INVITATION FOR BID_Supply of Laboratory Equipment, Reagent and consumables for Six Provincial Hospital Laboratories

Fondation Mérieux (FMx) — EpiC Global Health Security (EpiC-GHS) Project, Lao PDR
INVITATION FOR BIDS
Supply of Laboratory Equipment, Reagents and Consumables
for Six Provincial Hospital Laboratories
IFB reference: EpiC-GHS-LAO-2026-01
Date of publication Friday 23 October 2026
Procurement method Open competitive sealed bidding, two-envelope (technical and financial)
Delivery sites Provincial hospitals in Oudomxay, Xiengkhouang, Vientiane, Luang Prabang,
Savannakhet and Champasak
Bid submission deadline Wednesday 11 November 2026, 10:00 (Vientiane time)
1. Invitation
Fondation Mérieux (FMx) invites sealed bids from eligible and qualified suppliers for the supply, delivery and, where stated, installation of laboratory equipment, reagents and consumables. The goods are for the laboratories of six provincial hospitals in Lao PDR. The project is funded by the United States Government
through FHI 360.
The requirement is divided into five lots. Bidders may bid for one, several or all lots. Each lot is evaluated and
awarded separately. A bid for a lot must include every item in that lot and the full quantity.

Full specifications, quantities per site and the regulatory evidence required for each item are given in the
bidding documents.
Delivery deadlines: Lots 3, 4 and 5 by 8 January 2027; Lots 1 and 2 by 15 January 2027. Installation and
training for equipment must be complete by 29 January 2027.

2. Who may bid
The tender is open to all suppliers that meet the following requirements:
• Business and tax registration in Lao PDR for at least two years before the bid deadline. Only suppliers
that meet this condition are eligible.
• Authorization to import and distribute medical devices and in-vitro diagnostic reagents in Lao PDR,
where the items bid require it.
• At least two contracts in the last three years for the supply of laboratory or medical goods of a similar
nature.
• For Lot 1, after-sales service capacity in Lao PDR, through its own technicians or a named service
partner.
• Not suspended, debarred or otherwise excluded from US Government-funded awards, and not listed
on any UN Security Council sanctions list.

3. FDA, CE or WHO approval required (Lots 1–4)
Every item offered in Lots 1 to 4 must hold at least one of: US FDA approval, clearance or registration;
European CE marking; or WHO prequalification / WHO PQS listing. Items without one of these will be
rejected, whatever their price. The items in Lot 5 are exempt from this requirement but must meet their
stated specifications. The bidding documents state the form of approval and the evidence accepted for each
item. For every item, the bid must state:
• the manufacturer, model or catalogue number, and country of manufacture;
• the FDA, CE or WHO certificate or listing reference;
• the manufacturer’s datasheet; and
• for Lots 1–3, where the bidder is not the manufacturer, a manufacturer’s authorization letter for this
tender. For Lots 4–5, only the winning bidder provides it after award. Request these letters from
manufacturers now; they can take 1–3 weeks.
Simple copies are accepted as evidence: a copy of the certificate or Declaration of Conformity, a printout or
screenshot of the FDA or WHO register entry, or the catalogue page showing the approval. Notarized or
certified copies are not required.
All goods must come from countries eligible under the US-funding rules (USAID geographic code 935: any
country except prohibited sources).
FMx will verify every reference with the issuing body or public register before any price is compared. Items
without verifiable evidence will be rejected. Misrepresentation of origin or certification will lead to
disqualification from all lots, forfeiture of bid security and exclusion from future EpiC-GHS procurement.

4. How to obtain the bidding documents
The bidding documents are free of charge. They are available from 23 October 2026:
• by email request to boualapha.chanthilath@fondation-merieux.org, with the subject line “EpiC-GHSLAO-2026-01 – Request for bidding documents” and the name of your company, contact person and phone number;
or
• for collection in person at Fondation Mérieux, Samsanthai Road, Ban Kaoyot, Sisattanak District, Vientiane Capital, Lao PDR, 08:30–16:30, Monday to Friday.
Please register when you obtain the documents. All clarifications and addenda will be sent to every
registered bidder.

