RFP 2511CA UC San Diego Vivarium Equipment and Maintenance Services

Request for Proposal 2511CA
Vivarium Equipment and Maintenance Services
University of California, San Diego
A. Purpose of the RFP
The purpose of this Request for Proposal ("RFP") is to invite qualified bidders to submit proposals to
provide vivarium equipment at the University of California, San Diego ("UC," "University," or "UC San
Diego"). UC San Diego seeks to obtain competitive pricing for equipment and related parts to support
ongoing operational needs.
Bidder agrees to make the offering and services available to any UC location upon the terms, conditions
and pricing set forth in an agreement awarded in response to Bidder's proposal.
This RFP is structured into two modules. Bidders may submit proposals for one or both modules. UC San
Diego reserves the right to make separate or combined awards, whichever is in the University's best
interest.
Module 1 - Equipment, Delivery, and Installation
Covers new vivarium equipment, including site preparation requirements, rigging, installation,
commissioning, and user training.
Module 2 - Preventative and Ad Hoc Repair Services

Covers all scheduled preventative maintenance (PM), emergency and ad hoc repair services, and parts
replacements for UC San Diego facilities where such equipment is located.

B. Background
The University of California, San Diego is a top-ranked public research institution, currently recognized
as the No. 1 public college for research and consistently ranked among the top 10 public universities
nationwide. Reliable laboratory equipment - including autoclaves, sterilizers, cage washers, bottle
washers, tunnel washers, and other vivarium-related systems - is essential to supporting the University's
research operations. For the purposes of this RFP, vivarium equipment refers to specialized systems
used in animal research environments to support sterilization, sanitation, containment, and the
maintenance of controlled, compliant conditions necessary for animal welfare and research integrity.
Disruptions in equipment availability can impact research timelines, compromise controlled
environments, and delay scientific progress.
UC San Diego Facilities Management (FM) maintains a large and diverse portfolio of this equipment
across shared research facilities campuswide and performs maintenance and repairs in-house whenever
feasible to support continuous operations. However, due to the scale and technical complexity of the
portfolio, the University also relies on qualified third-party vendors for supplemental expertise and
specialized service support.
UC San Diego seeks to partner with one or more suppliers capable of delivering a comprehensive suite
of services along with the timely provision of parts and equipment - as defined in Section D: Scope of
Work - to support ongoing research and operational needs.
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Request for Proposal 2511CA
Vivarium Equipment and Maintenance Services
University of California, San Diego
C. Minimum Requirements
* Bidder must demonstrate successful experience in providing the products and services specified
in this RFP.
* Bidder must possess all trade, professional, or business licenses as may be required to complete
the work and meet the requirements specified by this RFP.
* Bidder must be able to demonstrate the capability of providing the required products/services
by possessing adequate available resources, including personnel, facilities, systems, organization
structure, operation controls, quality control and other related factors.
* Supplier must supply their Dun & Bradstreet number. Finalist will be researched to ensure they
meet UC's requirement for financial solvency.
* The successful awardee will be required to pay prevailing wages. The work described in the RFP
is a public work subject to California Labor Code section 1771. The successful awardee will be
required to post the applicable prevailing wage rate determination and any job site notices as
prescribed by the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR). The work is subject to compliance
monitoring and enforcement by the DIR at https://www.dir.ca.gov/.
D. Scope of Work
The scope of this Request for Proposal (RFP) includes the supply, delivery, installation (as applicable),
and ongoing support of vivarium equipment that meet the University of California, San Diego's specified
minimum requirements.
