THE AGENCY
Pierce Transit is a Washington State municipal corporation organized under RCW 36-57A, Public Transportation Benefit Areas with 933 budgeted employees, 640 of whom are considered safety sensitive, and has a responsibility for providing public transit services in Tacoma and specified areas throughout Pierce County. The Agency’s administrative offices are located at 3701 96th Street SW, P.O. Box 99070, Lakewood, Washington 98499-0070.

SCOPE OF WORK
The following information is provided to assist in understanding the scope of services needed by Pierce Transit. Selected proposers will be asked to submit detailed plans that incorporate the information outlined below.

The Federal Department of Transportation and the Federal Transit Administration require Pierce Transit to conduct random and other drug and alcohol testing of its employees who perform safety sensitive functions, in accordance with 49CFR Part 40. Therefore, services are being solicited from facilities that are equipped to collect urine samples. Pierce Transit will require the facility to conduct urine specimen collections for random, post accident, reasonable cause, return to duty and follow-up drug testing, as well as breath alcohol testing under some circumstances. Employees who fail a drug or alcohol test are subject to disciplinary action. Clinics will be expected to provide expert witnesses to defend the integrity of their collection procedure from the point of specimen collection and transporting of the specimen, to its final disposition at a lab site selected by Pierce Transit. It is extremely critical that “Chain of Custody” protocol be maintained by the clinic. An analysis of the urine specimen will be conducted to detect the presence of marijuana, Cocaine, Opiates, Phencyclidine and Amphetamines, as required by DOT regulations found in 49 CFR Part 40. Therefore, collection procedures must include a ”Chain of Custody” protocol in accordance with these regulations.

Contractor will provide a collection site to Pierce Transit as described in these specifications and provide the following services:

• Urine specimen collection services for random, reasonable cause, post-accident, return to duty and follow-up drug testing in compliance with the Pierce Transit Drug and Alcohol Abuse Policy, specifications of Pierce Transit’s contracted clinical testing laboratory, and applicable federal and state laws or regulations.
• Priority attention to employees brought in for “reasonable cause” testing.
• Training for collection personnel in the proper procedures for collection and securing specimens for drug testing in compliance with Department of Transportation collection procedures as contained in 49CFR Part 40 published December 19, 2000 and as amended; and in completion of chain of custody documents.
• A privacy enclosure for unobserved urine specimen collection with restricted access.
• A dryroom collection facility with no water resources other than the toilet into which a bluing agent will be added prior to specimen collection.
• Secure storage for specimens while awaiting transport to the Agency clinical testing laboratory.
• Specimen collection services available twenty-four (24) hours per day Sunday through Saturday including holidays.
• Observation of specimen collection by clinic personnel of the same gender as the individual being tested where there is reason to suspect that the initial sample provided is in any way fraudulent, or under other circumstances as required by the regulations or requested by the Agency.
• Maintaining confidentiality of records by disclosing collection information only to the Pierce Transit designated Emplyer Representative(s) named in these specifications or to the contracted Medical Review Officer unless prior written consent has been received from the tested employee.
• Invoicing for payment as services are rendered with statement showing date of service and ID number of testee for each specimen collected during the time period covered in the invoice.
• Ability to verify time of arrival of employee at the collection site. Notification of employer if individual fails to arrive at the testing site within a predetermined time frame as required by Pierce Transit.
• Breath alcohol testing using an Evidential Breath Testing (EBT) device approved by NHSTA when requested by Pierce Transit.

SPECIMEN COLLECTION

I. Supplies to be maintained (as provided by Agency Clinical Laboratory)

• Drug screen requisition forms.
• Sealed collection bottles with temperature strips.
• Bottle security seals.
• Secondary container bags.
• Absorbent pads.
• Specimen shipping bag.

II. Specimen Collection Room

• Toilet bowl preferably equipped with an automatic bluing system. (Bluing agent shall not be added from the tank.)
• Private enclosure with no source of water other than toilet.

III. Collection Procedures

• Greet donor and verify identification with picture ID.
• Complete Drug Screen collection as described in the DOT Urine Specimen Collection Guidelines, published August 2001 by the Office of Drug and Alcohol Policy and Compliance and as amended.

The above specified procedures are subject to modification should the parties to the agreement, resulting from this RFP, the Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Transportation or other federal or state regulations require or determine that additions to or deletions from these procedures are in order.

QUALIFICATIONS
The successful facility shall have at a minimum the following qualifications:

• Certified/Licensed in the State of Washington.
• Demonstrated experience with specimen collection procedures.
• Thorough knowledge, expertise in applicable state and federal rules, laws, and regulations.
• Described services that have been provided to at least one (1) employer comparable in size to Pierce Transit.
• Qualified/Licensed support personnel, if applicable.
• Must be located in the Tacoma area.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
Firms must comply with Pierce Transit’s requirements for Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity.

CONTENT OF PROPOSAL
Proposal shall not exceed ten (10) pages (in addition to the required forms attached).

Five (5) copies of the proposal shall be submitted and contain the following information:

• Summarize the qualifications of your facility and key personnel who will be involved in this contract, including resumes, licenses, and the role of individuals in the performance of this contract.
• Provide a description of similar projects, including any public clients and identify individuals whom Pierce Transit may contact as a reference (dates of contracts, location, employee group size, and phone number).
• Describe how proper “Chain of Custody” is ensured.
• Identify major issues of concern in the administration of this program.
• Describe how specimen collection will be handled to ensure a true specimen.
• Hours of availability.
• Describe method to ensure all personnel are fully trained in procedures found in the sited regulations.
• Provide a detailed fee schedule for services including but not necessarily limited to per diem charges if called on to testify. Fees shall be provided for the three (3) year basic contract and two (2) optional contract years.
• Complete the attached forms.

EVALUATION CRITERIA
Proposals and firms interviewed will be evaluated based on the following criteria, which are listed in order of importance:

• Past experience of facility’s personnel in performing work of a similar nature.
• Qualifications of personnel that would be assigned to this contract.
• Location(s).
• Hours of Qualified Staff Availability.
• Quality of physical facilities.
• Cost.

TERM OF CONTRACT
The contract resulting from this request for proposals shall be for a two (2) year period with an option to renew the contract for three (3) additional one (1) year periods upon mutual agreement by both parties.