SOI #20633 - Hepatitis C Testing Supplies Purchasing, Storage and Distribution

In November 2021, NYS released its plan to eliminate hepatitis C as a public health problem in NYS by 2030. To achieve the goal of hepatitis C elimination, concerted efforts are needed to ensure access to timely diagnosis, care, and treatment for all people with the hepatitis C.

The New York State Hepatitis C Testing Program provides free hepatitis C testing supplies to public health programs and community-based organizations statewide that serve underinsured populations at greatest risk for hepatitis C.

The New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute, Division of HIV and Hepatitis Health Care, Bureau of Hepatitis Health Care and Epidemiology announces the opportunity for a not-for-profit organization to establish a hepatitis C testing supplies purchasing, tracking, storage, and distribution program for New York State Hepatitis C Testing Program.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Applicant is eligible to do business with New York State;
• Applicant has a minimum of five (5) years of experience in high volume purchasing, storage, distribution, and tracking of public health testing/harm reduction/health care supplies;
• Applicant has a minimum of five (5) years of experience in the field of HIV, hepatitis C, and drug user health;
• Applicant has a minimum of two (2) years of experience contracting with a government entity; and
• Applicant has an electronic system in place for purchasing, tracking, storing, and distributing a high volume of harm reduction/health care supplies.

Expected Activities/Work Performed

The funded entity will be expected to provide uninterrupted access and availability of hepatitis C testing supplies to all NYS authorized contractors. The expected activities/work to be performed are:

1. Elicit bids for all aspects of the operations;
2. Purchase of hepatitis C testing supplies, including hepatitis C antibody and diagnostic testing supplies, OraQuick HCV Rapid Antibody Test kits, controls, protein cards for dried blood spot collection, lancets, sharps containers, gloves, bandages, sterile alcohol wipes, filter paper, etc. with an emphasis on price, quality, vendor responsibility, and service;
3. Storage and monitoring of testing supplies, including environmental considerations, to ensure that the supplies and materials are properly secured and maintained for future distribution to programs;
4. Appropriate and timely distribution of supplies to each approved contractor using the modality best suited for the destination;
5. Distribute supplies statewide to more than 50 not-for-profit agencies via various modalities that are the most cost effective and secure for the supplies being sent, including the capacity to provide emergency deliveries when items are urgently needed;
6. Provide maintenance of inventory, database, and administrative controls to ensure that testing supplies are available to agencies on preapproved schedules and for emergency deliveries including signed receipts for agency orders;
7. Provision of monthly status reports to the AIDS Institute for supplies received, supplies in storage, and supplies delivered by organization and products as well as reports as requested by AI of inventory of supplies as needed;
8. Troubleshoot for problems related to the quality of specific products and consumer complaints, missed or misdirected deliveries;
9. Ensure storage/warehouse space that is adequate to maintain sufficient quantities of goods in clean, secure, and in appropriate temperatures and environments as per individual requirements for specific items;
10. Provide education to recipient agencies on the ordering, delivery, and grievance processes used by the entity for the supplies contract. Periodic visits to the storage/warehouse are required to ensure that the facility is using a “First In/First Out” system of supplies rotation; that the environment meet specifications, and that expired goods are not in storage; and
11. Voucher for paid costs to the AIDS Institute.

Award Details:

Funding for this project is contingent on the availability of funding and the number of eligible applicants that respond to the advertisement. Available funding to support this initiative will be limited to the amount(s) appropriated in the enacted State Fiscal Year budgets for this purpose. This advertisement is not a guarantee or promise of funding.

The Department reserves the right to withdraw this solicitation and/or issue a competitive procurement for this project if the number of interested and eligible parties exceed that which can be reasonably accommodated by available funds.

How to Apply:

Interested eligible organizations should submit the following information: 1) SOI Application Cover Sheet (available under “Documents” tab), 2) Completed Checklist (available under “Documents” tab) and 3) no more than a four (4) page document describing the organization’s background, capacity, and experience that demonstrates its ability to conduct the activities as described above. If possible, submit all required documentation together in one pdf file. If you need to send separate documents, please make sure the project title is listed in the header/name of each file. Please submit these documents via email to AIGPU@health.ny.gov no later than 4:00 pm ET on February 19, 2025.

This SOI is not a guarantee or promise of funding.