RFP for Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) Replacement

ORANGE COUNTY WATER DISTRICT
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
RFP-25-021
FOR
Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS)
Replacement
ISSUED: Thursday, June 18, 2026
PROPOSALS DUE:
Thursday, July 23, 2026 at 11:00AM PT

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section Page
1. INTRODUCTION _____________________________________________________________________ 1
2. SOLICITATION SCHEDULE _________________________________________________________ 1
2.1. PRE-PROPOSAL MEETING _______________________________________________________ 2
2.2. QUESTIONS CONCERNING REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS ________________________ 2
2.3. DEADLINE FOR PROPOSALS ____________________________________________________ 2
2.4. PRE-SUBMITTAL ACTIVITIES _____________________________________________________ 3
3. PROJECT BACKGROUND AND DESCRIPTION ______________________________________ 3
4. SCOPE OF SERVICES _______________________________________________________________ 5
5. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ____________________________________________________ 6
5.1. CONTRACTOR RESPONSBILITIES _______________________________________________ 7
5.2. DISTRICT RESPONSILBITES _____________________________________________________ 8
6. GENERAL INFORMATION ___________________________________________________________ 9
6.1. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS ______________________________________________________ 9
7. ELEMENTS OF PROPOSAL ________________________________________________________ 10
7.1. TITLE PAGE _____________________________________________________________________ 10
7.2. COVER LETTER _________________________________________________________________ 10
7.3. TABLE OF CONTENTS ___________________________________________________________ 10
7.4. PROJECT OVERVIEW AND APPROACH _________________________________________ 10
7.5. PROJECT TEAM EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS __________________________ 11
7.5.1 PROJECT TEAM AND QUALIFICATIONS ______________________________________ 11
7.5.2. RECORD OF SUCCESS ON RECENT SIMILAR PROJECT _________________________ 12
7.6. ADDITIONAL SERVICES _________________________________________________________ 12
7.7. PRICE PROPOSAL _______________________________________________________________ 12
7.7.1 PRICE PROPOSAL ____________________________________________________________ 12
7.7.2 RATE SHEET __________________________________________________________________ 14
7.8. OCWD STANDARD AGREEMENT ________________________________________________ 14
7.9. STATEMENT OF INSURANCE COMPLIANCE ____________________________________ 14
7.10. BILLING AND PAYMENT TERMS ______________________________________________ 14
7.11. CONFLICT OF INTEREST ______________________________________________________ 15
7.12. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY AND AFFIRMATIVE ACTION
REQUIREMENTS ________________________________________________________________________ 15
8. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS ________________________________________ 15
TOC - i

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section Page
8.1. PROPOSAL FORMAT ____________________________________________________________ 15
8.2. PROPOSAL PREPARATION COSTS _____________________________________________ 16
9. SELECTION PROCESS _____________________________________________________________ 16
9.1. Capability of Proposed LIMS to Meet OCWD Laboratory's Requirements ________ 17
9.2. Proposed LIMS' Efficiency and Ease of Use for OCWD Users____________________ 18
9.3. Proposal's Project Approach, Technical Methodology, and Sequencing _________ 18
9.4. Qualifications of the Firm, the Project Manager, and Key Project Staff ___________ 19
9.5. Record Of Success, and Experience, on LIMS Integration Projects ______________ 20
9.6. Time Commitment and Continued Availability of Key Staff ______________________ 20
9.7. Cost Proposal and Total Cost of Ownership _____________________________________ 21
10. SPECIAL CONDITIONS __________________________________________________________ 21
10.1. RESERVATIONS ______________________________________________________________ 21
10.2. PUBLIC RECORDS ____________________________________________________________ 22
10.3. RIGHT TO CANCEL ____________________________________________________________ 22
10.4. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION __________________________________________________ 22
10.5. PUBLIC INFORMATION ________________________________________________________ 22
List of Exhibits:
Exhibit A: Scope of Services
Exhibit B: Evaluation Criteria
Exhibit C: Services Agreement
Exhibit D: IT Technical Appendices
Exhibit E: Lab Technical Appendices
Exhibit F: Examples of Lab Reports
List of Attachments:
Attachment No.1: RFP Submittal Checklist
TOC - ii

The Orange County Water District ("OCWD" or District) is seeking proposals from
qualified and experienced firms to provide Laboratory Information Management System
("LIMS") Replacement services, including full implementation, software licensing, and
turnkey delivery. OCWD intends to evaluate the proposals received and enter into a
Professional Services Agreement ("Agreement") with the qualified firm. The work is
expected to commence following Board approval of Agreement award. The Agreement
will be monitored closely for acceptable services rendered throughout the Agreement
term. OCWD will have the option to terminate the contract in whole or in part during the
Agreement term, for any reason or no reason, without penalty, upon notice. The proposer
will not be entitled to lost profits or any other compensation not earned prior to the time
of termination.
