SOLICITATION NOTICE
A -- TECHNICAL SERVICES
- Notice Date
- 4/12/2005
- Notice Type
- Solicitation Notice
- Contracting Office
- Environmental Protection Agency, Oar Service Center/Oaqps, Rtp Procurement Operations Division, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
- ZIP Code
- 27711
- Solicitation Number
- RFQ-RT-05-00234
- Response Due
- 4/26/2005
- Archive Date
- 5/26/2005
- Point of Contact
- Point of Contact, Joy Kimble, Purchasing Agent, Phone (919) 541-2897
- E-Mail Address
-
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(kimble.joy@epa.gov)
- Description
- NAICS Code: 541710 THIS IS A COMBINED SYNOPSIS/SOLICITATION FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS PREPARED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FORMAT IN SUBPART 12.6, AS SUPPLEMENTED WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION INCLUDED IN THIS NOTICE. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONSTITUTES THE ONLY SOLICITATION. QUOTES ARE BEING REQUESTED, AND A WRITTEN SOLICITATION WILL NOT BE ISSUED. The solicitation number is RFQ-RT-05-00234, and the solicitation is being issued as a Request for Quotation (RFQ). The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 01-24. The associated North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 541710 which has a small business standard size of 500 employees. It is anticipated that the contract will be awarded as a result of full and open competition. The purpose of this notice is to inform all interested parties that the Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC intends to award a Firm-fixed-price purchase order as a result of this solicitation. Award will be made to a single contractor. The period of performance will be nine months from the date of award. The place of performance is the contractor's facility. PROJECT TITLE: "Development of Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Based Solid Phase Extraction Materials for Determination of Pyrethroid Pesticides in Composite Dietary Samples. BACKGROUND: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (USEPA) National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) conducts multimedia/multi-pathway (aggregate) exposure studies and assessments for the purpose of determining an individual's exposure to various environmental contaminants. Within NERL, the Microbiological and Chemical Exposure Assessment Research Division's (MCEARD) dietary exposure research program is designed to complement the NERL aggregate and cumulative exposure program. The overall objective of the MCEARD dietary exposure research program is to support NERL's human exposure measurement and modeling efforts by reducing the amount of uncertainty in the dietary measurements, thereby improving NERL's ability to evaluate dietary exposure relative to other pathways. This information is critically needed for improved risk assessment. Specifically, an analytical method development component of this research provides the tools needed to analyze composite food and beverage samples for the presence of various classes of pesticides. NERL exposure monitoring programs require a capability to determine a broad range of target analytes in dietary samples. The target analytes are identified by NERL study design teams to support programmatic and research needs. Usually, for economic reasons, dietary sampling results in a food composite representative of all foods consumed during a monitoring period (typically 24 hours). Solid foods and beverages are usually collected separately. Also for economic reasons, the number of analytes determined in a single analysis is maximized. Currently, MCEARD is developing methods for the determination of pyrethroid pesticides in composite dietary samples in support of planned children's exposure monitoring studies. In order to generate meaningful dietary exposure data, detection limits in the sub part per billion (sub-ppb) range are needed. Existing methods typically have detection limits for pyrethroid pesticides ranging from 5 - 50 ppb. Strategies for improving detection limits include extracting larger samples and injecting larger volumes of the cleaned-up extract. Both of these strategies will require improved clean-up procedures that are more selective for the analytes of interest and will reduce the amount of co-extracted materials that foul instrument injection ports and columns and otherwise interfere with analysis. Molecular recognition based separation systems have received attention in various fields due to their high selectivity for target molecules. Molecular imprinting has been recognized as a promising technique for the development of such separation systems. In fact, molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) have been developed for a number of analytes including the pesticides atrazine and monosulfuron. Previous work in NERL has targeted development of MIPs for pyrethroid pesticides. Surface imprinted polymers were successfully developed for use in conjunction with transduction detection methods. However, this work did not involve the production of solid phase extraction materials as required under this statement of work. MCEARD is interested in