Module 1: New Equipment, Parts, and Accessories Expectations
Suppliers are expected to provide a comprehensive catalog of offerings for new equipment, parts, and
accessories, including but not limited to the following:
A. New Equipment
a. All new equipment must include a minimum two-year warranty, effective upon
installation, successful testing, and University approval.
b. During the warranty period, the Supplier must provide preventive maintenance and
emergency service in accordance with manufacturer specifications, including all
required parts.
c. Warranty service shall be performed by the Supplier's field service technicians or the
manufacturer's trained and authorized representatives.
d. All new equipment sold to UC must comply with the UC Energy and Water Conservation
and Management Policy (Volume 6, Chapter 5) provided in the attachments.
e. While not mandatory, UC San Diego prefers equipment that demonstrates the following
attributes:
i. Manufactured in the United States
ii. Non-Proprietary Design - Equipment and parts should allow Facilities
Management (FM) to perform repairs and maintenance without reliance on
exclusive manufacturer access.
iii. Customizable Specifications - Ability to tailor equipment dimensions and
configurations to fit varying laboratory layouts and requirements.
iv. Integration Capability - Support for MS/TP (Master-Slave/Token-Passing)
communication protocols and full compatibility with UC San Diego's Metasys
Building Automation System (Johnson Controls).
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Request for Proposal 2511CA
Vivarium Equipment and Maintenance Services
University of California, San Diego
B. Equipment Accessories and Parts
a. Awarded Supplier(s) will collaborate with UC San Diego FM to establish a list of critical
parts to be maintained in Supplier-owned inventory and made available to campus
within 24 hours.
b. All parts and materials supplied must be OEM or equivalent quality.
Module 2: Service Expectations
Suppliers are expected to provide comprehensive service and support to ensure continuous equipment
operation, including the following:
A. General Service Requirements
a. All technicians performing work on UC equipment must have a minimum of two (2)
years of experience with similar equipment.
b. Technicians must be qualified and capable of working in cleanroom and/or vivarium
environments and must comply with all local campus requirements.
c. Any technician servicing equipment in Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) areas must be fit-tested
and certified for appropriate respiratory protection.
d. Supplier must be able to report on-site and begin work within 24 hours for urgent calls.
If this is not feasible, the exception must be disclosed in the proposal.
e. Replaced parts must be made available to UC San Diego upon request.
f. Quotes and invoices must itemize all charges (parts, labor hours, travel, fuel, etc.).
g. A post-service report must be provided with each invoice. The report must include
photo evidence of completed work, a checklist of tasks performed, and any relevant
notes.
h. Supplier may bill for travel to UC campus locations; however, additional travel fees for
movement between campus buildings or sites should be avoided. UC expects that travel
and fuel charges will be reasonable, limited in number, and only applied to necessary
trips.
i. Any parts or labor required to bring equipment up to standard operating condition prior
to maintenance plan initiation must be quoted and approved in advance.
j. Subcontractors must be disclosed and approved prior to performing any work and must
comply with all contract terms; the primary Supplier remains responsible for all
performance obligations.
k. Supplier must maintain and follow lock-out/tag-out safety procedures for all applicable
equipment.
B. Preventative Maintenance (PM)
a. At minimum, one (1) annual preventive maintenance service and one (1) annual
inspection and calibration.
b. All preventive maintenance and breakdown services must include parts, labor, and
related fees.
c. Supplier must provide a two-hour response time for service requests.
d. Supplier must provide a detailed service checklist documenting date and scope of work
performed.
e. All parts and services must be covered by a minimum 30-day guarantee.
f. Maintenance services must meet or exceed manufacturer-recommended standards.
C. Ad-Hoc Services
a. Hourly service requests must be responded to within 24 hours.
b. All ad-hoc service work must carry a 30-day guarantee on parts and labor.
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Request for Proposal 2511CA
Vivarium Equipment and Maintenance Services
University of California, San Diego
C. RFP Timeline, Contract Term and Point of Contact
Schedule of Events
Anticipated Action Anticipated Action Date
Release of Electronic RFP Friday, April 3rd, 2026
Mandatory Job Walk Monday, April 13th, 2026
* Optional for bidders submitting Time: 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM (PT)
proposals under Module 1 - Equipment,
Location: Biomedical Sciences Building
Delivery, and Installation
* Required for bidders submitting 3120 Biomedical Sciences Wy, La Jolla, CA
proposals under Module 2 - 92093
Preventative and Ad Hoc Repair
Please confirm job walk attendance by
Services
emailing Catalina Aguilar at

c7aguilar@ucsd.edu by EOD April 9th and
include the number of attendees.