This Request for Proposal ("RFP") describes the required scope of services, the
information that must be included in the proposal, and the proposal selection process.
Proposers are encouraged to carefully review this RFP in its entirety prior to submitting
their proposals. Failure to submit information in accordance with these requirements and
procedures may be cause for disqualification.
1. INTRODUCTION
The OCWD is an internationally recognized leader in the water industry that was formed
in 1933 by the California State Legislature which entrusted OCWD to guard and protect
the region's groundwater basin and limited water supply. OCWD's mission is to provide
a reliable supply of high-quality water that is sourced in an environmentally responsible
manner to the more than 2.5 million residents and businesses within the 270 square mile
service area of Orange County, California that OCWD serves. OCWD manages three of
Southern California's greatest water supplies, this includes protecting rights to the Santa
Ana River, managing and replenishing the Orange County Groundwater Basin, and
operating and maintaining the Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS), the world's
largest advanced water purification system for potable water reuse. More information
regarding the OCWD can be found at www.ocwd.com.
2. SOLICITATION SCHEDULE
The solicitation schedule is summarized in the table below. OCWD reserves the right to
modify the schedule below at its discretion. Proper notification changes will be made to
interested proposers.
RFP Issued Thursday, June 18, 2026
Mandatory Pre-Proposal Meeting Wednesday, July 1, 2026 at 9:00 AM PT
Questions Due Date Wednesday, July 8, 2026 at 4:00 PM PT
Proposals Due Thursday, July 23, 2026 at 11:00AM PT
Interviews and Demonstrations Beginning week of August 10, 2026
Agreement Award Date: September 2026 or October 2026
Orange County Water District
Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) Replacement
RFP-25-021
Thursday, June 18, 2026
Page 1 of 22

2.1. PRE-PROPOSAL MEETING
The mandatory pre-proposal meeting will be held virtually through Microsoft Teams on
Wednesday, July 1, 2026 at 9:00 AM PT. Firms interested in submitting proposals are
required to attend the pre-proposal meeting.
Meeting participants will be required to sign in. A copy of the sign-in sheet will be posted
on the OCWD website at, https://www.ocwd.com/working-with-us/rfp-contracts/, after the
pre-proposal meeting. Proposals will not be accepted from firms that do not attend the
mandatory pre-proposal meeting.
To join the meeting please follow the instructions below:
Microsoft Teams meeting
Join:
https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/263892549953987?p=B6ktFxxdcmaJ4q6de7
Meeting ID: 263 892 549 953 987
Passcode: Qi2D2YV3
Dial in by phone
+1 916-535-3094,,436656888# United States, Fair Oaks
Find a local number
Phone conference ID: 436 656 888#
Need help? | System reference
2.2. QUESTIONS CONCERNING REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
All questions regarding the RFP must be submitted in writing before the deadline due date
of Wednesday, July 8, 2026 at 4:00 PM PT. All questions must be titled "Question -
RFP-25-021 for OCWD LIMS". Responses to questions received from prospective
proposers will be formally documented in a Question and Answer (Q&A) table that will be
posted on the OCWD website: https://www.ocwd.com/working-with-us/rfp-contracts/. The
Q&A table will be updated regularly as questions are received from prospective proposers.
