membrane Filtration Method 9222‐B, Fecal coliform by Membrane Filtration Method 9222‐D, Fecal Coliform by Multiple Tube Fermentation 9221‐E, 9221‐B.1, 9221‐A.3. The instruments used in this area include, but are not limited to, an autoclave, blender cups, filter funnel, incubators, and water baths. Response Notes:
Key Requirements Grid Requirement Proposed solution 1.0 Track Incubation times and temperatures
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5. BOD All BOD samples received each day are batched for analysis. BOD testing is performed on various samples including: Plant process samples, daily Stream samples every other month, yearly Septage samples 12/month Madison samples every other week, April through September User charge samples, daily
A pH and temperature check is performed before samples are analyzed using BOD Standard Methods, Method 5210 and DO Standard Methods, Method 4500‐O, C & G on a BOD AutoEZ analyzer. QC is performed and results are exported to a file to be imported into LIMS. Initial set up for BODs must be performed within 48 hours of collection with final DO readings taken at 5 days plus/minus 4 hours from setup. Integration with the BOD AutoEZ running on EZBOD Version 1.0.1.1 software is required. Response Notes:
Key Requirements Grid Requirement Proposed solution 5.1 Record pH and temp 5.2 Store raw data for three Winkler titration results 6. FIELD MEASUREMENTS Before an operator leaves to collect samples, a sample list is generated of which samples the operator needs to procure. Field measurements are taken during sample collection, and then the samples are returned to the lab where aliquots are taken for future testing. Integration with an Orion Versa Star multimeter with Versa Star software from Thermo is required. Methods used are dissolved Oxygen Method 4500‐O, C&G, pH Method 4500‐H,B, Specific Conductance Method 2510 B, Temperature Method 2550 B. Testing for special projects occurs frequently in this area. Response Notes:
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Key Requirements Grid Requirement Proposed solution 6.1 Generate list of samples
6.2 Record date/time, location and sampling analyst
6.3 Record pH, temperature, conductivity, and dissolved oxygen 6.4 Record QC (field temperature blank, calibration checks) 6.5 Record field comments (to track weather conditions, river stage, as examples)
6.6 Record date/time, analyst entering samples into the LIMS when returning to the lab following routine sample accessioning protocol
7. METALS The metals department uses multiple technologies. Colorimetric determinations for Cr+6 are done on a Helios Unicam spectrophotometer. Cold vapor determinations for mercury are done on a CETAC mercury analyzer. Atomic Emission is done on a JY Ultima ICP, and Atomic Absorption is done on a GBC Avanta Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. Quick screens are performed on randomly requested grab samples.
7.1 METALS ‐ SPEC For testing on the Unicam Helios spectrophotometer, grab samples for Industrial Pretreatment samples are prepared by filtering and adding color developer. No preservative is used and analysis must be done within 24 hours. The samples are analyzed using USGS Method 1‐1230‐85 and QC is performed. The results are imported into the LIMS and a bidirectional interface with the instrument is required. Response Notes:
Key Requirements Grid Requirement Proposed solution 7.1.1 Record reagents, method for any preparation steps, and dilutions
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7.2 METALS ‐ HG For testing on the CETAC M8000 (Hg QuickTrace), samples are prepared by digestions. These digestions vary by method and matrix and are a multi‐step process. EPA Method 245.7 is used for waters. For biosolids, EPA Method 1631 Appendix is used. The water samples are either a grab or 24 hour composite. The biosolids samples are a monthly composite, and made from daily samples. All samples must be analyzed within 28 days of the ending composite date. Plant, industrial pretreatment, and biosolids samples are the common sample types, although there may be some other special samples required. All of the digestions require various reagents that need to be tracked, and various temperatures and digestion times will need to be monitored. The samples are analyzed, QC is performed and results are imported into the LIMS. Ultra low Hg samples are sent out. Response Notes:
Key Requirements Grid Requirement Proposed solution 7.2.1 Record date/time, analyst, reagents, method for any preparation steps, pH prior to digestion and temperature at the beginning, middle and end of digestions
7.2.2 Record date/time and analyst preparing monthly composite
7.3 METALS – ICP For testing on the JY Ultima 2 Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) (version 5.4.2) samples are preserved with acid and prepared by digestions. These digestions vary by method and matrix and can be a multi‐step process. For the ICP, EPA Method 200.7 is used for both the water and biosolids samples. In all cases, the digestions will involve various reagents that need to be tracked, and time and temperatures will need to be monitored. The samples with QC are imported into the LIMS. Bi‐directional instrument integration is required Response Notes:
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Key Requirements Grid Requirement Proposed solution 7.3.1 Record date/time, analyst, reagents, method for any preparation steps
