EMERGENCY NOTICE Abbott HIV/Syphilis Reagents

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has issued an emergency procurement contract for proprietary HIV and Syphilis testing reagents, calibrators, control kits, consumables, and maintenance services specifically for the Abbott ARCHITECT i1000SR analyzers. This procurement, totaling $54,070.50 and effective from October 15, 2025, through January 12, 2026, is necessitated by the critical need to maintain uninterrupted testing operations in compliance with Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) and ISO standards. The contract exclusively awards Abbott Laboratories as the sole source due to the proprietary nature of the equipment and the absence of any authorized alternative vendors, despite best efforts to include Business Enterprise Program (BEP) certified contractors. The procurement includes supplies such as 4,000 HIV reagent kits, 4,500 Syphilis reagent kits, calibrator and control kits, ancillary solutions, and "Always-On" maintenance service to ensure continuous analyzer functionality and compliance with laboratory accreditation requirements. The contract stipulates that service and maintenance must be performed by Abbott-certified technicians to preserve equipment warranties and regulatory compliance. No specific packaging, marking, or bar-coding requirements are provided, nor are formal inspection or acceptance locations detailed beyond adherence to CLIA and ISO standards. The award process bypassed competitive evaluation due to the emergency and sole source nature of the purchase, with explicit documentation of efforts to identify alternate suppliers proving fruitless. Delivery and performance responsibilities are aligned with the IDPH Division of Laboratories within Illinois. Contract administration identifies Mike Caceres as the Agency Procurement Officer and Chris Vogt as the primary contact. Funding sources include federal, state appropriated, and grant funds. Overall, this contract ensures the uninterrupted provision of essential public health diagnostic materials and services critical for statewide HIV and Syphilis testing and surveillance.