Questions received after the questions due date will not be considered.
Attention: Melody Yap, Purchasing Manager
Email: procurement@ocwd.com
2.3. DEADLINE FOR PROPOSALS
Three (3) hard copies and one (1) electronic flash drive copy of the proposal must be
received in a sealed envelope by OCWD no later than Thursday, July 23, 2026 at
11:00AM PT or such later time that OCWD may announce by an addendum at any time
prior to the proposal deadline. The envelope shall be plainly marked on the exterior
"Proposal for RFP-25-021 Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS)
Replacement" and with the name, company name, and address of the proposer.
Orange County Water District
Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) Replacement
RFP-25-021
Thursday, June 18, 2026
Page 2 of 22

Proposals must be mailed or delivered in person or via courier services at the District
office listed below. To deliver submittal packages in person or via courier, please notify
the guard at the main gate for proposal drop off. Sealed envelopes will be timestamped
upon receipt at the receptionist desk.
Orange County Water District
Administration Office Building
Attention: Melody Yap, Purchasing Manager
Address: 18700 Ward Street
Fountain Valley, CA 92708
It is the Proposer's responsibility to ensure that proposals are received prior to the
submittal deadline. Proposal packages should also include all signed Acknowledgment
of Addendum forms that may be issued by OCWD as part of this RFP process, as further
described below. Proposals received after the deadline will not be considered under any
circumstances. FAXED OR E-MAILED SUBMISSIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. The
OCWD will not be responsible for the proper identification and handling of any proposals
submitted incorrectly. Only responses properly submitted to OCWD will be considered.
OCWD reserves the right to reject any and/or all responses received. There will be no
formal opening of the proposals.
2.4. PRE-SUBMITTAL ACTIVITIES
The District reserves the right to revise the RFP prior to the date the Proposals are due.
Addendums to the RFP shall be posted on the OCWD website:
https://www.ocwd.com/working-with-us/rfp-contracts/ for all interested Proposers. The
District reserves the right to extend the date by which the Proposals are due.
3. PROJECT BACKGROUND AND DESCRIPTION
To ensure the quality of the water resources it manages, the District established its Philip
L. Anthony Water Quality Laboratory ("OCWD Laboratory" or "The Laboratory"). The
Laboratory is located in the city of Fountain Valley adjacent to the OCWD's administrative
building and GWRS plant.
The District's laboratory operations rely on a Laboratory Information Management System
(LIMS) to manage the full lifecycle of analytical data-from sample scheduling, intake,
and testing through reporting and, in some cases, submission to regulatory agencies.
OCWD's current Citrus LIMS is functioning and stable but was built in-house as a stop-
gap measure as the legacy Aspen LIMS was nearly 20 years old and built on an
architecture that is no longer supported by Microsoft. The Citrus LIMS has some
improvements over Aspen but was built with backwards compatibility and limited project
scope and does not meet evolving regulatory requirements, cybersecurity expectations,
and integration needs across OCWD's enterprise systems.
Orange County Water District
Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) Replacement
RFP-25-021
Thursday, June 18, 2026
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Citrus LIMS' functionality is also augmented by a third-party Ideagen Quality Assurance
software ("Ideagen"), which was implemented back in 2021. Ideagen functionality
includes:
* Documentation of Corrective and Preventive Actions (CAPA);
* Document control with review, approval, version control, automated
changelogging, and archiving;
* Tracking of staff training and demonstrations of capability;
* Tracking of instrument and equipment inventory and maintenance
* Management of method validations and other lab studies;
* Management of method detection limits by method and instrument.