7.3.2 Record pH prior to digestion and temperature at the beginning, middle and end of digestions.
7.3.3 Track filtering of samples
7.4 METALS – GF For testing on the GBC Avanta Atomic Absorption with GF5000 Graphite Furnace (GF) (XP version 1.33), samples are preserved with acid and prepared by digestions. These digestions vary by method and matrix and can be a multi‐step process. Plant and surface water samples are generally run on the furnace. Standard Methods 3030 D&E are used currently for digestion and Standard Methods 3113 is used for analysis. In all cases, digestions will involve various reagents that need to be tracked, and time and temperatures will need to be monitored. The samples with QC are analyzed and imported into the LIMS. Bi‐directional instrument integration is required Response Notes:
Key Requirements Grid Requirement Proposed solution 7.3.1 Record date/time, analyst, reagents, method for any preparation steps, pH prior to digestion and temperature at the beginning, middle and end of digestions
7.3.2 Record pH
7.3.3 Track filtering of samples
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8. NUTRIENTS Samples that enter the Nutrients department include: Plant process samples, daily Stream samples, random days and monthly Biosolids samples during hauling season User charge samples, daily Special studies, frequently
Samples are batched where appropriate and prepared by digestion or preservation only based on method. A sample list is imported in to the Astoria Pacific A2’s auto analyzer, which is then calibrated. Samples and QC are analyzed using FASPac software, EPA methods 600/R‐93‐100 for TP 365.4, TKN 351.2, NH3‐N 350.1, Nitrites 353.2, Nitrates 353.2, Ortho Phosphorus by Standard Methods 4500‐P F and the results are imported into the LIMS. A bi‐directional interface with the instrument is required. Response Notes:
Key Requirements Grid Requirement Proposed solution 8.1 Record date/time, analyst, reagents and method for any preparation steps
8.2 Track filtering of samples
9. SOLIDS Samples that enter the solids department include: Plant and biosolids samples, daily Septage samples, 12x/month Stream samples, random days and monthly USGS samples, during major rain events Madison samples, every other week from April through September User charge samples, daily
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Some samples coming into this department are further composited based on flow (daily, monthly or weekly flows). Aliquots taken to prepare these composites are recorded. Sample aliquot volume or weights are recorded for all solids testing. Samples for suspended solids are filtered and dried and a weight is taken. Samples for total solids are dried and a weight is taken. A procedural verification of the overnight drying method used in the lab is performed quarterly to allow for use of an overnight drying protocol in place of the constant weight procedure. There is a 7 day hold time for solid samples, and there are daily and weekly average discharge limits. If recorded analyses are near limits, samples should be flagged so that the operators can be notified. An interface with the Mettler Toledo, Model AX205 analytical balance using homemade capture software is used during this process. Response Notes:
Key Requirements Grid Requirement Proposed solution 9.1 Schedule recurring samples
9.2 Track compositing done in this section
9.3 Track tare weights and location of filters by rack number
9.4 Record oven temp and drying time for various steps
9.5 Track completed samples 9.6 Track 7 day holding time from sample collection to drying oven and flag any past 7 days
10. VOLATILE FATTY ACIDS Samples are collected and analyzed from the Acid Digester. The Acid Digester contains acid producing bacteria that break down organic compounds into fatty acids. Sludge from the Acid Digester is then pumped to a mesophilic digester which contains methane producing bacteria. This is the next step in the degradation of solids. The methane producing bacteria break down the fatty acids into methane. If the fatty acid
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concentration decreases significantly in the Acid Digester, it is an indication that the bacteria population is changing and the whole process may be in jeopardy. The digester samples must be filtered and then refrigerated. There is not a holding time restriction. The samples are then hand injected into a Perkin Elmer 3920 Gas Chromatograph with a packed column and data acquisition is started using an in‐house method modified from a Supelco technical bulletin. The software used for data acquisition is EZChrom Elite Version 3.1.6. The batch sequence files are processed, the sample concentration is calculated, and QC samples are analyzed. The results are imported into the LIMS. A bi‐directional interface with the instrument is required. This testing process has a relatively low sample volume compared to others in the lab. Response Notes:
Key Requirements Grid Requirement Proposed solution 10.1 Record preparation steps including dilution factors
10.2 Record analyst and date of filtration
11. OTHER TESTING Various tests are performed in this department including alkalinity, density, chlorophyll, cyanide, pH and conductivity. The samples are prepped (e.g., cyanide preparation requires preservation and distillation, including a trapping and freeing solution). These preparation steps and reagents will need to be tracked. Cyanide is analyzed using EPA method 335.4 with modifications to test Industrial Pretreatment samples semi‐annually. Chlorophyll a is analyzed using a Unicam Helios Delta Spectrometer. The analysis is referenced from Standard Methods, Method 10200H "Chlorophyll". The samples analyzed are watershed (river and stream) samples (10‐15) collected twice a month. A pH meter with temperature compensating probe is used to measure pH on plant, stream, user charge, Madison and digester samples using Standard Methods, Method 4500‐H+, B. Bi‐directional or simple interfaces with instrumentation is required where appropriate and ideally using the vendors approved API. Samples and QC are analyzed and the data is exported for import into the LIMS. Response Notes:
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Key Requirements Grid Requirement Proposed solution 11.1 Record preparation steps on samples and date/time performed
11.2 Record pH 11.3 For alkalinity, record beginning and end volume 11.5 Perform necessary calculations on data (e.g., alkalinity titration volume)
11.6 Allow for creation of new tests 12. SEND OUT Certain tests are sent out to contracted labs for analysis. These analyses currently include: whole effluent toxicity, sludge PCB and solids, priority pollutant scan, pharmaceutical and personal care product scan, low level Hg, and macro invertebrates. There could potentially be other analyses in the future. Sample send out requires chain of custody documentation and the data received back would need to be imported into the LIMS. Response Notes:
Key Requirements Grid Requirement Proposed solution 12.1 Record sample collection requirements
12.2 Record sample collection date/time and analyst
12.3 Record chain of custody documentation 12.4 Record sample type (grab or composite) and any preparation steps
12.5 Allow import of data received from outside laboratories, including (but not limited to) information about the laboratory, such as certification number.