Additional logistical details will be
communicated through the CalUsource
Discussion Forum as the job walk date
approaches.
Deadline for Supplier Q&A via Discussion Forum Friday, April 17th, 2026, 2:00 PM (PT)
University's Response to Supplier Q&A Friday, April 24th, 2026
Deadline for RFP Response Friday, May 15th, 2026, 2:00 PM (PT)
Notice of Intent to Award Friday, June 5th, 2026
UC San Diego reserves the right to modify the above schedule of events and make changes to other
provisions in this RFP. It is the bidder's responsibility to review the entire document, including any
addendums, and comply with all requirements listed herein.
Contract Term
It is anticipated that any Master Purchasing Agreement ("Agreement") resulting from this RFP will
commence upon execution and will continue for an initial term of three (3) years. The University may, at
its sole discretion, extend or renew the contract for up to three (3) additional one-year periods under
the same terms and conditions, for a potential total term of six (6) years. The Agreement serves as a
vehicle through which UC San Diego may purchase the Goods or Services; it does not constitute a
guarantee or commitment to purchase.
Price Protection
After one year from the Effective Date, prices may be increased no more than once in each successive
twelve (12) month period. The Seller shall provide UC San Diego with at least thirty (30) days' written
notice prior to the effective date of any price increase.
No annual price increase shall exceed the Consumer Price Index (CPI) or 3% of sales, whichever is lower.
Price adjustments will be calculated on an aggregate basis based on the total Product offering purchased
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Request for Proposal 2511CA
Vivarium Equipment and Maintenance Services
University of California, San Diego
by UC San Diego in the quantities purchased. No single Product shall increase in price by more than the
approved percentage.
If the Bidder's catalog or list prices are reduced, the University shall benefit from a corresponding price
reduction. Manufacturer price decreases must be passed on immediately to UC San Diego, and the
Supplier shall provide timely notice of all such price changes.
Exhibits
In addition to this document, the following exhibits posted under Attachments in CalUsource contain
the requirements, terms and conditions for this RFP:
Required Supplier Information
Attachment A - UC-Terms-Conditions-04-01-25
Attachment B - Cost Bid Sheet
Any contract awarded pursuant to this RFP will be in writing and will incorporate the RFP requirements
and specifications, as well as the contents of the Supplier's Proposal as accepted by the University.
Single Point of Contact
The University RFP Administrators are the sole points of contact for all procurement and contractual
matters related to this RFP. This office is exclusively authorized to change, modify, or clarify the
specifications, terms, and conditions of this RFP and any resulting agreements. All questions and
requests for clarification must be submitted through the CalUsource Discussion Forum by the Supplier
Q&A deadline listed in the Schedule of Events.
Bidders are instructed to direct all inquiries only to the contacts listed below and refrain from contacting
UC San Diego Facilities Management personnel or any other University employees directly.
For all questions related to this RFx event posted on the CalUsource Public Bid Site, please contact:
Catalina Aguilar, Procurement Analyst
Integrated Procure-to-Pay Solutions
University of California San Diego
Email: c7aguilar@ucsd.edu
For technical assistance or general support navigating the CalUsource platform, please contact the GEP
Help Desk at support@gep.com.
Additional resources for suppliers are available on the CalUsource Resources for Suppliers webpage.
D. Invoice Submission
The Supplier shall submit all invoices through Transcepta. To ensure efficient processing, UC San
Diego utilizes the Transcepta Electronic Invoicing Supplier Network. As a University of California
supplier, there are no fees to participate. Registration and connection with Transcepta take only a
few minutes and do not require changes to existing systems, invoice formats, or IT infrastructure.
