Sole Source Procurement: Blinded Seroprevalence Study

The New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) received a six month contract extension of contract # C026257 with Bio-Reference Laboratories, Inc. at the existing terms and conditions while the replacement contract is being completed. The NYSDOH has conducted HIV seroprevalence studies since 1987. Since 2000, the state made HIV reporting a mandate and has since expanded its surveillance activities. The ability to implement and maintain an HIV surveillance system is vital to all facets of the NYSDOH's responsibilities in AIDS, from assessing human service needs to targeting prevention and education programs and shaping overall public health policy. Program areas have been selected to assess prevalence of HIV in specific populations to determine trends over time and/or to facilitate surveillance activities.

The identification and selection of these program areas are performed by the medical, scientific and research staff of the Bureau of HIV/AIDS Epidemiology. Facilities are selected for participation in this effort based upon their geographic location, HIV/AIDS case load, type of service offered, ability to comply with detailed study protocols, and/or their overall ability to best serve the needs of this important research project. Since this is an epidemiologic study, as defined by Public Health Law section 2441 (2), particular care must be devoted to assuring the complete anonymity of the client population. In addition, we are limited by the nature of HIV seroprevalence to using only leftover blood which is drawn for other diagnostic purposes and which would otherwise be discarded. We can, therefore, only enlist for participation those facilities which routinely drawn patients' blood for other purposes using the existing contractor Bio-Reference Laboratories, Inc.

Procurement / Program Name Blinded Seroprevalence Study
Contractor Name(s) Bio-Reference Laboratories
Contract Period 2/1/15-7/31/15
Contract Number(s) C026257