SOLICITATION NOTICE
B -- Technical Assistance and Statistical Analysis of CASTNET Data and DataMart
- Notice Date
- 6/17/2005
- Notice Type
- Solicitation Notice
- Contracting Office
- Environmental Protection Agency, Administrative Management Section, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, Nw, Washington, DC 20460
- ZIP Code
- 20460
- Solicitation Number
- RFQ-DC-05-00235
- Response Due
- 7/5/2005
- Archive Date
- 8/5/2005
- Point of Contact
- Point of Contact, Denise Roberson, Purchasing Agent, Phone (202) 564-4899
- E-Mail Address
-
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(roberson.denise@epa.gov)
- Description
- NAICS Code: 541620 This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR Subpart 12.6, and Subpart 13.106 as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; offers are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. Request for quotation number RFQ-DC-05-00235 shall be referenced on any quotation. The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect thru Federal Acquisition Circular 2005-04. This procurement is being solicited on a total small business set-aside basis. The NAICS and small business size standard for this project are 541620/$6.0 million. Only one award will result from this solicitation, via the issuance of a time and materials purchase order. STATEMENT OF WORK: Technical Assistance and Statistical Analysis of CASTNET Data and DataMart. BACKGROUND EPA's Clean Air Markets Division (CAMD) is responsible for providing siting assistance and analyzing Clean Air Status and Trends Network (CASTNET) data. CASTNET is an ambient air and deposition monitoring system designed to help assess the effectiveness of nationwide emission reduction programs. This requirement supports these siting and analytical activities. The validity of the deposition and deposition-related parameters is of critical importance to the regulated community and to the implementation of Titles I and IV of the Clean Air Act (which establish the Clean Air Interstate Rule, the NOx Budget Program and the Acid Rain Program). This is because errors in deposition measurements may call into question the environmental benefits of these programs. TASKS AND DELIVERABLES. Task #1: Develop relative bias and acceptance criteria. The contractor shall develop a methodology for determining the relative bias and acceptance criteria for newly installed MARGA (multi-pollutant monitors) and single gas (trace level) analyzers against both current CASTNET filter pack (teflon, nylon, and Whatman), denuder filter pack (reference method), and any other reference methods measurements taken at co-located sites, and accounting for the different measurement time periods of each instrument / methodology. Once the initial intensive one month study (not part of this requirement) has been completed, the contractor shall analyze the collected data and update the criteria as needed for use in further comparisons. The Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) will provide the contractor with technical assistance documents, standard operating procedures and QA procedures, where possible, for each parameter. Deliverable: Develop a methodology for determining the relative bias and acceptance criteria. Due: 2 weeks after award. Deliverable: Update methodology for determining the relative bias and acceptance criteria based on data collected. Due: Four weeks from delivery of intensive one month study data to the contractor. Task #2: Determine the effects of seasonality and other significant factors. The contractor shall determine the effects of seasonality, missing data, and any other significant factor detected by statistical tests or by other means on each currently measured and new parameter identified in Tables 1 and 2 below and for each averaging period (day, week, month, and annual). All of the data listed in Tables 1 and 2 resides on EPA's OAK server. Tables 1 and 2 list the currently measured and new parameters, respectively. TABLE 1: Parameters currently measured by CASTNET: Filter Pack (Teflon, nylon, and Whatman) Measured Parameters: Ca, Cl, HNO3, K, Mg, Na, NH4, NO3, SO2, SO4. Other Measured Parameters: O3, Precipitation, Relative Humidity, Sigma Theta - standard deviation of horizontal wind direction, Solar Radiation, Temperature, Wetness, Wind Direction, Wind Speed. TABLE 2: New Hourly measurement parameters: From MARGA: SO4, NO3, PO4, C2O4, NH4, Cl, Na, K, Ca, Mg, HNO3, HONO, SO2, NH3, HCl. From Trace-Level Gas Analyzers: SO2, CO, NO, NOy. Deliverable: Draft report on the effects of seasonality, missing data, and any other significant factor detected by statistical tests or by other means on each currently measured and new parameter identified in Tables 1 and 2 and for each averaging period (day, week, month, and annual). Due: Eight weeks from award of this purchase order. Deliverable: Final report on the effects of seasonality, missing data, and any other significant factor detected by statistical tests or by other means on each currently measured and new parameter identified in Tables 1 and 2 and for each averaging period (day, week, month, and annual). Due: Two weeks after receiving comments on draft from COR. Task #3: Uncertainty estimates for all measured parameters. The contractor shall provide uncertainty estimates for each currently measured and new parameter identified in Task 2 and for