For questions regarding registration, contact registration@transcepta.com or call (949) 382-2841.
For questions related to invoice submission or existing accounts, contact support@transcepta.com or
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Request for Proposal 2511CA
Vivarium Equipment and Maintenance Services
University of California, San Diego
call Transcepta Support Direct at (888) 221-2026 (Extension 3) or (949) 382-2842.
The University's standard payment terms are Net 30.
E. Submission Package Instructions and Requirements
Register: Create a supplier account through CalUsource at https://procurement.ucop.edu.
Access the RFP Event: Log in to CalUsource and locate the RFP event issued by the University of
California, San Diego.
Review and Accept Guidelines: Review and accept all mandatory terms and conditions to access
the full RFP package and all attachments.
Download Attachments: Download and carefully review all RFP documents to ensure full
understanding of the requirements and specifications.
Assess Compliance: Evaluate your organization's ability to meet all RFP requirements before
proceeding with submission.
Confirm Participation: Indicate your intent to participate by clicking Confirm Participation to
view the full sourcing event.
Attend Job Walk (Required): If a Job Walk is scheduled, attendance is mandatory. Refer to the
Schedule of Events for date and additional details.
Submit Questions (Optional): Submit written questions or clarification requests through the
CalUsource Discussion Forum (search for the speech bubble icon in the upper right-hand corner:
) by the deadline listed in the Schedule of Events. Responses will be posted to all
participating suppliers.
Submit Bid Sheet (Required): Complete and upload Attachment B - Cost Bid Sheet as a
separate file in CalUsource by the deadline specified.
Complete Questionnaire (Required): Complete all sections of Module 1 and/or Module 2
Questionnaire(s) directly in CalUsource. Responses must be submitted by the deadline specified
and will be evaluated as part of the review process.
Upload Additional Attachments (Optional): Attach any supporting documentation under
Supplier Attachments. The University may elect not to review materials not explicitly requested
in the solicitation.
Certify and Submit Proposal (Required): Review your entire submission, certify all responses,
and click Submit in CalUsource by the stated deadline.
Late Proposals
Late proposals will not be accepted unless the University determines that technical issues or other
circumstances attributable to the University caused the delay or failure.
Section Omission
The University shall assume any mandatory section omitted from the proposal as an intentional
omission and thus will receive a zero. This may have a negative impact on the overall score of the
Bidder's proposal.
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Request for Proposal 2511CA
Vivarium Equipment and Maintenance Services
University of California, San Diego
F. Evaluation Criteria
Evaluation and Award: Best Value Method
Responsive Proposals will be evaluated using the Best Value method. Best Value means the most
advantageous balance of price/cost, quality, service performance, and other elements, as defined by the
University. University evaluators will determine the Proposal's value by scoring the Proposals based on a
uniform set of weighted evaluation criteria. Each Proposal's Best Value score will be the average of all
evaluators' total scores awarded for the Proposal. The University will then determine each Proposal's
Price Score by the following method. The University will have determined the Maximum Possible Price
Score prior to the Proposal due date. The Proposal with the Maximum Possible Price Score will be
considered the lowest responsive Proposal.
All other responsive Proposals will receive a proportion of the Maximum Possible Price Score equal to
the quotient of the lowest Proposal's cost divided by that Proposal's cost. Each Proposal's Price Score
will be added to that Proposal's Quality Point Score to get that Proposal's Total Score. The Proposal with
the highest Total Score will be considered the "Best Value." The Proposal with the next highest Total
Score will be considered the second Best Value, and so on. The University will then determine if the
Bidder submitting the Best Value Proposal is responsible. The apparent RFP winner will be the
responsible Bidder submitting the Best Value Proposal.