12.6 Facilitate sending relevant data to the DNR
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13. PEER REVIEW AND SUPERVISOR APPROVAL Lab data undergoes a peer review and results are released after supervisor approval. In both cases, the reviewer checks data against historical values, and looks for incorrect data both by performing manual and automated data checks before formal approval. After final supervisory approval, the data may be uploaded into DARC (see 14) or other databases for consumption by other MMSD personnel and processes. At this time it is also available for reporting.
13.1 PEER REVIEW:
Response Notes:
Key Requirements Grid Requirement Proposed solution 13.1.1 Flag when a set of data is ready for peer‐review
13.1.2 Record date/time and analyst performing final QC
13.1.3 Flag data over or under thresholds for review 13.1.4 Qualify data with exceedances 13.1.5 Qualify data outside of predetermined parameter ranges or that does not meet predetermined criteria
13.1.6 Allow for flexible assignment of primary and backup reviewers 13.1.7 Allow for approval
13.2 SUPERVISOR APPROVAL
Response Notes:
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Key Requirements Grid Requirement Proposed solution 13.2.1 Flag when a set of data is ready for supervisor approval
13.2.2 Record date/time and supervisor performing final QC
13.2.3 Flag data over or under thresholds for review 13.2.4 Qualify data with exceedances 13.2.5 Qualify data outside of predetermined parameter ranges or that does not meet predetermined criteria
13.2.6 Allow for flexible assignment of primary and backup reviewers 13.2.7 Allow for approval 13.2.8 Allow ability to lock results after final approval 13.2.9 Interface with DARC 14. PLANT PROCESSING SYSTEM (DARC) The MMSD Data Acquisition and Reporting Center (“DARC”) is a database and reporting system that gathers data from the MMSD process control systems as well as the lab. The DARC system performs calculations and generates reports that track trends and correlates data points between plant processes and lab data. The DARC system is integrated with the existing LIMS, and receives data feeds both on‐demand and on an automated schedule. The new LIMS will need to be integrated with DARC so that it continues to receive the same lab data points. This may require modifications to the existing DARC lab loading process and the DARC API. Response Notes:
Key Requirements Grid Requirement Proposed solution 14.1 Track date exported/imported to DARC 14.2 LIMS data must be easily accessible to DARC’s lab loader application, which is written in .NET (Note that modifications to the loader application will not be a part of this LIMS contract)
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15. REPORTING Both analytical and ad hoc reporting are required to support MMSD’s needs. Analytical reporting will take place on a scheduled (weekly, monthly, quarterly, yearly, etc.) basis and will require an interface with other internal databases. Ad hoc reporting will happen on a daily basis and will need to support batching and formatting of results, and it will also require an interface with other internal databases and applications. In addition, various governmental agencies (like Wisconsin DNR, EPA, and USGS), require specific reports with specific formatting (like XML or comma delimited). The ability to interface with these agencies to automatically send data would be beneficial. Response Notes:
Key Requirements Grid Requirement Proposed solution 15.1 Extract/use data from multiple databases (optional)
15.2 Create reports for invoicing (optional)
15.3 Use data from LIMS and combine with DARC data (optional)
15.4 Allow individuals access to preliminary data – data that have not gone through the entire approval process
15.5 Schedule daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual reports (optional)
15.6 Support export of data to defined formats for regulatory agencies
15.7 Capture notes/comments on reports
16. INVOICING (NICE TO HAVE) MMSD generates invoices for many of the samples received from external customers. The ability to create invoices from LIMS is desired, but if this functionality were not available or were costly, the lab could continue using their current method. Response Notes:
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Key Requirements Grid Requirement Proposed solution 16.1 Store date/time of invoice creation
16.2 Store invoice recipient
16.3 Store time invoice was sent out
16.4 Interface with financial system
16.5 Automatically calculate/generate invoices based on analytical charges; minimum charges, associated administrative fees
17. REAGENT TRACKING (NICE TO HAVE) Currently, MMSD has a homegrown reagent tracking system, the Chemical Usage and Inventory Tracking System (ChUITS). Please explain what your system offers in terms of reagent tracking. Response Notes: 18. LOCATION TRACKING (NICE TO HAVE) The laboratory has various stations where samples could be located, so location tracking would be desirable. A list of sample locations is provided below. Response Notes:
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Key Requirements Grid Requirement (approximate count) Proposed solution 18.1 Incubators (4)
18.2 Heat blocks (4)
18.3 Ovens (3)
18.4 Refrigerators (8)
18.5 Racks on benches (numerous)
18.6 Furnaces (1)
18.7 Water baths (numerous)
