Request for Proposal (RFP): Central Biospecimen Storage Services for the MLSC Biobank Program

1. Background and Purpose

The Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC) Biobank Program is a statewide, multi-institutional initiative designed to support biomedical research through secure, equitable access to high-quality biospecimens and associated data. The program brings together academic medical centers across the Commonwealth to enable standardized collection, storage, stewardship, and access to human research specimens under MLSC governance frameworks.

As part of this effort, MLSC seeks qualified vendors to provide centralized, secure, and resilient biospecimen storage services, including geo-redundant, multi-site storage, to support the long-term preservation and availability of biospecimens and prepared materials.

The objective of this RFP is to establish a reliable, scalable, and risk-mitigated storage infrastructure that supports multiple temperature conditions, robust inventory management, and continuity of operations for the MLSC Biobank Program.  

2. Scope of Work 

A. Storage Infrastructure and Capacity 

• Provision of centralized biospecimen storage capacity at the following temperature conditions: 
• −80°C (ultra-low temperature storage) 
• −20°C (frozen storage) 
• 4°C (refrigerated storage) 
• Storage of biospecimen types including, but not limited to: 
• Tissue, blood, plasma, serum, and derivatives 
• Nucleic acids and molecular extracts 
• FFPE blocks and prepared slides 
• Ability to scale storage capacity over time as the biobank grows.    

B. Geo-Redundancy and Multi-Site Storage 

• Ability to support biospecimen storage across multiple physically distinct facilities. 
• Clear designation of primary and secondary storage sites, including geographic separation. 
• Defined strategies for geo-redundancy, including: 
• Replication or duplication of critical specimens, where applicable 
• Risk-based allocation of specimens across sites 
• Coordinated inventory management across all storage locations to ensure consistency, traceability, and continuity of access. 
• Business continuity planning that incorporates multi-site operations to mitigate risks related to natural disasters, power outages, equipment failure, or other disruptions. 

 C. Specimen Receipt and Accessioning 

• Secure receipt of biospecimens from multiple contributing institutions. 
• Verification of shipment condition and temperature upon receipt. 
• Accessioning, labeling, and assignment of unique identifiers in accordance with MLSC-defined standards. 
• Full chain-of-custody documentation from receipt through storage.    

D. Inventory Management and Tracking 

• Robust inventory management system with specimen-level tracking. 
• Support for linkage to associated metadata without exposing direct identifiers. 
• Real-time visibility into specimen location, storage condition, and status across sites. 
• Audit logs capturing access, movement, and retrieval events. 

 E. Environmental Monitoring and Quality Control 

• Continuous temperature monitoring for all storage units across all sites. 
• Automated alerts and escalation procedures for temperature excursions. 
• Preventive maintenance, validation, and calibration of storage equipment. 
• Backup power systems, redundancy, and disaster recovery procedures at each site.    

F. Specimen Retrieval and Distribution 

• Controlled retrieval of biospecimens and prepared materials upon authorized request. 
• Secure packaging and shipment to MLSC-designated destinations. 
• Documentation of specimen release, shipment condition, and chain-of-custody. 

G. Compliance and Security 

• Compliance with HIPAA and applicable human subject protections, as well as MA regulations for handling human samples.
• Secure handling of biospecimens and associated data. 
• Physical security controls at all storage facilities. 
• Role-based access controls, auditability, and trained personnel. 

 3. Vendor Qualifications 

• Demonstrated experience providing centralized biospecimen storage for human research samples. 
• Experience supporting large-scale, multi-institutional or biobank programs. 
• Proven environmental monitoring, redundancy, and disaster recovery practices. 
• Ability to support geo-redundant, multi-site storage operations. 
• Experience working with academic medical centers preferred.    

4. Proposal Requirements   

Proposals should include: 

• Executive summary 
• Description of storage infrastructure and geo-redundancy model 
• Specimen handling and inventory management approach 
• Environmental monitoring and continuity planning 
• Relevant experience and references 
• Implementation plan and timeline 
• Pricing structure and assumptions 

 5. Evaluation Criteria 

Proposals will be evaluated based on: 

• Technical capability and reliability 
• Storage capacity and scalability 
• Geo-redundancy and multi-site resilience strategy 
• Inventory management and traceability 
• Compliance and security practices 
• Experience and references 
• Cost and value 

6. Timeline

Deadline: 4.17.2026

Evaluation Period: Proposals will be weighted based on technical expertise, alignment with the MLSC’s needs and cost-efficiency. Finalists may be interviewed in mid/late May. A decision will be made in May/June with a tentative commencement in June.

MLSC reserves the right to modify this timeline at its discretion.  

7. Additional Terms 

For questions regarding this RFP, contact: BioBank@masslifesciences.com      

This RFP does not constitute an obligation to fund any proposals. The MLSC reserves the right to modify or cancel this RFP at any time and may request further clarifications or conduct interviews as part of the selection process.