MONDAY, JUNE 1, 2020

NC DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES ISSUES REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS FROM VENDORS TO PROVIDE COVID-19 TESTING AND CONTACT TRACING.   NCDHHS is seeking to create a pool of qualified vendors to support the response to COVID-19 by providing diagnostic and antibody testing including specimen collection and laboratory processing, and contact tracing.

The Department is prioritizing working with minority-owned business vendors or vendors who retain a diverse workforce. All vendor applicants must be able to demonstrate the ability to support focused testing and tracing efforts for historically marginalized populations.  African Americans and LatinX/Hispanic communities make up a disproportionate number of North Carolina’s COVID-19 laboratory confirmed cases and deaths due to long standing health inequities that must be addressed proactively as we respond to this pandemic.

A RFQ prequalifies vendors to work with the Department. By screening in advance, NCDHHS will have a pool of vendors that it can rapidly engage to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Applicants that meet the RFQ requirements and demonstrate that they can provide the services described in the Scope of Work will be considered for work on specific projects in the future.

Testing and tracing are part of North Carolina’s strategy to responsibly ease restrictions, while slowing the spread of COVID-19 and protecting North Carolinians. Applicants must submit their response to the RFQ by 2 PM on June 9, 2020. Qualified applicants will be notified on June 17, 2020.

A press release with more details is online at https://www.ncdhhs.gov/news/press-releases/ncdhhs-issues-request-qualifications-expand-testing-and-contact-tracing-covid-19
The RFQ is online at https://www.ips.state.nc.us/IPS/AGENCY/PDF/13710800.pdf.