18.8 Freezers (1 per refrigerator)
18.9 Autoclaves (1)
19. MAINTENANCE (NICE TO HAVE) The laboratory wants to track routine maintenance tasks for use in audits and QA. Current maintenance logs include information about the service date, problem description, and action taken. Notifications of routine maintenance coming due would be desirable. A list of example maintenance tasks is provided below. Response Notes:
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Key Requirements Grid Requirement Proposed solution 19.1 Anions IC columns
19.2 Anions IC filters
19.3 Anions IC suppressor
19.4 Metals acid wash jugs and tubing
19.5 Metals acid wash carboys
19.6 Auto analyzer cleaning, flushing, tubing changes, new chemicals
19.7 Change pump tubing
19.8 Change membranes on BOD reader, other machine and probe maintenance
19.9 Thermometer checks and calibrations
19.10 Clean pH and conductivity meters
19.11 Track major equipment repairs/replacement of parts by either vendor or if done by someone internally
19.12 RO Water System
20. QA In addition to the QC performed on a per sample basis, the lab performs various QA tasks that need to be tracked. A sample listing of QA tasks is provided below. Response Notes:
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Key Requirements Grid Requirement
Proposed solution
20.1 Calculate sample hold times for analyses and flag where appropriate. 20.2 Calculate and track turnaround times between major workflow steps 20.3 Compare results to historical data and flag outliers for review 20.4 Compare results to permit limits and alert potential violations 20.5 Ability to assess data against pre‐defined data review checklists 20.6 All sample batches have QC requirements. The frequency and types of QC checks vary by method. For any sample/parameter reported with a QC qualifier, the analyst must be prompted with a series of questions related to corrective action
20.7 Temperature logs for ovens, furnaces, refrigerators, samplers, for example 20.8 Track quarterly validation of pipettes 20.9 Track date of Annual balance calibration (5‐6 balances) 20.10 Hood velocities 20.11 Instrument LODs and LOQs (LODs and LOQs should be adjusted based on dilution and more than one LOD/LOQ may need to be recorded as it could vary by technique or matrix)
20.12 Ability to calculate spike recovery ranges based on previous performance 20.13 Ability to calculate duplicate range control limits based on previous performance, running averages
20.14 Ability to create a qualifier and value code dictionary that could print definitions for qualified data on appropriate reports
20.15 Track date of annual thermometer certification 20.16 Track date of weight certification 20.17 Track usage of the system by users 20.18 Full audit trail 20.19 Ability to track lab staff training and certifications/IDCs (optional)
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GENERAL INQUIRIES
The following sections are intended to solicit information regarding your company, your product, and your implementation process.
21. GENERAL COMPANY & PRODUCT INFORMATION Please give a high level overview of your company, office locations, number and types of employees, number of clients and types of industries served. Please highlight installations that have similar requirements to the ones described in this RFP. Response Notes:
Specific Questions Item Question Vendor Response 21.1 Please describe your licensing model (e.g., annual subscription or perpetual license with annual
maintenance).
21.2 How are licensing costs determined (e.g., by named user or concurrent users)? Does the licensing fee include more than one environment (e.g., test and production) or are additional environments additional fees?
21.3 Please supply some rough budgetary information assuming 12‐15 concurrent users. Include typical license costs and any support and maintenance costs for 5 years.
21.4 If your system is modular, please provide separate pricing for the required and optional functionality. 21.5 If you have annual support and maintenance program, please describe what is included and if there are
different tiers of support.
21.6 If you have annual support and maintenance program, is participation required? 21.7 If you have annual support and maintenance program, roughly what percentage of the total licensing fees
does it represent?
21.8 What are your typical support mechanisms (email, phone, etc.), response times and support hours? 21.9 How are maintenance patches and software updates deployed to clients? 21.10 Outside of the day to day users, describe the internal staff requirements to administer and support the
application, assuming minimal on going customization. Include information on typical # of support staff and representative roles and skill sets.
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Item Question Vendor Response 21.11 Please provide the anticipated date(s) of your next major release(s) and an indication of the scope of change
in functionality.
21.12 Please provide a roadmap of anticipated new feature development 21.13 Do you ever sunset features and how many back releases of the software do you support? 21.14 How many years has your product been on the market? 21.15 What kind of warranty do you provide? 21.16 Please describe any instances of lawsuits for contract failure you have experienced as a company.
22. IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS Please give a high level overview of your typical Implementation services. Please include information about how you elicit and finalize requirements, whether you do implementation yourselves or work with partners. Response Notes:
Specific Questions Item Question Vendor Response 22.1 On average what is your typical implementation time frame to get a single workflow system commissioned? 22.2 What is the typical size and makeup of an implementation team? 22.3 What implementation activities does your team typically perform? Which activities do clients typically
perform?
22.4 Generally, what percentage of licensing costs do implementation costs represent? 22.5 In general, what are the time commitment and responsibilities for client resources during the implementation
process?
22.6 What training resources do you provide during implementation 22.7 What end user resources (manuals, websites, training materials) do you provide during and after
implementation
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23. TECHNICAL PLATFORM ‐ SOFTWARE Please give a high level overview of your software architecture, i.e. does it implement a tiered architecture, how modular is it, what types of clients (PC, web, mobile) does it support? If possible please provide a high level architectural diagram. Response Notes:
Specific Questions Item Question Vendor Response 23.1 Describe the server operating system(s) you support (e.g., Windows, Unix, Linux). Please
include any version information. Please note, preference will be given to Windows systems.
23.2 What database management platforms do you support (e.g., Oracle, MS SQL)? Please include versions supported. Please note, preference will be given to MS SQL systems.
23.3 What programming language(s) were used to develop the system? 23.4 What client operating systems do you support? Do you support delivering any functionality
over the web or via mobile interfaces?
23.5 Does your product have an API(s)? If so please give a high level description of it and the implementation (e.g., SOAP, REST, RPC).
23.6 Describe your systems reporting platform. Are third party reporting tools used or is it a proprietary solution?
23.7 Describe your user security model. How is access to different areas of the application controlled? Does it integrate with Active Directory?
23.8 Describe typical integration strategies for interfacing with other systems (e.g., data import/export, API integration). If possible, give some specific examples of instruments and with what data systems you have integrated.
23.9 Describe your data purging and archiving methodology. 23.10 Describe if and when data archiving takes place, including reporting access to data after
archiving.
23.11 Describe your applications capabilities for change auditing.
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24. TECHNICAL PLATFORM ‐ HARDWARE Please give a high level overview of your physical system architecture in a typical install, i.e. database servers, application servers, file storage, BLOB storage, and physical client. Response Notes:
Specific Questions Item Question Vendor Response 24.1 Please break out the typical LIMS server footprint and the
recommended system requirements for each server (e.g., RAM, CPU, Storage).
24.2 Describe if and how you support fail safe data storage (e.g., redundancy, failover).
24.3 Describe what is required from a system maintenance standpoint such as backups and archiving.
24.4 Describe the typical system requirements for client workstations. 24.5 Do you typically install on corporate data networks or do you
recommend a dedicated VLAN?
24.6 What server virtualization platforms do you support? Please note, preference will be given to systems that can be supported on VMware.
25. CONFIGURATION AND CUSTOMIZABILITY Please give a high level overview of how configurable and customizable your product is. Where possible, give examples of which types of functionality are configurable and which require customization. Response Notes:
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Specific Questions Item Question Vendor Response 25.1 What level of technical expertise and what skillsets are required to support
configuration tasks?
25.2 What level and types of technical skills are required to customize screens and workflows? Please include any specific programming languages that are used.
25.3 Describe the process of adding a new data field to your application. 25.4 Describe the process of adding or modifying a data entry screen in your
application.
25.5 Describe the process of adding or modifying a report in your application. Do you support third party reporting tools, and if so which tools?
25.6 Describe the process of adding or modifying a workflow in your application. 25.7 How does making customizations affect the software upgrade process? 25.8 Please describe how and to what granularity your security model is
configurable.
CONTRACT DETAILS
26. CONTRACT TERMS Following the selection of a qualified firm for the work of this RFP, MMSD and the firm will begin a good faith effort to negotiate a Professional Services Contract for the work. The firm will supply the basic contract for the negotiations, and this will include Terms & Conditions as well as the Scope of Services for performance.
POST IMPLEMENTATION REVIEW AND UPDATE Approximately six months after full implementation, the Contractor shall conduct a post implementation review and update. MMSD will convene a working group consisting of key system users. The working group will review the system functionality with the Contractor. The Contractor shall deliver a Post Implementation Review Report that summarizes the feedback from the working group and recommends changes for the system. If needed, the Contractor shall make adjustments to the system in accordance with the Post Implementation Review Report. An amount equal to 5% of the contract value (excluding materials and expenses) will be held until completion of the post implementation review and update.
