DOCUMENT
F -- National Surface Water Chemistry Protocols for Air Pollution Sensitive Waters - Questions and Answers
- Notice Date
- 7/25/2008
- Notice Type
- Questions and Answers
- NAICS
- 541620
— Environmental Consulting Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, WO-AQM, 1621 N. Kent Street, AQM Suite 707 RPE, Arlington, Virginia, 22209, United States
- ZIP Code
- 22209
- Solicitation Number
- AG-3187-S-08-0021
- Response Due
- 7/31/2008 3:00:00 PM
- Archive Date
- 8/15/2008
- Point of Contact
- Todd Mathie,, Phone: 505-842-3403, Ann Mebane,, Phone: (307) 578-8241
- E-Mail Address
-
tmathie@fs.fed.us, amebane@fs.fed.us
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- The US Forest Service is in need of protocol development for air pollution-sensitive surface water chemistry sampling. This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial services prepared in accordance with the format in Federal Acquisition Regulation Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2005-26, effective June 12, 2008. FAR clause 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions – Commercial Items applies to this acquisition. Provision at FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors – Commercial, applies to this acquisition. Include a completed copy of the provision at 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications – Commercial Items, with your offer (not part of page limit for proposal). The Request for Proposal (RFP) number is AG-3187-S-08-0021. This solicitation is a small business set-aside. NAICS Code: 541620 Environmental Consulting Services Size Standard: $6.5 Evaluation: Best Value considering price and technical factors Line Item Number 0001: Contractor shall provide a firm-fixed-price for the deliverables identified in the statement of work below. Statement of Work National Surface Water Chemistry Protocols for Air Pollution Sensitive Waters 30 June 2008 a.Introduction: The contractor shall provide all personnel, facilities, equipment, materials, supplies and services to accomplish the objectives and requirements contained in this purchase order to develop integrated protocols providing standard, efficient, and cost-effective methodologies for field sampling water sources and performing lab analyses. b.Background: 1. The Forest Service Air Resource Management program has a 25+ year history of the monitoring surface water chemistry of our highest and often most pristine lakes and streams. These inventory and monitoring programs are typically designed to identify sensitive water bodies, to determine status and to track trends of waters sensitive to atmospheric deposition. Data from these programs are used not only to aid the Forest Service in land management, but are used in State planning processes, in industry pollution permitting and to provide the States, EPA, other Federal agencies invaluable information in their decision-making processes. The data from these programs must be of the highest quality possible to withstand scientific and legal scrutiny. Though most of these data have been collected under an established protocol, the Air program believes that it is to the Forest Service’s benefit to have standard field, lab, quality assurance/quality control, and data analysis protocols for the sensitive surface water chemistry sampling. 2. Background materials from which the protocols will be developed include “Air Quality Related Values and Development of Associated Protocols for Evaluation of the Effects of Atmospheric Deposition on Aquatic and Terrestrial Resources on Forest Service Lands (Sullivan and Herlihy, 2007)”1 and “Field Guide for Surface Water Sample and Data Collection (Turk, 2001)”2 as background material for developing field protocols. Other sources will include the Forest Service Aquatic Ecological Unit Inventory protocols, EPA standard and USGS protocols. Existing lab protocols and methodologies in use at the Air Resource Management Laboratory should be evaluated and incorporated as appropriate. c.Project Deliverables: Specific tasks include: 1. Draft protocol development: Develop integrated protocols providing standard, efficient, and cost-effective methodologies for field sampling, and lab analyses. These protocols must be in a clear, concise, well written document at a quality level suitable for publishing as a Forest Service General Technical Report or Technical Guide and, if appropriate, incorporated as official direction in a Forest Service Handbook. Field methods must account for difficulties of sampling in remote areas where sample processing and shipping may not be available for several days. The protocol must include detailed pre-trip preparation, supporting field measurements such as flow estimation, water temperature, and air temperature, actual sample collection for streams, lake shores and in-lake sampling at various depths, sample handling and chain of custody tracking. Incorporate indicators recommended in Sullivan and Herlihy’s 2007 report. 1 The draft should be submitted to the COR for review within 90 days of contract date. The Forest Service will have 45 days to review and provide comments to the contractor for revisions or additions. 