each averaging period (day, week, month, and annual), accounting for the effects of seasonality, missing data, and any other significant effect detected by statistical tests or by other means. For each currently measured and new parameter identified in Task 2, the contractor shall also determine completeness criteria, i.e., how much missing data can be tolerated for a given level of uncertainty. Deliverable: Draft hardcopy and Microsoft Word file for uncertainty analysis and completeness criteria. Due: Eight weeks after completion of Task 2. Deliverable: Final hardcopy and Microsoft Word file for uncertainty analysis and completeness criteria. Due: Two weeks after receiving comments on draft from COR. Task #4: Improve Aggregation Estimates and Algorithms. The contractor shall determine appropriate methodology to properly aggregate the data into daily, weekly, monthly and annual time periods for the data identified in Tables 1 and 2. After COR approval of the aggregation methodology, the contractor shall aggregate the data into daily, weekly, monthly and annual time periods. The contractor shall develop software written in computer language acceptable to the COR to automate the aggregation process as much as possible. Deliverable: Draft hardcopy and Microsoft Word file of results; and draft CD, user guide, and source code for aggregation method. The draft report shall also summarize and discuss the rationale for the methodology to properly aggregate the data. Due: Six weeks after completion of Task 3. Deliverable: Final hardcopy and Microsoft Word file of results; and final CD, user guide, and source code for aggregation method. Due: Two weeks after receiving comments on draft from COR. Task #5: Quality Assurance Plan for DataMart. The contractor shall develop quality assurance (QA) pseudo code for the emissions and CASTNET sections of the CAMD DataMart. The pseudo code will use statistically valid sampling and 'profiling' techniques. The pseudo code will not evaluate every element in the DataMart; CAMD will provide a defined subset of database elements to be targeted. On larger database objects the pseudo code should use sampling techniques. The contractor will provide expertise in systematic and/or stratified random sampling, outside expertise in Operations Management (particularly Acceptance Sampling), and other statistically based sampling techniques. Examples of conditions the pseudo code should detect are: aggregates not correlating to underlying data; values exceeding tolerances; distribution of values in a column exceeding tolerances; table record counts exceeding tolerances. CAMD will provide the tolerances for each element tested. Since the DataMart is aggregated from stack level hourly to unit level annual the pseudo code should exploit the schema wherever possible to optimize performance. The pseudo code will be used to develop procedures in the Oracle DBMS to output a monthly report identifying DataMart elements of concern. The contractor shall test the pseudo code and modify it as needed to improve accuracy or run time. Implementation of the pseudo code in Oracle is not part of this task. Deliverable: Draft hardcopy and Microsoft Word file of pseudo code. Due: Eight weeks after completion of Task 4. Deliverable: Final hardcopy and Microsoft Word file of pseudo code. Due: Two weeks after receiving comments on draft from COR. Task #6: Quality Assurance of Replica Data. The contractor shall develop pseudo code to quality assure that database tables of emissions data (10M - 200M rows each) are exact replicas of the source tables. The contractor shall provide expertise in systematic and/or stratified random sampling, outside expertise in Operations Management (particularly Acceptance Sampling), and other statistically based sampling techniques. This pseudo code will be used to develop procedures in the Oracle DBMS that will produce a weekly report with the current status of replicated objects. The contractor shall test the pseudo code and modify it as needed to improve accuracy or run time. Implementation of the pseudo code in Oracle is not part of this task. Deliverable: Draft hardcopy and Microsoft Word file of pseudo code. Due: Two weeks after completion of Task 5. Deliverable: Final hardcopy and Microsoft Word file of pseudo code. Due: Two weeks after receiving comments on draft from COR. Report Distribution List: Send via e-mail (1) copy of monthly progress reports, (1) copy of all draft products and (2) copies of all final products to the Contracting Officer's Technical Representative: John Schakenbackh, schakenbackh.john@epa.gov. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: Date of award through 4/28/06. Estimated Hours: 675 hours. BASIS FOR AWARD: The Government will make award to the responsive, responsible firm, whose quotation is most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. This is a best-value procurement. The Government may or may not award to the low price quotation. Technical merit is considered to be of greater importance than price. The Government will utilize the evaluation criteria identified below, listed in descending order of importance, during the evaluation of responses received to this Request for Quotation. 