2027-2030 Drug and Alcohol Testing Services 1 document

Request for Proposals:
Drug & Alcohol
Testing Services
Bids Due 10:00 AM
Thursday, October 22, 2026
for the contract period
January 1, 2027 - December 31, 2029
Southeastern Regional Services Group
Michael Kelly, Procurement Officer
SERSG@sersg.org www.sersg.org
90 S. Main Street Sharon, MA 02067 781-784-1543

SERSG RFP: DRUG & ALCOHOL TESTING SERVICES 2027-2030
Table of Contents
LEGAL NOTICE - DRUG & ALCOHOL TESTING ................................................................................................................ 3
INSTRUCTIONS TO PROPOSERS ........................................................................................................................................... 4
General Instructions ................................................................................................................................................................. 4
Minimum Requirements .......................................................................................................................................................... 5
Evaluation Process & Criteria .................................................................................................................................................. 5
Awards and Miscellaneous ...................................................................................................................................................... 7
SCOPE OF WORK ...................................................................................................................................................................... 8
CONTENTS OF PROPOSALS ................................................................................................................................................. 10
Technical Proposal shall include: .......................................................................................................................................... 10
PRICE PROPOSAL ............................................................................................................................................................... 11
APPENDIX A: CERTIFICATION OF PROPOSAL ............................................................................................................... 13
APPENDIX B: SUBCONTRACTOR IDENTIFICATION FORM ......................................................................................... 14
APPENDIX C: COMPANY CERTIFICATIONS .................................................................................................................... 15
APPENDIX D: REFERENCES ................................................................................................................................................ 16
ATTACHMENT 1: FORM OF CONTRACT ........................................................................................................................... 17
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SERSG RFP: DRUG & ALCOHOL TESTING SERVICES 2027-2030
LEGAL NOTICE - DRUG & ALCOHOL TESTING
The Southeastern Regional Services Group invites proposals for Drug and Alcohol Testing and Administrative
Services on behalf of the Towns of Abington, Canton, Dighton, East Bridgewater, Easton, Foxborough, Lakeville,
Mansfield, Medfield, Norfolk, Norton, Plainville, Raynham, Sharon, Somerset Stoughton, and West Bridgewater
and the City of Taunton to secure contracts for the three-year period commencing January 1, 2027. These
services will fulfill requirements of the Omnibus Transportation Employee Testing Act of 1991 and United States
Department of Transportation (DOT) Regulations 49 CFR parts 382 and 655 and as defined in part 40. These
include all revisions to date as well as the FMCSA Clearinghouse implementation effective in 2020.
The scope of work requires administration and management of comprehensive alcohol and drug testing services
with one Program Administrator to oversee and deliver these services. Administration includes random selection,
record-keeping, submission of blind samples, reporting requirements, and chain-of-custody forms. Management
must include specimen collection, breath analysis, laboratory processing, and a medical review officer and
substance abuse professional, as well as training of municipal supervisors and employees. The primary Collection
Site must be located within one of the above listed communities and the Program Administrator must provide at
least one alternative collection site during hours that the primary collection site is closed.
Proposal packets are available by emailing your request to SERSG@SharonMA.gov. Packets will be provided
electronically and available beginning September 14, 2026 at 12:00PM.
ALL proposals can be sent by mail to SERSG, Attn: Michael Kelly at 90 South Main Street Sharon, MA 02067.
Proposals can also be hand delivered to Sharon Town Hall Clerks Office 90 South Main Street Sharon, MA
02067
Proposals must be received by 10:00AM Thursday, October 22, 2026 and will be opened at that time. All
interested parties may attend. Scans of all Technical Proposals received will be available at www.sersg.org within
5 business days.
All bidding shall be in strict accordance with the requirements of Mass General Laws Chapter 30B. Work to be
performed under this Contract shall comply with Executive Order No. 227 which sets forth the Commonwealth's
non-discrimination and equal opportunity policy and the Commonwealth's civil rights laws and regulations.
Directors of the Southeastern Regional Services Group will determine which Proposal is the most advantageous
based upon evaluative criteria contained in the proposal packet. Proposers must provide all required services at
the same price for each municipality.
