RFI for Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) (RFI-25-001)

Location:	California
Posted:	Mar 23, 2026
Due:	Apr 16, 2026
Agency:	Orange County Water District
Type of Government:	State & Local
Category:	65 - Medical, Dental, and Veterinary Equipment and Supplies 99 - Miscellaneous D - Automatic Data Processing and Telecommunication Services
Publication URL:	To access bid details, please log in.

The Orange County Water District (“OCWD” or District) is seeking submittals from qualified and experienced firms to provide information on LIMS software and implementation services.

RFP Documents:

RFI for Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) ) – Posted 3/23/2026

Solicitation Schedule:

RFI Issued	Monday, March 23, 2026
Questions Due Date	Friday, April 3, 2026 at 4:00PM PT
Submittals Due	Thursday, April 16, 2026 at 2:00PM PT

For questions, please contact at procurement@ocwd.com .

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ORANGE COUNTY WATER DISTRICT

(OCWD)

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

(RFI-25-001)

LABORATORY INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (LIMS)

Issued: March 23, 2026

SUBMITTALS DUE:

Thursday, April 16, 2026 at 2:00PM PT

Responses eligible for consideration to this RFI can be emailed to

procurement@ocwd.com or delivered in hard copy in a sealed envelope.

Addressed to the attention of:

Melody Yap, Purchasing Manager

Orange County Water District

18700 Ward Street,

Fountain Valley, CA 92708

Phone: (714) 378-3200

NOTICE TO PROPOSERS

Request for Information

LABORATORY INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (LIMS)

PURPOSE: The Orange County Water District (District) is seeking submittals from

experienced firms that can provide information on LIMS software and implementation

services.

SOLICITATION SCHEDULE: Milestones for the RFI process are summarized in the

table below. The District reserves the right to modify the schedule below at its discretion.

Proper notification changes will be made to interested proposers.

RFI Issued by OCWD

Deadline for Questions

Submittals Due

March 23, 2026

Friday, April 3, 2026 at 4:00 PM PT

Thursday, April 16, 2026 at 2:00PM PT

QUESTIONS REGARDNG THIS RFI: All questions regarding the RFI must be

submitted in writing before the deadline due date of Friday, April 3, 2026 at 4:00 PM PT.

All questions must be titled “Question – RFI 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 respondents. Questions received after the questions due date will not be

considered.

Please send all questions to:

Attention: Melody Yap, Purchasing Manager

Email: procurement@ocwd.com

DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTALS: Pursuant to the requirements specified in this RFI,

responses to this RFI must be submitted to OCWD no later than Thursday, April 16, 2026

at 2:00PM PT.

Responses eligible for consideration to this RFI can be submitted via email to

procurement@ocwd.com or delivered in hard copy in a sealed envelope with your firm’s

name and address. OCWD reserves the right to reject any and/or all responses

received. Responses received after the deadline will not be considered under any

circumstances.

Orange County Water District

March 23, 2026

RFI-25-001

LABORATORY INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (LIMS)

Page 2 of 6

1. GENERAL INFORMATION

This Request for Information (RFI) is issued for informational and planning purposes

only and does not constitute a commitment, implied or otherwise, that the Orange

County Water District (OCWD) will take any procurement action based on the

responses received. OCWD will not be responsible for any costs incurred by

respondents in preparing or submitting information in response to this RFI.

This RFI is intended to gather market information to support OCWD in evaluating

potential solutions for the replacement and modernization of its Laboratory Information

Management System (LIMS). The information collected will be used to better

understand available technologies, implementation approaches, system capabilities,

and industry best practices. OCWD may use the results of this RFI to refine project

requirements and develop the scope of work for a future competitive solicitation, such

as a Request for Proposals (RFP), for LIMS software and implementation services.

2. 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.

3. PROJECT BACKGROUND AND DESCRIPTION

The District operates the Philip L. Anthony Water Quality Laboratory in Fountain Valley

to ensure the quality of its managed water resources. The laboratory relies on a

Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) to manage the full lifecycle of

analytical data, from sample scheduling and intake through testing, reporting, and

regulatory submission. While the currently used in-house developed Citrus LIMS is

stable and a marked improvement over the legacy Aspen LIMS, it was designed as a

temporary solution and no longer meets evolving regulatory, cybersecurity, and

system integration requirements. Its functionality is supplemented by Ideagen Quality

Assurance software, which supports critical functions such as document control,

corrective and preventive actions (CAPA), staff training tracking, equipment

management, and method validation.