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HELP DESK The Contractor shall maintain a help desk to respond to MMSD IS and Laboratory staff work group questions or problems regarding the system during the implementation. The MMSD requires that a help desk be available 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM CST weekdays excluding Federal and MMSD Holidays with a maximum of 4 hours response time. OPTIONAL LONG‐TERM MAINTENANCE SUPPORT CONTRACT The proposer should submit an optional long‐term support contract with the proposal. The long‐term support contract is an optional item for acceptance by the MMSD for annual system support provided by the Contractor. The specific Terms & Conditions of this support would be incorporated into a separate service contract. The initial proposal should cover two one‐year terms of maintenance support. Extensions or contract renewals beyond this are possible. KICK‐OFF MEETING The Contractor shall schedule a Kick‐Off Meeting with the Project Manager and the LIMS Implementation Team. The purpose of the Kick‐Off Meeting, which will be led by the Contractor, will be to identify primary points of contact, discuss roles and responsibilities, review the project schedule, and discuss the technical and contracting objectives of this task order. The Kick‐Off Meeting will be held at the MMSD facility. 27. CONFLICT OF INTEREST During the course of its performance of the project, and for a period of 6 months thereafter, the Contractor shall not employ any person who is an employee of MMSD. 28. REMOVING CONTRACTOR EMPLOYEE FOR MISCONDUCT OR SECURITY REASONS MMSD may, at its sole discretion, direct the Contractor to remove any Contractor employee from the project or MMSD facilities for misconduct or security reasons. Misconduct includes, but is not limited to, harassment, discrimination, violence or threat of violence, dishonesty, unethical behavior, willful negligence in performing duties, unauthorized disclosure of District information, falsifying records, working under the influence of drugs or alcohol, engaging in illegal activity, etc. Removal does not relieve the Contractor of the responsibility to continue providing the services required under any task order awarded.
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SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS MMSD reserves the right to reject any or all proposals or to waive any technicality and accept any proposal that may, in its opinion, be advantageous to MMSD. MMSD reserves the right to call for more proposals and is not required to use one of the vendors that respond to this initial RFP. MMSD will not reimburse costs for preparation of proposal or demonstrations pre‐contract.
TIMELINE FOR PROPOSAL EVALUATION MMSD has established the following tentative timeline for this project. These dates are subject to change at MMSD’s discretion.
Week
3/8 3/15 3/22 3/29 4/5 4/12 4/19 4/26 5/3 5/10 5/17 5/24 5/31 6/7 6/14 6/21 6/28 7/5 7/12 7/19 7/26
RFP distribution and call for proposals (3/13/2015) Question period for vendors Vendor questions due to MMSD (3/27/2015) Conference call for question answers (3/31/2015) Letter of intent due (4/6/2015) Proposal preparation period Preliminary proposal due (4/20/12015) District evaluation period and call for demonstration Demonstration period (5/4‐8/2015) Proposal revision period Final proposal due (5/18/2015) District selection (6/1/2015) Earliest desired project start time (7/1/2015) Latest desired start time (8/1/2015)
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RFP distribution and call for proposals: The RFP is posted on the MMSD web site, published in the newspaper and distributed to vendors of interest on this date. Question period for vendors: Vendors may contact MMSD with questions about the proposal and requirements during this time. Questions related to general RFP requirements (schedule, contacts, scoring) must be addressed via email to the Project Manager, Laurie Dunn, [email protected]. Questions related to our specific laboratory related requirements must be addressed via email to the Laboratory Manager, Rhonda Riedner, [email protected]. All questions will be answered during a conference call scheduled to be held on 3/31/2015. Letter of intent due: A letter (email) of intent must be received by MMSD by the end of the day on 4/6/2015 in order to submit a proposal for this LIMS project. The letter of intent should be addressed to the Project Manager, Laurie Dunn, [email protected]. MMSD will acknowledge receipt of letters of intent via email. Response preparation period: During this time period, vendors will prepare their proposal for response to this RFP. RFP response (Preliminary Proposal) due: Preliminary proposals must be received by the Project Manager, Laurie Dunn ([email protected]) by the end of the day on 4/20/2015. MMSD evaluation period and call for demonstrations: The MMSD LIMS Evaluation Team will review responses and then select 2‐4 vendors to present demonstrations of their systems to the LIMS Team and any other interested MMSD staff. Demonstrations will be scheduled on a first come first served basis. Demonstration period: The MMSD will arrange demonstrations with selected vendors to occur between 5/4/2015 and 5/8/2015. Time slots for individual demonstrations will be determined by random selection and availability. A demonstration should be no longer than 2 hours, and this will be followed up by a question and answer period lasting no longer than 1 hour. Demonstrations may be organized as you see fit, and may be used to supplement or expand upon any aspects of your written proposal. During this time, firms should also highlight parts of their proposal which differ from the RFP. The MMSD LIMS Team will ask clarifying questions about the details and implementation of the proposal. Vendors may also ask questions of MMSD staff in order to better clarify MMSD requirements and needs. The members of the MMSD LIMS Team will have reviewed all written proposals prior to the interviews. Proposal revision period: During this time vendors can revise their proposals in light of information and questions gathered at the demonstrations.