developing a class specific molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) based solid phase extraction sorbent to be used in preparing extracts from composite dietary samples for subsequent analysis for pyrethroid pesticides by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) or liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) using larger samples and/or injecting larger volumes. It is anticipated that methods developed using this technology will be used in support of future NERL exposure measurement studies. OBJECTIVE: The contractor shall develop MIPs with selective binding to pyrethroid pesticides. A class selective approach shall be taken for the determination of the following pyrethroid pesticides, grouped by priority since it may not be possible to include all of these compounds: Highest Priority - cyfluthrin, cypermethrin, cis-permethrin, and trans-permethrin; Lower Priority - allethrin, bifenthrin, deltamethrin, esfenvalerate, fenvalerate, lambda cyhalothrin, natural pyrethrins, prallethrin, resmethrin, sumithrin, tetramethrin, and tralomethrin. SCOPE OF WORK: The contractor shall perform the following tasks: TASK 1: Contractor shall submit a Category 4 Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP). See QAPP attachment for details and guidance on how to prepare a category 4 QAPP which is listed with this solicitation. The QAPP must be approved by EPA prior to commencement of laboratory work. TASK 2: Contractor shall obtain structural information on pyrethroids of interest (allethrin, bifenthrin, cyfluthrin, cypermethrin, deltamethrin, esfenvalerate, fenvalerate, lambda cyhalothrin, cis-permethrin, trans-permethrin, natural pyrethrins, prallethrin, resmethrin, sumithrin, tetramethrin and tralomethrin). This structural information shall be used in selecting an appropriate template to be used in producing the MIP. TASK 3: Contractor shall produce the MIP. TASK 4: Contractor shall evaluate binding properties, selectivity and solvent tolerance of the MIP. Food extracts are usually extracted with methylene chloride or hexane/acetone (1/1, v/v). TASK 5: Contractor shall prepare solid phase extraction (SPE) cartridges containing the MIP. Typically, 5-10g samples of composite diets are extracted. It is desired that the SPE cartridge have the capacity to bind pyrethroids ranging in concentration from 0.1 ppb to 10 ppb in the food. Consequently, the SPE cartridge must contain sufficient MIP to bind 1 - 100 ng of each pyrethroid analyte. TASK 6: Contractor shall optimize elution conditions for the MIP. Elution shall avoid solvents which are suspected carcinogens, such as chloroform and benzene. TASK 7: Contractor shall evaluate performance of the MIP SPE cartridge in binding pyrethroid pesticides in extracts of composite diet matrices ranging in fat content from 1 -10% by weight. The EPA Project Officer will provide suitable composite diet matrices or recipes to prepare suitable composite diet matrices. Contractor shall analyze food extracts cleaned up with the MIP SPE cartridges for pyrethroid pesticides using either gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, gas chromatography with electron capture detection or other technique mutually agreed upon by the contractor and EPA Project Officer. TASK 8: Contractor shall evaluate recovery of pyrethroid analytes from the MIP. Recoveries in the range of 70 - 130% are considered acceptable. TASK 9: Contractor shall evaluate reusability of the MIP SPE cartridges and possible interferences from matrix co-extractants. TASK 10: Contractor shall deliver MIP-based SPE cartridges, standard operating procedures (SOP) and final report as outlined below in the "Deliverables and Schedule" section. DELIVERY SCHEDULE: All deliverables are due 10 days prior to the end of the contract period of performance, to allow for EPA review, unless otherwise specified. 1: Deliver Category 4 QAPP - due no later than 30 days from date of award; 2: Deliver a minimum of 200 MIP-based SPE cartridges; 3: Deliver a Standard Operating Procedure for the synthesis of the MIP; 4: Deliver Standard Operating Procedure for elution of pyrethroids from the MIP; and 5: Deliver final report summarizing all contract activities. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS: Monthly - Teleconference progress reports - no later than the 15th of each month until final report is delivered. The government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer is lowest price technically acceptable. Offerors must satisfactorily meet all of the technical requirements to be considered "technically acceptable." Evaluation Factors: ( Item 1) (a) Technical approach in meeting the requirements of the Statement of Work (SOW) while exhibiting expert knowledge, understanding and proficiency in applying that approach. (b) The offeror must demonstrate the ability to prepare clear, concise, and informative written materials which will be evaluated by the organization for content and clarity and (c) The offeror shall demonstrate their technical approach to completing the tasks outlined in the Statement of Work. Specifically, the offereror must address: (1) an approach to produce a class specific molecularly