The LIMS integrates with the District’s Water Resources Management System

(WRMS), enabling data exchange for compliance monitoring and reporting. The

Orange County Water District

March 23, 2026

RFI-25-001

LABORATORY INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (LIMS)

Page 3 of 6

laboratory supports approximately 32 full-time laboratory staff and additional users

across the District, processing around 20,000 samples annually, totaling roughly

400,000 analyses. As an accredited laboratory, it must comply with stringent

regulatory standards, including California Title 22, TNI 2016 standards, and applicable

federal regulations, all of which require detailed recordkeeping and traceability. To

meet these demands efficiently, the District requires a modern LIMS capable of

improving data integration, ensuring regulatory compliance, and enhancing overall

operational effectiveness.

4. ANTICIPATED SCOPE OF WORK

The District has determined that upgrading its existing Citrus LIMS is not a practical

path forward and has initiated a LIMS Replacement Project. Through this Request

for Information (RFI), the District seeks information from qualified firms regarding

modern LIMS solutions and associated implementation services that align with the

District’s operational, regulatory, and technological needs.

The new LIMS is expected to support the District’s broader digital transformation

strategy by enabling modern, secure, and interoperable systems aligned with ITIL

and ITSM service delivery principles. The solution should enhance laboratory

efficiency, ensure data integrity, and support the District’s mission of operational

excellence and sustainable water resource management.

Core Functional Expectations

The District is seeking a LIMS solution that provides the following capabilities:

• End-to-End Laboratory Operations Management

Support the full lifecycle of laboratory activities, including sample planning,

collection, receiving, analysis, quality control, and reporting, with enhanced

visibility into sample status and laboratory workflows.

• Data Management, Standardization, and Reporting

Provide standardized calculations, consistent data formatting, and robust tools

for data validation, review, approval, querying, and reporting. The system should

support efficient workflows and timely notification of data availability, as well as

user-friendly data access through web-based portals.

• Quality Management and Compliance

Enable comprehensive laboratory quality management, including support for

CAPAs, document control, traceability, and compliance with applicable standards

(e.g., TNI). The system should maintain complete records for method validation,

detection limits, training, and equipment management.

• System Integration and Interoperability

Provide seamless integration with the District’s existing and future enterprise

systems, including the District’s Water Resources Management System

Orange County Water District

March 23, 2026

RFI-25-001

LABORATORY INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (LIMS)

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(WRMS), and demonstrate the ability to interface with ERP/financial systems,

GIS, SCADA, and other platforms via APIs or other standard methods.

• Sampling and Regulatory Data Management (WRMS Integration)

Support sampling program management, including scheduling, field data capture,

sample tracking, and validation of results against regulatory limits and historical

data. The system should facilitate electronic data exchange with subcontract

laboratories and regulatory agencies.

• Configurability and Industry Alignment

Offer out-of-the-box functionality tailored to environmental laboratory operations,

along with flexible configuration capabilities for workflows, calculations, data

validation, and instrument integrations.

• Architecture, Security, and Scalability

Utilize a modern system architecture (cloud/SaaS or on-premises) that is secure,

maintainable, and scalable. The solution should support long-term growth,

evolving business needs, and strong data security, auditability, and regulatory

compliance.

• Implementation and Support Services

Include comprehensive implementation services such as system configuration,

data migration, training, and deployment. Ongoing support models should be

clearly defined, including licensing, maintenance, and optional services.

5. RESPONDING TO THIS RFI

RFI responses must include:

a) Name and title of firm’s primary point of contact for the RFI response,

including names, Company, address, telephone number, and email address.

b) Cover Letter and Company Background

c) A brief summary (300 word limit) description of previous relevant experience

within the last five (5) years for which respondent has provided similar

services.

d) To assist the District in understanding each Respondent’s project approach

and overall capabilities, a description of the Respondent’s LIMS platform,

implementation approach, and service offerings. Responses should

emphasize the ability to deliver a cost-effective, scalable, and future-ready

solution. The proposed system should meet current laboratory requirements

while maintaining flexibility to adapt to evolving regulatory standards,

analytical methods, and technological advancements, as described in Section

As part of this RFI, Respondents should provide high-level information

regarding the following:

i. Pricing structures, including implementation costs, licensing models, and

Orange County Water District

March 23, 2026

RFI-25-001

LABORATORY INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (LIMS)

Page 5 of 6

This is the opportunity summary page. It provides an overview of this opportunity and a preview of the attached documentation.

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RFI for Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) (RFI-25-001)

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