5. Clarifications and pre-bid meeting
Submit all questions in writing by email to boualapha.chanthilath@fondation-merieux.org by Friday 30 October 2026, 16:00. Answers will be sent to all registered bidders without naming who asked.
An optional pre-bid meeting will be held on Wednesday 28 October 2026 at 10:00, online (link available on request).

6. Submission of bids
Bids must be submitted in one sealed outer envelope containing two separately sealed envelopes:
1. Envelope 1 – Technical: eligibility documents, technical compliance sheet, compliance evidence, signed
declarations, and bid security or bid-securing declaration. It must contain no prices.
2. Envelope 2 – Financial: the price schedule only, in US dollars.
Bids may be prepared in Lao or English. Submit one original only; no copies or USB stick are needed.
Mark the outer envelope with the IFB reference, the bidder’s name and “Do not open before 11 November
2026, 10:00”. Deliver it by hand or courier to Fondation Mérieux, Samsanthai Road, Ban Kaoyot, Sisattanak
District, Vientiane Capital, Lao PDR by Wednesday 11 November 2026, 10:00. A receipt will be issued.
Electronic submission is not accepted. Late bids will not be accepted.
Bids must be valid for 90 days. Each bid must include a bid security for every lot bid, in Envelope 1. For any
lot, a signed Bid-Securing Declaration (template in the bidding documents) may be given instead of money:

Bank guarantees must be issued by a bank licensed by the Bank of the Lao PDR and remain valid until at least
9 March 2027; cheques are payable to Fondation Mérieux. Amounts may be in USD or in LAK at the Bank of
the Lao PDR reference rate. Cash is not accepted. Securities are returned to unsuccessful bidders after
contract signature. The winning bidder for Lot 1 or Lot 2 must provide a performance security of 5% of the
contract value as a bank guarantee.

7. Bid opening
Both envelopes will be opened in public, in one session, at 10:30 on Wednesday 11 November 2026 at
Fondation Mérieux, Samsanthai Road, Ban Kaoyot, Sisattanak District, Vientiane Capital. Bidders or their
representatives may attend. Technical envelopes are opened first for all bidders, then financial envelopes;
the total price per lot is read aloud. Prices read at opening do not mean that a bid is compliant: the technical
evaluation and verification of certificates are carried out afterwards, and only compliant bids are compared
on price.

8. Key dates

Bidding documents available From Friday 23 October 2026
Pre-bid meeting (online) Wednesday 28 October 2026, 10:00
Deadline for questions Friday 30 October 2026, 16:00
Bid submission deadline Wednesday 11 November 2026, 10:00
Public opening of technical and financial envelopes Wednesday 11 November 2026, 10:30

9. Award
Each lot will be awarded to the responsive and responsible bidder whose bid fully meets the technical and
regulatory requirements and has the lowest evaluated price. There is no negotiation after opening. FMx may
vary quantities by up to 15% at award, at the bid unit prices. FMx may also cancel the procedure for any lot,
or reject all bids, for documented reasons, without liability to bidders.

10. Integrity
FMx does not charge any fee at any stage of this procurement. Any attempt to influence the evaluation will
lead to rejection of the bid. Examples include gifts, payments, collusion between bidders, or contact with
evaluators outside the official channel. Report suspected fraud or corruption confidentially to David
Raminashvili (david.raminashvili@fondation-merieux.org).

11. Contact
Boualapha CHANTHILATH, Medical Products and Procurement Officer
Fondation Mérieux, Samsanthai Road, Ban Kaoyot, Sisattanak District, Vientiane Capital, Lao PDR
Email: boualapha.chanthilath@fondation-merieux.org · Mobile / WhatsApp: +856 20 5455 3456; +856 20 5454 8788