The Awarding Authority will be the Board of Selectmen, Select Board, Town Administrator, Town Manager,
Mayor or other Procurement Officer of each SERSG municipality participating in this procurement. The SERSG
Board of Directors reserves the right to waive any informality or reject any or all proposals.
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SERSG RFP: DRUG & ALCOHOL TESTING SERVICES 2027-2030
INSTRUCTIONS TO PROPOSERS
General Instructions
This Request for Proposals (RFP) is issued by Michael Kelly, Procurement Officer for the Southeastern Regional
Services Group and on behalf of its municipal members participating in this procurement. All questions and
correspondence should be addressed to Michael Kelly at SERSG@sersg.org.
Proposers must examine the scope of work and provisions of this RFP prior to submitting a proposal. Capitalized
terms have the same definition as contained in 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 40.3. The contents of this
RFP, and the selected technical and price proposals, will be incorporated into the resulting contract. Contracts
resulting from this bid will be between the successful proposer and each participating municipality, and will
resemble the Form of Contract included here as Attachment 1.
Separate Price and Technical Proposals shall be submitted in separate sealed envelopes. Each envelope must be
marked as "Price Proposal: SERSG RFP-Drug & Alcohol Testing Services" or as "Technical Proposal: SERSG
RFP-Drug & Alcohol Testing Services."
Proposals can be sent by mail to SERSG, Attn: Michael Kelly at 90 South Main Street Sharon, MA 02067.
Proposals can also be hand delivered to Sharon Town Hall Clerks Office 90 South Main Street Sharon, MA
02067. Proposals must be received by 10:00AM Thursday October 22, 2026.
Proposers may correct, modify or withdraw their proposal as long as the correction, modification or withdrawal is
received by the Procurement Officer by 10:00AM October 22, 2026 and the envelope is sealed and clearly
marked "SERSG RFP-Drug & Alcohol Testing Services-Modification, Correction or Withdrawal of the Technical
or Price Proposal."
No late bids or amendments, modification or withdrawals will be accepted or considered. No telegraphic or faxed
bids will be accepted. The SERSG Board reserves the right to waive any informality as to form and to reject any
or all bids.
Late bids will not be considered. Bids delivered to the wrong address or office will be considered late. The clock
in the Town of Sharon Clerks Office will be definitive.
All received Technical Proposals will be opened and read aloud at 10:00AM on Thursday, October 22, 2026
All interested parties may attend. Scans of all Technical Proposals received will be posted to
http://sersg.org/bids.html within 5 business days.
Proposals may be held by the Southeastern Regional Services Group for a period not to exceed sixty (60) days
from the date on which they are submitted for the purpose of reviewing the proposals and investigating the
qualifications of the proposers prior to awarding the contracts.
Proposals must be typewritten or machine-printed on 8.5" by 11" paper. Proposal pages must be numbered and
signed in ink by an official authorized to bind the company. The proposal must include a statement that the terms,
conditions and prices quoted in the proposal will remain valid for at least sixty (60) days from the submission date
of the proposal.
Proposals should be prepared simply, economically and shall not exceed 100 pages. Proposals must provide
concise descriptions of the proposers' abilities to meet the requirements of this RFP. Emphasis should be on
completeness, clarity, and on a straight-forward description of how the proposer will accomplish the tasks set
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SERSG RFP: DRUG & ALCOHOL TESTING SERVICES 2027-2030
forth in this RFP. No credit will be given for additional packaging, marketing or promotional materials.
Proposals which fail to meet the requirements of this RFP, in the judgment of the SERSG Directors, or which are
incomplete, conditional or obscure, or which contain additions, deletions, erasures, alterations or other
irregularities or in which errors occur, shall be rejected. The SERSG Directors reserve the right to waive any
informality in or to reject any or all proposals if the SERSG Directors determine that it is in the best interest of the
municipalities to do so.
Minimum Requirements
1. Original Technical and Price Proposals are submitted in separate, sealed envelopes and arrive by the
deadline.
2. The Technical Proposal provides all information required by the RFP and is signed in ink by an
official authorized to bind the company.