1. Technical Merit-The Government will evaluate the offeror's current knowledge of CASTNET data and seasonality effects on ambient air quality data. The Government will evaluate the offeror's current expertise in performing uncertainty analyses and aggregation algorithms on ambient air quality data. The Government will evaluate the offeror's current knowledge and capability to work with large databases. The Government will also evaluate whether the offeror has a computer system and SAS software as well as expertise in statistically analyzing emissions and ambient air quality data, especially using systematic and/or stratified random sampling, and acceptance sampling. 2. Past Performance/Experience-The Government will evaluate the offeror's past performance and demonstrated experience performing completed projects that are similar to the Statement of Work for this requirement. 3. Cost-Price -The Government will evaluate the total expected cost of performing this work. The Government anticipates award of a purchase order on a time and materials basis. The Government's estimated level of effort for this requirement is approximately 675 hours. The provision at FAR 52.212-1 "Instructions to Offerors-Commercial" applies to this acquisition. Offerors are to include a completed copy of FAR provision 52.212-3 "Offeror Representations and Certifications - Commercial Items" with their response. The following FAR clauses also apply: 52.212-4 -"Contract Terms and Conditions - Commercial Items", 52.212-5 "Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders - Commercial Items", with the following clauses cited in 52.212-5 being applicable to this acquisition: 52.219-6 "Notice of Total Small Business Set-Aside", 52.222-3 "Convict Labor", 52.222-21 "Prohibition of Segregated Facilities", 52.222-26 "Equal Opportunity", 52.222-35 "Equal Opportunity for Special Disabled Veterans, Veterans of the Vietnam Era, and Other Eligible Veterans", 52.222-36 "Affirmative Action for Workers with Disabilities", 52.222-37 "Employment Reports on Special Disabled Veterans, Veterans of the Vietnam Era, and Other Eligible Veterans", 52.225-13 "Restrictions on Certain Foreign Purchases", 52.232-33 "Payment of Electronic Funds Transfer - Central Contractor Registration", and 52.232-34 "Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer - Other than Central Contractor Registration". The aforementioned provision and clauses can be accessed electronically at http://www.arnet.gov/far and http://www.gsa.gov/far. Prospective sources are reminded that award can only be made to a Contractor who is registered in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) database. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS REQUEST FOR QUOTATION: Each offeror shall submit (1) one electronic copy of their Quotation or (2) two original copies of their Quotation, which shall include each of the following written Technical portions required to be provided in response to the RFQ: (1) Technical Approach - Each offeror shall provide a description of their technical approach, detailed and complete enough to clearly and fully demonstrate an understanding of the Statement of Work requirements. Quotations which merely offer to conduct a program in accordance with the requirements of the Government's Statement of Work will not be eligible for award. Phrases such as "Standard procedures will be employed" and "well known techniques will be used" are not considered an adequate description. Although it is recognized that all of the technical factors cannot be detailed in advance, the techniques and procedures you plan to follow in conjunction with the task areas to be performed must be described in as much detail as the offeror considers necessary to fully explain their proposed technical approach or method. (2) Past Performance - The offeror shall identify up to three contracts, which it has recently performed (within the last 3 years), or is currently performing, that are similar in nature to this contract. The offeror shall provide the following information with respect to each of these contracts: *Name, address and phone number of all applicable contract points of contact, *Brief description of contract work, scope, and responsibilities. (3) Pricing Information - The offeror shall provide, in writing, a detailed price quotation to include proposed amounts for any indirect costs and other direct costs, including travel. (4) Completed FAR 52.212-3. All questions concerning this RFQ must be submitted in writing and faxed to (202) 565-2554 or e-mailed to roberson.denise@epa.gov. No telephonic response to this solicitation will be accepted. Due date for receipt of responses to this RFQ will be 5:00 PM/EST, 07-05-05 to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, ATTN: Denise Roberson 3803R, Washington, DC 20460 via U.S. Mail; or to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, ATTN: Denise Roberson, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Reagan Building Room 71271, Washington, DC 20004 via commercial delivery; or e-mail at roberson.denise@epa.gov. Electronic responses are preferred. Point of contact: Denise Roberson, Contract Specialist, Phone (202) 564-4899. NOTE: THIS NOTICE WAS NOT POSTED TO WWW.FEDBIZOPPS.GOV ON THE DATE INDICATED IN THE NOTICE ITSELF (17-JUN-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/HQ/RFQ-DC-05-00235/listing.html)
- Record
- SN00831938-F 20050619/050617211757 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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