DATE:
April 26, 2022
16
TO:
Board of Supervisors
SUBJECT
Title
ACCEPT THE GIFT OF A MODULAR LABORATORY FROM THE COUNTY OF PLACER, AUTHORIZE THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO SIGN A LETTER OF APPRECIATION TO THE COUNTY OF PLACER, AUTHORIZE SIGNATURE OF THE TRANSFER AND REMOVAL AGREEMENT, AND AUTHORIZE A COMPETITIVE SOLICITATION RELATED TO THE MODULAR LABORATORY (DISTRICTS: ALL)
Body
OVERVIEW
On February 16, 2022, the County of San Diego (County) Public Health Laboratory (PHL) took precautionary measures and asked staff to leave the Health Services Complex located at 3851 Rosecrans Street, due to a potential structural issue. PHL immediately implemented its continuity of operations plan (COOP) to be able to provide continued laboratory testing services. Additionally, as a short-term solution, PHL requested support from the State and received a COVID-19 testing van on February 23, 2022, and a Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) mobile laboratory (Laboratory) on March 22, 2022, as a temporary loan from the Civil Support Team.
During the COOP planning process, it was found that the County of Placer has a BSL-3, fully equipped modular laboratory that has been decommissioned and sitting idle since 2018. The modular laboratory is in excellent condition with no issues or problems noted at the time of its decommissioning, and the County of Placer has offered this as a gift to the County. This modular laboratory would permit the County's PHL to regain nearly its full BSL-3 testing ability. A BSL-3 testing laboratory has higher safety and security measures that allow Public Health Laboratory staff to work with dangerous pathogens that pose an aerosol exposure risk. This Biosafety level is required to work with these agents and perform the required testing provided by the Laboratory Response Network.
The Laboratory Transfer and Removal Agreement (Agreement), detailed in Attachment B, releases the County of Placer from liability of the Laboratory and its transfer...
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