3. Price Proposal is complete and includes a description of billing procedures and a sample invoice.
4. Appendices A-D are accurately completed and properly signed.
5. Proposer specifies a single business entity to be responsible for performance of the entire contract.
6. Proposer lists the names and qualifications of all key personnel who would be utilized under the
contract.
7. Proposer provides copies of all certificates and licenses necessary in the performance of this contract.
8. Evidence is submitted regarding Proposer's past experience in the field of drug and alcohol testing.
9. Proposer identifies the laboratory that would be used under this contract and includes evidence that
said lab was certified by National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).
10. Proposer identifies a primary collection site located within one of the SERSG municipalities
participating in this RFP and an alternate collection site also located one of the SERSG municipalities
participating in this RFP or a mobile unit.
11. Proposer identified an alternate collection site located within the region or a mobile unit.
Proposers are advised that the SERSG Directors will reject any or all proposals if there is reason to believe that
there is or has been collusion among proposers in the development of proposals for the work.
Failure on the part of any proposer submitting a proposal to receive answers to questions presented to the
Procurement Officer or to receive addenda to this RFP shall not relieve such proposer from obligations under this
RFP or the proposal submitted by such proposer. All such answers to questions or addenda shall become part of
the documents comprising the contract between the proposer and each municipality. The deadline for questions
is 12:00PM October 15, 2026. After the deadline, service providers will need to use the existing information to
develop their best proposals.
Joint ventures, teaming arrangements or consortia are permissible only if the proposal indicates a single business
entity as the prime contractor having complete fiscal and managerial responsibility under the contract. Regardless
of the arrangement, proposers are advised that the prime contractor must possess significant management and
medical capability, experience and resources.
Any sub-contractor(s) must be identified on Appendix B. The proposer shall provide a complete description of
the services to be subcontracted together with a complete description of the qualifications and capabilities of the
subcontractor to perform same. The SERSG Directors reserve the right to approve or disapprove any and all such
subcontractors.
Evaluation Process & Criteria
Contracts will be awarded to the proposer that best satisfies the overall requirements of the RFP. This will not
necessarily be the proposer quoting the lowest unit price and rate. The Technical Proposal of each proposer will
be rated for overall quality and ranked accordingly. The SERSG Directors will use the following process to
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SERSG RFP: DRUG & ALCOHOL TESTING SERVICES 2027-2030
evaluate proposals:
Initial Screening: A screening of all Technical Proposals will be conducted by the SERSG Directors
representing member municipalities participating in this RFP to determine over-all responsiveness. The
SERSG Directors will disqualify proposals that are determined to be incomplete or non-responsive.
Please fulfill all minimum requirements listed above and all evaluative criteria detailed below.
Technical and Management Experience and Capabilities: The SERSG Directors will evaluate the
qualifications and capabilities of each proposer to perform the work required by this RFP as set out in the
proposal. This evaluation will emphasize technical and management qualifications and experience and
will consider previous experience of the firm, personnel resources, technical approach, management
qualifications, and other related experience, qualifications and resources as set forth in the proposal. This
step of the overall proposal evaluation will include verification of credentials and stated experience. The
SERSG Directors must be assured that respondents have the management and technical experience and
capabilities described in their proposals. Failure to provide said assurances may result in a lower rating or
constitute grounds for proposal disqualification. Each evaluative criterion shall receive a ranking of
highly advantageous, advantageous, not advantageous, or unacceptable.
The following Evaluative Criteria will be rated for each proposal:
Evaluative Criteria
1. Proposer's prior experience serving municipalities in a similar capacity.
2. Demonstrated ability of software and information systems that will be used to ensure the accuracy and
timeliness of reporting of test results.
3. Integrity, efficiency and ability of the communication and command links to process specimens and
information between the contractor, subcontractors and municipalities.
4. Proposer's understanding of MA municipal government and the procedures to coordinate with relevant
personnel.
5. Sensitivity of the contractor to municipal staff concerns regarding job security, confidentiality, and etc.
6. Likely response time.
7. Quality of in-person training proposed to be given to supervisors and employees.
8. Experience of other key medical personnel including BAT technicians, collectors of urine specimens,
biostatisticians, and substance abuse professionals and appropriate certifications.
9. The number and location of Collection Sites, located in one or more participating SERSG
municipalities.