imprinted polymer for pyrethroid pesticides, (2) an approach for evaluating polymer properties including selectivity, binding capacity, reusability of cartridges, solvent tolerance, and recovery of pyrethroid pesticide from the cartridge, (3) an approach for optimizing elution conditions, and (4) an ability to produce at least 200 solid phase extraction cartridges containing the polymer; (Item 2). Qualifications of Personnel - The offeror shall describe specific, relevant experience and availability of the proposed personnel relating to the development of molecularly imprinted polymers for small molecules, production of solid phase extraction materials utilizing molecularly imprinted polymers, and providing other services similar in scope to those described in the Statement of Work. Offerors will be evaluated on the adequacy of the types of personnel who will form the team, their experience, and their educational background. (Item 3). Past performance will be used for responsibility determinations. Each offeror submitting a technically acceptable proposal shall be evaluated on performance under existing and prior (within the past 3 years) contracts/subcontracts/orders for efforts similar to that described in the Statement of Work for this requirement. Proposals shall include a representative list of contracts/subcontracts/orders completed during the past three years, and contracts/subcontracts/orders currently in process, which are similar in scope and size to this requirement. For each contract/subcontract/order identified, include a brief synopsis which includes the date the work was performed, the client for whom the work was performed (include client name and telephone number), and a description of work performed. The offeror is authorized to provide information on problems encountered on the identified contracts and the offerors' corrective actions, if necessary. (Item 4). Price - Award will be made to the offeror whose offer is the lowest price technically acceptable. (The offeror must provide an itemized cost breakdown with justification of all cost). All offerors are to include a copy of provision 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items (http://orca.bpn.gov/login.aspx). The completed Representations and Certifications should be included with the price proposal. The following FAR clauses apply to this acquisition: 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items; 52.227-14, Rights In Data-General, Alt III, 52.227-17 Rights in Data-Special Works; 52.246-11, Higher Level Contract Quality Requirement, 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Items and the following additional FAR clauses which are cited in Clause 52.212-5: 52.203-6 Restrictions on Subcontractor Sales to the Government, Alt I; 52.219-6, Notice of Total Small Business Set-Aside; 52.219-8, Utilization of Small Business Concerns; 52.219-14, Limitations on Subcontracting; 52.222-3, Convict Labor; 52.222-21, Prohibition of Segregated Facilities; 52.222-26, Equal Opportunity, 52.222-35, Affirmative Action for Special Disabled and Vietnam Era Veterans; 52.222-36 Affirmative Action for Handicapped Workers; 52.222-37, Employment Reports on Special Disabled Veterans and Veterans of the Vietnam Era; 52-232-33, Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer & Service Contract Act of 1965, as amended. Any applicable wage determination(s) (if required) will be made a part of the resultant purchase order. Technical questions are to be forwarded via email no later 12:00 noon, EST, 19 April 2005 to the Contract Specialist at the following email address: kimble.joy@epa.gov. In addition to this Request for Quotation (RFQ), offerors should check EPA's web site daily for any updated information at http://www.epa.gov/oam/rtp_cmd until the closing date. Arrow down to the REQUEST FOR QUOTATION section and click on the solicitation. The RFQ/solicitation and any subsequent amendments will be available via the Internet World Wide Web at http:www.epa.gov/oam/rtp_cmd only. Hard copies or disketts will not be available. Arrow down below that section to COMMERCIAL BUY CLAUSES AND FORMS which are provided for your convenience. Please submit two copies of the technical proposal and two copies of the price proposal to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, RTP-POD, 109 T.W. Alexander Dr., Attn: Joy Kimble, E105-02, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711. Courier Delivery Address is: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, RTP-POD, 4930 Page Road, Attn: Joy Kimble, E105-02, Research Triangle Park, NC 27703. All offers are no later than 26 April 2005, 4:00 p.m. ET. No telephonic or faxed requests or offers will be honored. NOTE: THIS NOTICE WAS NOT POSTED TO WWW.FEDBIZOPPS.GOV ON THE DATE INDICATED IN THE NOTICE ITSELF (12-APR-2005); HOWEVER, IT DID APPEAR IN THE FEDBIZOPPS FTP FEED ON THIS DATE. PLEASE CONTACT fbo.support@gsa.gov REGARDING THIS ISSUE.
- Web Link
-
Link to FedBizOpps document.
(http://www.eps.gov/spg/EPA/OAM/CMD/RFQ-RT-05-00234/listing.html)
- Record
- SN00786463-F 20050414/050412212130 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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