2. QA/QC procedures and data processing and analysis protocols: Develop draft a QA/QC procedures integrated with field protocols, as well as data processing and analysis procedures to prepare data for upload into NRIS Air. These protocols will include recommendations for handling missing data points, constituents below lab detection limits, outliers, and seasonality. Trend analysis and guidelines for evaluating significance, as well as recommendations and examples for simple, clear presentation of results for decision makers should be included. These protocols should be submitted to the COR for review by Forest Service within 150 days of contract award. The Forest Service will have 45 days to review and provide comments to the contractor for revisions or additions. 3. Field and chain of custody forms: Adapt existing field forms and chain-of-custody forms to facilitate compliance with new protocols and to aid in the entry of data into NRIS. 4. Training plan: Develop training plan and materials for field personnel incorporating A/V materials currently under development with the Forest Service’s Missoula Technology Development Center. 5. Transition plan: Develop plan to assist regions in the transition from current business rules and protocols to the new agency protocols. 6. Testing: Test training materials, data collection methods, lab analysis protocols, and QA/QC procedures with Forest Service air program personnel during field season – generally April through July. 7. Final delivery of products: Finalize all products after thorough testing and review of products by the Forest Service. Conduct functional assistance trips to help ensure appropriate implementation. d.Period of Performance: One year from date of award. e.Assumptions and Constraints: The contractor selected for award of this purchase order must have the following skills and/or knowledge: 1. Strong Technical Writing Skills in Drafting Protocols 2. Expert knowledge of Forest Service Air Resource Management Field Programs 3. Experience and Expert Knowledge in Field Sampling and Data Analysis from Monitoring Programs. f.Government Furnished Property: None g.Travel: If required, travel will be reimbursed in accordance with the federal travel regulation. h.Primary References: Sullivan, T.J. and A.T. Herlihy. 2007. Air Quality Related Values and Development of Associated Protocols for Evaluation of the Effects of Atmospheric Deposition on Aquatic and Terrestrial Resources on Forest Service Lands. Air Resource Management Program, USDA Forest Service. Turk, J.T. 2001. Field Guide for Surface Water Sample and Data Collection. Air Resource Management Program, USDA Forest Service. i.Contract Type: Firm Fixed Price j.Project Location: N/A. Must have access to electronic communications. k.Points of Contact: Technical Point of Contact:Ann Mebane Phone (307) 578-8241 amebane@fs.fed.us Contracting Officer:Todd Mathie Phone: (505) 842-3403 Email: tmathie@fs.fed.us EVALUATION CRITERIA – Award shall be made to that offeror whose proposal is determined to represent the best value to the Government, after considering technical evaluation and price. In making the best value determination, the government considers the technical evaluation equal in importance to price. There are two areas within the technical evaluation, both of which are considered equal in importance: past performance and quality/workmanship, rating criteria will be excellent, good, acceptable, unacceptable. Proposals shall not exceed 10 pages. Only the first 10 pages of each proposal will be evaluated. FACTOR 1 – Quality/Workmanship: Demonstrated ability to perform services in accordance with contract specifications. Performance to good standards and workmanship. FACTOR 2 – Past Performance: List similar projects of work completed by firm or individual within last 3 years. Provide name, address, telephone and fax number of principal official in charge of the project who are familiar with your performance. FACTOR 3 – Price. The price proposal shall include the following: a. Title for each labor category b. Fully burdened labor rate for each labor category c. Number of labor hours proposed for each labor category d. Cost of any materials or supplies proposed NOTE: If determined by the Government that travel is required during the performance of this requirement, travel costs will be reimbursed in accordance with the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) Technical Submissions from Factors 1 and 2 will be evaluated based on the depth and quality of experience when compared to the following evaluation criteria: Education in field relevant to air quality management; Breadth of experience: as this is a nationwide protocol, experience in field sampling and data analysis from monitoring programs from wide geographic locations is valuable; Familiarity with Forest Service Air Resource Management field programs and conditions under which they are carried out; Relevant, current, or recent experience in producing such products; Proven ability to write clear, concise technical documents; Value of bid; Responses are due to this combined synopsis solicitation by 3:00 p.m. mountain time, July 31, 2008. Email responses are acceptable to: tmathie@fs.fed.us. Mailing address for submitting proposals: USDA Forest Service, Attn: Todd Mathie, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Mailstop 1138, Washington, DC 20250-1138.
- Web Link
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- Document(s)
- Questions and Answers
- File Name: Questions and Answers (FAQ for RFP AG-3187-S-08-0021.doc)
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- File Name: Questions and Answers (FAQ for RFP AG-3187-S-08-0021.doc)
- Place of Performance
- Address: N/A. Must have access to electronic communications, United States
- Record
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