OCWD's current LIMS interfaces with OCWD's Water Resources Management System
(WRMS). WRMS is an Oracle database and the primary software used by the Water
Quality department, which manages OCWD's permit compliance, compliance sampling,
and data reporting to water providers and government agencies. For compliance
monitoring samples, pre-login data input via WRMS and is imported to LIMS when
samples are accessioned. After lab analysis of samples, result data is exported from LIMS
to WRMS. WRMS data is also used by other OCWD departments for decision making
and reporting purposes. OCWD's current LIMS also has parallel systems to manage
sample task scheduling, pre-login data input, and accessioning for daily non-compliance
plant management sampling for the on-site Groundwater Replenishment System
(GWRS) and for OCWD's Research and Development department.
The laboratory currently employs 32 full-time staff and a handful of part-time student
interns. There are no other laboratory sites at the District that use the LIMS, but there are
approximately 90 District staff with LIMS logins. Approximately 55 users outside of the
laboratory may need to access LIMS data from other buildings or work sites. LIMS access
for OCWD staff outside of the laboratory would be used to infrequently perform sampling
task scheduling, enter pre-login sampling information, or look up sample result data.
The laboratory analyzes approximately 20,000 surface water, groundwater, and process
control samples from the OCWD's Groundwater Replenishment System ("GWRS")
totaling approximately 435,000 analyses. The laboratory is accredited for both Drinking
Water and Non-Potable Water methods. The laboratory must meet the regulatory
requirements in Title 22, Division 2, Chapter 19 of the California Code of Regulations.
Those requirements in turn refer to The National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation
Conference ("NELAC") Institute 2016 Laboratory Standards ("TNI Standards") and 40
Code of Federal Regulations parts 141 and 136. The TNI 2016 Laboratory Standards are
based on the International Organization for Standardization ("ISO") 17025:2005
Standard, General Requirements for the Competence of Testing and Calibration
Laboratories. California's Title 22 regulations list some exceptions to the TNI 2016
Standards. These modified 2016 TNI Laboratory Standards were made part of the Title
22 regulations on January 1st, 2020, and laboratories in the state were to implement and
comply with them by January 1st, 2024. As part of the Title 22 regulations, the laboratory
Orange County Water District
Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) Replacement
RFP-25-021
Thursday, June 18, 2026
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is also required to comply with individual reference method requirements found in the
Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, EPA methods, and
other reference methods as accredited, allowed, or agreed upon by ELAP, 40 CFR parts
136 and 141, regulatory bodies such as the California State Water Resources Control
Board, relevant California Regional Water Quality Control Boards, the EPA, or other
clients.
The TNI Standard requires intensive contemporaneous recordkeeping and traceability of
equipment, materials, and personnel to records of calibration, maintenance, performance
verification, purity, training, etc. These records must be traceable in turn to the analytical
and quality control results generated by the laboratory. The OCWD Laboratory expects a
modern LIMS to assist the laboratory in meeting these traceability requirements in as
efficient a manner as possible.
4. SCOPE OF SERVICES
The District has determined that it is not practical to upgrade Citrus LIMS to meet current
or future requirements. Therefore, the District has initiated a LIMS Replacement Project
and is seeking a firm via this RFP that can provide, at least the following:
* LIMS software and implementation services that best meets the District's
current and future requirements;
* Best in class solutions to meet the District's work processes and reporting
needs; and
* Services in a cost effective, professional and efficient manner.
The new LIMS should provide a stable solution that will address the District's immediate
needs, as defined in this RFP document, as well as provide a dynamic solution that can
be configured to address changes to regulatory requirements, technological advances,
and analytical methods as they occur in the future. This project will also advance OCWD's
Information Services Division's digital-transformation strategy, which focuses on modern,
secure, and interoperable systems aligned with ITIL and ITSM service-delivery principles.
Through this modernization, OCWD will enhance laboratory performance, ensure data
integrity, and reinforce its commitment to operational excellence and sustainable water
management.
OCWD prefers solutions that meet requirements through vendor-supported configuration
rather than custom software development. Proposers shall identify any requirements that
require custom code, non-standard customization, or third-party software components.