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Final proposal due: Final proposals must be received via email by MMSD by the end of the day on 5/18/2015. Additional information related to submitting proposals follows this section. MMSD selection: The MMSD would like to select a vendor by 6/1/2015. Notification of the selection will be sent to all vendors who submitted a final proposal. PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL INSTRUCTIONS AND DEADLINES The Contractor shall submit their proposal via email, directly to the Project Manager in an electronic version (Microsoft Word or PDF); no hard copy need be submitted. Submit proposals to:
Laurie Dunn [email protected]
The email with the proposal attached should have a subject line that clearly states: MMSD Laboratory Information Management System Proposal. The deadline for this submittal is the end of the day on 5/18/2015. An authorized representative of the Proposer shall sign the proposal. It is recommended that the Proposer confirm receipt of the electronic submittal. MMSD will not consider any proposals received after the official deadline. PROPOSAL FORMAT Functional Requirements: Proposals must address all of the functional requirements outlined in the previous sections. Proposals should include a brief overview of the system proposed. Each requirement should be addressed individually with a 2‐3 sentence description of how the vendor would propose to meet that requirement, including a description of any customization required to meet MMSD’s needs. Other required information: Beyond the functional requirements the proposal should include the following information. Statement of Interest ‐ This statement shall indicate your firm’s general interest and capability to provide and install a new LIMS for MMSD.
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Pricing ‐ Please provide an estimated price and breakdown for all LIMS components and each of the major tasks you see for this project. Show billable rates and estimated hours for each individual to be involved. Define any additional expenses that will be billed. List all other product, material, and equipment expenses with any markup for the work of the proposal. This pricing should also include the costs for the first year of system support at a level that covers at least weekday business hours.
Estimate of costs for support years 2 through 5 – Include support costs for the LIMS for years 2 through 5. This will be used for cost of ownership comparisons only and will not be a part of this initial contract.
Project Plan – Include the project plan as it will be managed by you. This should include tasks, task durations, resource assignments, and expectations for resources from MMSD.
Subcontracting ‐ Any subcontracting for completing the work of this RFP must be identified in the proposal submittal. In the event that unanticipated subcontracting for services or material becomes necessary during the execution of the Contract, then that engagement must be approved by MMSD.
Past Performance – Please include the contact information for three customer references where similar systems were implemented for clients within the wastewater treatment or environmental laboratory domains.
Disadvantage Business Enterprises Disadvantage Business Enterprises are encouraged to submit proposals. When awarding this contract MMSD will follow the Six Good Faith Efforts set up by the EPA to ensure that all disadvantaged business enterprises (DBEs) have the opportunity to compete for procurements. See Appendix A for a list of those efforts.
Statement of Proposal Life ‐ The proposal shall have a proposal life of at least 180 days from the date of the RFP due date. This shall represent the time during which the proposal is a firm offer and a contract may be entered into.
Contact Person ‐ Please include the name, title, address, telephone number, fax number, and e‐mail of the key contact person for any questions regarding your proposal.
Signature of Authorized Representative ‐ An authorized representative of the Contractor shall sign the Proposal.
EVALUATION
LIMS TEAM MMSD’s LIMS Team includes members who will evaluate the responses, review submitted proposals, consider demonstrations information, and provide input during the requirements gathering phase of the actual project. This team may include: Project Manager Laboratory Manager
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Laboratory Staff Information Systems Manager Information Systems Developers who currently support MMSD’s LIMS MMSD staff who consume lab data for reports and monitoring of the treatment process
EVALUATION CRITERIA All proposals will be evaluated by a committee of MMSD LIMS Team members. The committee will use the following process to evaluate the vendors.
1. The MMSD LIMS Team will review all preliminary proposal responses and qualifications. The proposals will be scored, and then two to four vendors will be selected for an onsite or remote demonstration of their system. The selection criteria used for this evaluation step are as follows:
Preliminary Selection and Evaluation Criteria Points Allocation
LIMS Evaluation team’s perception of the ability of product and project team to meet requirements. Detailed descriptions of how the product will fulfill the requirements will be given higher consideration. 0‐45
Pricing. Proposal pricing will be reviewed for licensing, implementation, and maintenance costs. MMSD has a limited budget for this project and proposals with the highest value will be given higher consideration. 0‐20
Experience with general environmental labs or wastewater treatment laboratories, especially those within municipalities of a similar size and scope as MMSD. Particular attention will be given to control of costs, quality of work, ability to meet deadlines, and familiarity with the type of problems typical with this type of project.
0‐20
Implementation approach and schedule. Capability of the firm to perform the work in a manner that will meet the proposed schedule. 0‐15
Total Points 100
2. Selected vendors will present a demonstration of their system to the LIMS Team and other interested MMSD staff. Time slots for individual demonstrations will be determined by random selection and availability. Demonstrations will be limited to 2 hours, and this will be followed up by a question and answer period lasting no longer than 1 hour. Demonstrations may be organized as each vendor sees fit, and may be used to
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supplement or expand upon any aspects of the written proposal. During this time, firms should also highlight parts of their proposal which differ from the RFP. The MMSD LIMS Team will ask clarifying questions about the details and implementation of the proposal. Vendors may also ask questions of MMSD staff in order to better clarify MMSD requirements and needs. The members of the MMSD LIMS Team will have reviewed all written proposals prior to the interviews. MMSD will not reimburse costs for demonstrations.
