Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Louise F. Rogers, Chief, San Mateo County Health
Cassius Lockett, PhD, Director, Public Health Policy and Planning
Subject: QIAGEN, Inc. Test Kits and Reagents for Quantiferon-TB Gold Plus In-Tube Assay
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution:
A) Authorizing the Purchasing Agent to spend up to $520,000 over the next three years for QIAGEN, Inc., Quantiferon-TB Gold Plus In-Tube test kits and reagents consistent with the vendor agreement; and
B) Authorizing the Purchasing Agent to add new reagents and test supplies to the vendor agreement as necessary.
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BACKGROUND:
The San Mateo County Public Health Laboratory (PHL) currently provides laboratory testing for a number of communicable diseases, including tuberculosis. One test that is commonly used as a screening method to assess tuberculosis exposure is the Quantiferon-TB Gold Plus In-Tube test. This blood test has advantages over the TB skin test, including a higher level of specificity, a high-throughput format, and convenience for our clients because they do not have to return to have the test read after 48 hours. This test is very important for our TB Control Program to detect and subsequently prevent the spread of tuberculosis in our community.
DISCUSSION:
QIAGEN, Inc. is the sole source provider of kits and reagents for the Quantiferon-TB Gold Plus In-Tube test. Purchasing currently has a Vendor Agreement with QIAGEN, Inc. through which it purchases test kits and reagents. Every year, QIAGEN, Inc. provides the County with a proprietary fixed-price quote for the various products ordered from QIAGEN. Next, PHL orders supplies consistent with that fixed-price on an as-needed basis, under the Vendor Agreement that is already in place. In order to account for the increased ordering of QIAGEN test kits and reagents due to an increase in test orders, Public Health, Policy and Planni...
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