The selected proposer shall assess, plan, execute, validate, and document migration of
agreed-upon data from the existing LIMS environment to the proposed solution. The
proposer shall provide a data migration strategy, validation approach, and reconciliation
process for OCWD review and approval.
A successful LIMS implementation will achieve:
* Increased visibility of sample status from planning and collection, receiving,
Orange County Water District
Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) Replacement
RFP-25-021
Thursday, June 18, 2026
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testing and data reporting;
* Standardized calculations and data precision reporting;
* Comprehensive laboratory QC contained in a single system;
* Traceability appropriate to meet the 2016 TNI Standard's requirements;
* More efficient batching, data collection, validation, and reporting workflows;
* Sample labeling, bottle tracking and barcoding of samples and possibly
consumables;
* Standardized reporting/presentation of data to LIMS users;
* Data review and approval with notification of data availability internally and
externally;
* Tools for both standardized reports (on demand and automated) and ad-
hoc queries that may be saved and repeated;
* Portal(Web) for user/client access to their data;
* Seamless integration with OCWD's enterprise platforms, primarily WRMS
and DXR. Future projects may utilize LIMS integration with ERP/financial
systems, GIS, and/or SCADA. Demonstrated ability to interface with such
systems may play a role in the assessment of prospective LIMS;
* Completion of the lab's transition to all-digital (paperless) workflows.
* Strengthened data security, auditability, and compliance with state and
federal water-quality regulations; and
* Long-term maintainability and scalability to accommodate future
enhancements.
The complete scope of services for the LIMS Replacement Project is described in Exhibit
A, attached at the end of this RFP. In addition, the Contractor shall design, implement,
and configure the LIMS in accordance with the requirements and specifications contained
in Exhibit E - Lab Technical Appendices
5. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
This section defines the respective roles and responsibilities of the District and the
Contractor to ensure clear accountability throughout the project. The Contractor is
responsible for the full design, implementation, configuration, testing, and delivery of a
fully operational LIMS in accordance with the requirements of this RFP and its
Appendices. The District is responsible for providing governance, coordination, and
timely access to personnel, data, and systems necessary to support project execution,
as well as participating in review, testing, and acceptance activities. These roles are
Orange County Water District
Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) Replacement
RFP-25-021
Thursday, June 18, 2026
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intended to establish a clear division of responsibilities to support effective collaboration,
minimize project risk, and ensure successful system implementation.
5.1. CONTRACTOR RESPONSBILITIES
A. Core delivery responsibility
* Full responsibility for design, configuration, implementation, testing, and
deployment of the LIMS
* Ensuring system meets all functional and technical requirements in Appendices
* Delivering a fully operational system suitable for production use
B. Project management obligations
* Provide a dedicated Project Manager with authority to manage implementation
* Maintain integrated project schedule and status reporting
* Manage vendor staffing and subcontractors
* Coordinate all implementation activities and dependencies
C. Technical implementation responsibilities
* Configure LIMS workflows, rules, and modules
* Develop and implement all required interfaces (e.g., WRMS, instruments)
* Perform data migration, transformation, and validation
* Ensure compliance with District infrastructure and security standards
D. Testing and quality assurance
* Develop and execute all testing plans (integration, regression, performance)
* Support and facilitate user acceptance testing (UAT) with District users
* Track, resolve, and document defects
* Ensure system readiness for production deployment
E. Training and documentation
* Develop training materials and user documentation
* Deliver train-the-trainer and end-user training sessions
* Provide system administration documentation and knowledge transfer
F. Post-go-live support
* Provide stabilization support after go-live
* Address defects and performance issues
* Support final acceptance process
G. Compliance and deliverables
* Deliver all required documentation listed in Scope/Appendices
* Ensure system supports regulatory compliance (ELAP, TNI, etc.)
* Maintain audit trail and data integrity requirements
Orange County Water District
Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) Replacement
RFP-25-021
Thursday, June 18, 2026
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