10. The arrangements that proposer proposes for specimen collection and breath analysis during hours that
the Collection Site is closed including response time and reliability.
11. Will the proposer charge for missed or cancelled appointments?
12. Length of time contractor has been associated with subcontractors in delivering similar services.
13. Experience in the field of substance abuse of physicians who will be reviewing the drug test results.
Appropriate certifications provided.
14. Evidence of NIDA certification of the laboratory that will be used.
15. Clear explanation of how proposer will coordinate with employers to fulfill FMCSA Clearinghouse
reporting and query requirements.
16. Special skills, services or unique abilities contractor brings to medical testing programs.
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SERSG RFP: DRUG & ALCOHOL TESTING SERVICES 2027-2030
Price Proposal Evaluation: The unit prices and rates proposed in the proposer's Price Proposal will be
evaluated and ranked from most advantageous to least advantageous.
Combined Review: The respective rankings of the Technical Proposal and the Price Proposal shall be
combined to determine the overall ranking of proposals from most advantageous to least advantageous
based upon the combined evaluation of the Technical and Price Proposal of each proposer.
Interview of Finalists: SERSG Directors may interview finalists it has chosen as a result of the evaluation
process. The primary purpose of the interview will be to allow each finalist the opportunity to
demonstrate its understanding of the proposal and substantiate information contained in its proposal. The
results of the interviews may be used to arrive at final rankings of the finalists and may result in
adjustments to rankings assigned.
Awards and Miscellaneous
Based upon all information, SERSG Directors will select a finalist with whom contract negotiations will
commence. Participating SERSG municipalities intend to enter into a written contract with the successful
proposer commencing on January 1, 2027 and effective for a three-year period. The contract will contain the
terms and conditions set forth in this RFP. The SERSG Directors representing municipalities participating in this
procurement reserve the right to cancel this RFP at any time prior to contract award.
Information provided in the proposals submitted for this RFP may be subject to disclosure pursuant to federal and
state laws.
Materials submitted will not be returned to proposers. All costs incurred by proposers in the preparation and
submission of a proposal shall be the sole responsibility of proposers.
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SERSG RFP: DRUG & ALCOHOL TESTING SERVICES 2027-2030
SCOPE OF WORK
The Drug and Alcohol Program Administrator will be responsible for complying with the requirements of 49 CFR
parts 382 and 655 in the provision of the following services detailed in 49 CFR part 40 as follows:
A. Provide drug and alcohol testing services as required by Federal Highway Administration regulations under 49
CFR 382 for municipal employees with commercial drivers' licenses (CDL) who are drivers of commercial motor
vehicles AND under 49 CFR part 655 for municipal employees providing mass transit including, but not limited
to, shuttle drivers for the Council on Aging departments. Participating municipalities will be serviced for the
complete 3-year period for all qualifying employees. Current numbers of covered employees are listed at the end
of this Scope of Work.
For purposes of random testing, all of these municipal drivers shall be grouped together in ONE POOL
from which random selection shall be made.
NO random selections shall be made immediately before, during or immediately after SNOW STORMS!
B. Drug and alcohol testing will occur under the following circumstances: pre-employment, random, post-accident,
reasonable suspicion, return to duty, and follow-up. The contractor must provide at least one Collection Site
located within one of the municipalities participating in this RFP and have available an alternative collection site,
possibly a mobile unit, for use during those hours that the primary Collection Site is closed. Alternatively, the
contractor may propose a mobile unit that will go to each Highway Department to perform all required testing. In
post-accident and reasonable-suspicion testing cases that occur during hours that the primary collection site is
closed, if a request for a mobile unit is made, the mobile unit must be present on-site within one hour of the time
when the Contractor receives notice of the request. Municipal contacts request at least one week's advanced
notice for random selection testing.
C. Drug testing shall consist of urinalysis tests conducted by a NIDA certified laboratory and reviewed by a Medical
Review Officer.
D. Alcohol testing shall be performed by an Evidential Breath Testing device which meets the requirements of 49
CFR 40 and which is administered by a certified Breath Alcohol Technician.
E. The computer program used must perform random selection of employees for testing in accordance with the
testing percentages set by the Highway Administrator. For purposes of random testing, all SERSG drivers shall
be grouped together in ONE POOL from which random selection shall be made.
