What Bay Area biotech, pharma, research and clinical lab tenants should verify before signing: equipment instructions, specialist handoffs, building requirements and the written moving scope.
Before signing a laboratory moving contract, compare the proposal with the actual inventory and the requirements set by your lab, EH&S, equipment specialists and buildings. Use these nine checks to confirm who will do the work and what is included.
Ontrack Moving® is an asset-based carrier operating since 2010 (USDOT #2551548, CA License CAL-T190721). Discuss the physical relocation with our Bay Area laboratory moving team. Ontrack has a $10M combined insurance stack that includes building and premises liability. Customer equipment liability is separate: basic $0.60 per pound per article under the applicable moving agreement. Ontrack does not sell insurance or valuation. Discuss third-party options, exclusions and any sample or research-loss coverage with your insurance provider before the move.
A laboratory relocation can involve equipment and material requirements beyond the physical handling of office furnishings. Identify those requirements with the people responsible for the research and equipment.
The lab should identify equipment values, material sensitivity and acceptable downtime before quoting. Ask its insurance provider about equipment and sample exposure separately from building liability. Neither a high building-liability limit nor a generic handling claim establishes replacement coverage or equipment readiness.
Evaluate the actual crew, resources, preparation, access and handoffs proposed for this job. A provider's experience on another type of move does not by itself establish suitability for this equipment.
Check these five technical areas with the lab and its specialists:
Ask each bidder how its physical move scope fits those requirements and which work remains with the lab or specialists. See the laboratory moving hub for the broader coordination scope.
Use these nine checks to clarify the proposal. Resolve unverified claims and missing responsibilities before committing the move.
Identify the carrier that will physically perform the move and any broker or subcontractor roles. Check its record on FMCSA SAFER and confirm the authority applicable to your shipment. A fleet count or inspection percentage alone does not certify laboratory capability. Ontrack's USDOT number is 2551548. For broader questions, see our broker guide and mover vetting guide.
Buildings set their own requirements. Two life-science packets on file both request $1,000,000 in primary general liability per occurrence, with different excess requirements. These examples do not establish a universal $10M general-liability requirement or automatic acceptance. Obtain the current packet and have the insurer and property manager confirm the necessary documents and any gaps before scheduling. There is no guaranteed COI turnaround. Ontrack has a $10M combined insurance stack that includes building and premises liability. Customer equipment liability is separate: basic $0.60 per pound per article under the applicable moving agreement. Ontrack does not sell insurance or valuation. Discuss third-party options, exclusions and any sample or research-loss coverage with your insurance provider before the move.
Provide the exact models, weights, dimensions and manufacturer handling requirements. Ask the mover to identify the proposed packing, restraints, lifting equipment and vehicle resources, and which work requires a specialist. Verify the proposed method against those instructions rather than assuming one equipment list fits every instrument.
Use the exact freezer manual and lab-approved sample plan to determine whether the cabinet must be emptied and how it can travel. Have the lab arrange any required sample transport, temporary storage and contingencies with its designated specialists. Confirm who supplies and reviews any monitoring in the written scope. See the ULT freezer guide and Phoenix lab planning guide for related questions. For the broader route, see our California-to-Arizona moving page.
Ask the manufacturer or designated service provider and lab QA team which preparation and destination checks each instrument needs. Identify who books the appointments, releases the unit for moving and authorizes return to service. Ontrack plans physical relocation around the specialist handoffs agreed in the written scope.
Have the laboratory determine who is authorized to handle and transport each material and what documentation is required. PHMSA infectious-substance transport categories are distinct from laboratory BSL designations. The Federal Select Agent Program also contemplates authorized commercial carriers; BSL-3 or BSL-4 is not a blanket rule that only an institution may transport material. Confirm specialist responsibility and handoff records with EH&S.
Ask the building and lab to specify the training, PPE, access and safety records needed for the assigned tasks. Verify those requirements with the actual employer and crew provider. Carrier ownership or employment structure alone does not prove the existence or adequacy of a training record.
Ask for relevant completed projects and references that can be shared with permission. Compare the equipment and responsibilities with your proposed scope. A reference for physical equipment relocation does not by itself substantiate sample transport, decontamination or certification capability.
Agree the survey method and information needed to quote the job. Include the instrument list, model instructions, access dimensions, specialist dependencies and receiving conditions. Confirm the physical move scope and any agreed photographs, tracking, monitoring or records in writing; those deliverables are not standard on every move.
Send both buildings' current requirements to the responsible provider before committing to the move window. Confirm who submits the COI, who reviews it and who reserves access. Keep those approvals separate from specialist appointments and the equipment handling plan; one does not automatically secure the others.
Use the local service pages below to discuss the origin and destination. Building access, safety procedures and equipment requirements must be confirmed for the actual sites.
For San Francisco and South San Francisco moves, confirm the current building packet, loading route, dock and elevator availability with both property managers. Do not assume a standard insurance limit or booking interval for every biotech building.
For Peninsula moves, coordinate origin and destination access with the relevant buildings and any institutional safety team. Confirm permits and reservations for the actual addresses rather than using a regional assumption.
For Silicon Valley and South Bay labs, ask the site contacts about access, badging and any confidentiality requirements. Confirm specialist availability directly for the actual instrument models.
For East Bay moves, provide the addresses, equipment inventory and site contacts so access and specialist handoffs can be planned for each location.
Across these locations, the same planning questions apply. The answers depend on the project: building documents, equipment instructions, lab-approved material handling, specialist responsibilities and the agreed physical move scope.
Laboratory moving quotes depend on the actual inventory, packing, handling, access, distance and included services. Separate the physical move from specialist equipment work, lab-arranged storage or material transport, facilities and IT. Our lab move cost guide explains the categories to compare without treating generic price bands as project quotes.
Use the same inventory and assumptions when comparing proposals. Have each provider identify exclusions, dependencies and how changes affect charges under the written agreement.
Confirm equipment services, destination acceptance work and any separate coverage with the responsible providers. Basic equipment liability is $0.60 per pound per article under the applicable moving agreement. Ontrack does not sell insurance or valuation; review third-party options and terms with your insurance provider.
Disclosure: This guide is published by Ontrack Moving®, an asset-based carrier operating since 2010 (USDOT #2551548, CA License CAL-T190721). It provides planning questions, not a certification that a mover or laboratory complies with every listed regime. Ontrack has a $10M combined insurance stack that includes building and premises liability. Customer equipment liability is separate: basic $0.60 per pound per article under the applicable moving agreement. Ontrack does not sell insurance or valuation. Discuss third-party options, exclusions and any sample or research-loss coverage with your insurance provider before the move.
Send the instrument inventory, building requirements and specialist contacts. Confirm the physical moving scope, included resources and responsibilities in writing.