3. After the demonstrations and interviews, vendors will be given additional time to revise and refine their proposals. The final proposal and the demonstration will then be reviewed by the LIMS Team and scored using the following criteria:
Selection and Evaluation Criteria Points Allocation
LIMS Evaluation team’s perception of the ability of product and project team to meet requirements. Detailed descriptions of how the product will fulfill the requirements will be given higher consideration. 0‐40
Pricing. Proposal pricing will be reviewed for licensing, implementation, and maintenance costs. MMSD has a limited budget for this project and proposals with the highest value will be given higher consideration. 0‐20
Demonstration and Interview. Presentation, information, and responses to questions during an on‐site or remote demonstration and interview. 0‐15
Experience with general environmental labs or wastewater treatment laboratories, especially those within municipalities of a similar size and scope as MMSD. Particular attention will be given to control of costs, quality of work, ability to meet deadlines, and familiarity with the type of problems typical with this type of project.
0‐15
Implementation approach and schedule. Capability of the firm to perform the work in a manner that will meet the proposed schedule. 0‐10
Total Points 100
ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS
REVISION TO THE RFP The MMSD may modify or amend this RFP at any time. In such an event, the submission deadline may be extended, at the option of MMSD, to allow Proposers the opportunity to revise their proposals accordingly.
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USE, DISCLOSURE, AND CONFIDENTIALITY OF INFORMATION The information supplied by a Proposer as part of an RFP response will become the property of MMSD. Proposals will be available to interested parties in accordance with the Wisconsin Open Records Law. None of the proposal responses will be made available to the public until after negotiation and award of a contract or cancellation of the procurement. To the extent requested by a Proposer and allowed by law, MMSD will treat trade secrets and confidential financial information as confidential (if designated as confidential and submitted separately in a sealed envelope). The Proposer shall request confidential status before a proposal is submitted. If MMSD believes that information designated as confidential should not be treated as such, the Proposer will be notified and afforded reasonable time to present objections prior to any release of the information. MMSD will take into consideration the possibility of harm resulting from any disclosure, but reserves the right to make the final determination in accordance with the law. (Note: Pricing information may not be considered confidential.)
ERRORS IN PROPOSALS Proposers will not be allowed to change or alter their proposals after the deadline for proposal submission. MMSD reserves the right, however, to correct obvious errors such as math errors in extended pricing (not unit pricing). This type of correction may only be allowed for “obvious” errors such as arithmetic, typographical, or transposition errors. Any such corrections shall be approved by MMSD and countersigned by the Proposer. Proposers are advised to make sure that their proposals are true and correct.
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT Following the selection of a qualified firm for the work of this RFP, MMSD and the firm will begin a good faith effort to negotiate a Professional Services Contract for the work. The firm will supply the basic contract for the negotiations that will include Terms & Conditions as well as the Scope of Services for performance. If a contract cannot be agreed upon with the best qualified vendor, negotiations may be conducted with other vendors in the order of their respective ranking, and the contract may be awarded to the vendor then ranked as best qualified.
TAXES The MMSD is exempt from Federal, State, and Local Taxes and will not be responsible for any such taxes in connection with this project and contract customer.
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CONFIDENTIALITY Any data or other information regarding MMSD’s customers, operations, or methods obtained by the Contractor during the course of the project shall remain confidential and shall not be released to third parties without the express written consent of MMSD.
USE OF MMSD’S NAME Upon entering an agreement, the successful Contractor agrees not to use the name of the Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District in relation to the agreement in commercial advertising, trade literature, or press releases to the public without the prior written approval of MMSD. MMSD has the right to enjoin the Contractor from any such use in violation of this provision, and the Contractor shall be responsible for damages and reimbursement of actual reasonable legal fees incurred with regard to legal evaluation and/or legal action taken by MMSD because of the Contractor's violation of this provision, including fees incurred to obtain an injunction.
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APPENDIX A The Six Good Faith Efforts
1. Ensure DBEs are made aware of contracting opportunities to the fullest extent practicable through outreach and recruitment activities. For Indian Tribal, state and local government recipients, this will include placing DBEs on solicitation lists and soliciting them whenever they are potential sources.
2. Make information on forthcoming opportunities available to DBEs and arrange time frames for contracts and establish delivery schedules, where the requirements permit, in a way that encourages and facilitates participation by DBEs in the competitive process. This includes, whenever possible, posting solicitations for bids or proposals for a minimum of 30 calendar days before the bid or proposal closing date.
3. Consider in the contracting process whether firms competing for large contracts could subcontract with DBEs. For Indian Tribal, state and local government recipients, this will include dividing total requirements, when economically feasible, into smaller tasks or quantities to permit maximum participation by DBEs in the competitive process.
4. Encourage contracting with a consortium of DBEs when a contract is too large for one of these firms to handle individually. 5. Use the services and assistance of the Small Business Administration (SBE) and the Minority Business Development Agency of the
Department of Commerce. 6. If the prime contractor awards subcontracts, require the prime contractor to take the above steps.