F. Supervisors shall be trained for a minimum of one hour on the consequences of alcohol misuse and one hour on
the consequences of drug use including what constitutes reasonable suspicion in both cases. This training will be
held once during the contract term for all supervisory employees who work for a municipality participating in this
RFP in a joint training session.
G. Blind sample testing must be administered at a rate of three per one hundred specimens. The contractor will be
required to purchase the blind samples as well as submit them.
H. A substance abuse professional must be provided to: evaluate employees referred to him or her; determine when
an employee has completed a treatment program and is eligible to return to duty; and design the number and
frequency of follow-up tests during the post rehabilitation period.
I. Employ record-keeping methods and systems to ensure: the proper chain-of-custody procedures are followed;
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SERSG RFP: DRUG & ALCOHOL TESTING SERVICES 2027-2030
random selections are conducted properly; appropriate information is made available to each municipality; and
appropriate reporting is made to the Federal Highway Administration.
J. For an additional annual fee, identified in the Price Proposal, proposer will coordinate with employers to fulfill
FMCSA Clearinghouse reporting and query requirements if requested.
Number Mass-
Transit Drivers TOTAL NUMBER of
Number of CDL covered (COA, drivers subject to
Municipality Drivers (DPW) bus) testing
Abington 8 8
Canton 43 10 53
Dighton 9 9
East Bridgewater 16 16
Easton 29 10 39
Foxborough 28 35 63
Lakeville 8 5 13
Mansfield 37 9 46
Medfield 25 25
Norfolk 13 1 14
Norton 26 26
Plainville 6 2 8
Raynham 13 1 14
Sharon 32 32
Somerset 16 16
Stoughton 38 8 46
Taunton 22 22
West Bridgewater 15 15
totals 368 80 465
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SERSG RFP: DRUG & ALCOHOL TESTING SERVICES 2027-2030
CONTENTS OF PROPOSALS
Proposers should submit their proposals in two parts, the Technical Proposal and the Price Proposal. The
Technical Proposal should identify the proposer and set forth its qualifications, experience, key personnel
assigned to the project, the proposer's resources available and committed to complete the Scope of Work, and
References.
Technical Proposal shall include:
1) Proposer's name, address, telephone number, contact person, the office that will be responsible for
performing the work and similar information for all subcontractors. Appendix C should be signed by each
subcontractor.
2) A general statement describing the proposer, its size, number of employees, primary business, its
qualifications and experience in conducting drug and alcohol testing programs. Similar information must be
provided regarding all subcontractors.
3) Description of all significant litigation that the proposer has been a party to in the last five (5) years including
court, caption and docket number.
4) The name of the person who will serve as the Project Manager for the proposer including his or her
qualifications, experience in performing and/or managing work similar to that described in the Scope of Work
and a list of three (3) previous contracts in which said person served as a Project Manager.
5) Other key personnel must be identified who will be assigned to complete the work under the contract
including the role each will play in completion of the work and including for each person a resume which sets
forth his or her qualifications and relevant experience. Appropriate certifications must also be included.
6) Proposer must include a statement of the availability and location of staff and other required resources for
performing all services and providing reports. Proposer must indicate whether or not the services outlined in
the Scope of Work can be performed using only present staff.
7) The location of the primary Collection Site and the days and times during the week when it is open for
collecting samples or a description of the mobile unit that is to be used and its availability.
8) The location of either the alternate Collection Site or a description of the mobile unit that will be available
during days or hours that the primary Collection Site is closed.
9) Proposer must provide comments on any conflict of interest that may arise from providing services to the
SERSG municipalities.
10) Proposer should prepare a detailed proposed work plan for completion of the tasks set forth in the Scope of
Work. The work plan should identify specific tasks offered to be performed by the proposer, methodology
for completion of the work, personnel assigned to complete each task, and such other information as will be
relevant to explaining the proposer's approach to the Scope of Work. At a minimum proposer should address
the following items:
a) A description of the proposer's understanding of the services to be performed.
b) A detailed description of the proposed method of performing the drug and alcohol testing program.
c) The proposed time schedule for the completion of the work where appropriate.
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