Example:
Sample Price/Cost Normalization Total Price/Cost Points Available: 500
Bidder #1: Low bidder at $50,000 receives maximum points 500
Bidder #2: Next lowest bidder at $55,000 receives 90.9% of max points 455
Bidder #3: Highest bidder at $60,000 receives 83.3% of max points 417
Above points are added to the other criteria point totals to come up with the total points. Bidder with
the highest overall total points is considered the lowest responsible bidder with best value in terms of
price/cost, quality, service, and performance that meet the University's requirements.
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Request for Proposal 2511CA
Vivarium Equipment and Maintenance Services
University of California, San Diego
Module 1 - Equipment, Delivery, and Installation
For the purposes of this RFP, supplier responses submitted under this module will be evaluated
according to the following criteria and approximate weightings:
Evaluation Criteria and Weightings
Section Pricing Type Evaluation Criteria
1 Catalog Pricing 45%
2 Technical Compliance / Product Specifications 25%
3 Lead Time / Availability 15%
4 Sustainability & Social Responsibility 15%
Module 2 - Preventative and Ad Hoc Repair Services

For the purposes of this RFP, supplier responses submitted under this module will be evaluated
according to the following criteria and approximate weightings:
Evaluation Criteria and Weightings
Section Pricing Type Evaluation Criteria
1 Service Pricing 45%
2 Technical Expertise / Staffing 25%
3 Performance Capabilities 15%
4 Sustainability & Social Responsibility 15%
Right to Cancel or Modify
The University reserves the right to change any aspect of, terminate, or delay this RFP, the RFP process
and/or the program outlined within this RFP at any time. Notice shall be provided in a timely manner
thereafter. The University may award the contract without further discussion or may enter into
negotiations with the apparent RFP winner. Should the apparent RFP winner fail to accept the award,
the University may determine that that Bidder has abandoned its Proposal. The University may then
enter into negotiations with the responsible Bidder submitting the second-best Value Proposal. If that
Bidder fails to accept the award, the University may determine that that Bidder has abandoned its
Proposal and enter into negotiations with the responsible Bidder submitting the third Best Value
Proposal and so on to each successive responsible Best Value Bidder until an award is made and
accepted.
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Request for Proposal 2511CA
Vivarium Equipment and Maintenance Services
University of California, San Diego
Right to Award, Make No Award, or Multiple Awards
The University reserves the right to reject all Proposals and to make no award. Unless stated otherwise
in this RFP, the University reserves the right to make multiple awards or to award items separately or in
the aggregate as the interests of the University may appear.
G. Additional Terms
a. The University may waive irregularities in a proposal provided that, in the judgment of
the University, such action will not negate fair competition and will permit proper
comparative evaluation of bids submitted. The University's waiver of an immaterial
deviation or defect shall in no way modify the Request for Proposal documents or
excuse the Bidder from full compliance with the Request for Proposal specifications in
the event the contract is awarded to that Bidder.
b. The University of California trademarks are protected by Federal Trademark and
California State laws. Any use, therefore, of any UC Trademarks is prohibited, in whole
or in part, without the prior written consent of the University of California, as
applicable.
c. The successful Bidder shall not use the name of the University of California, or any
abbreviation thereof, or any name of which "University of California" is a part, or any
Trademarks of the University, in any commercial context, such as may appear on
products, in media (including web sites) and print advertisements in cases when such
use may imply an endorsement or sponsorship of its products or services. All uses of
the University's name and Trademarks, therefore, must first receive prior written
consent from The Regents of the University of California through the Office of
Marketing & Management of Trademarks. This policy complies with the State of
California Education Code Section 92000.
d. Contract Form - Any contract awarded pursuant to this RFP will be in writing and
incorporate the RFP requirements and specifications, as well the contents of the
Bidder's Proposal as accepted by the University.
e. Insurance - If selected for award, the awardee shall deliver the PDF version of the
Certificate of Insurance to UC's Buyer, by email with the following text in the Subject
field: CERTIFICATE OF INSURANCE - [Supplier name].
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