SOLICITATION NOTICE
b -- Determination of sediment 137Cs and 210Pb activities for the Grand Bay sediment
- Notice Date
- 9/1/2011
- Notice Type
- Combined Synopsis/Solicitation
- NAICS
- 541380
— Testing Laboratories
- Contracting Office
- RTPPODUS Environmental Protection Agency109 T.W. Alexander DriveMail Code: E105-02Research Triangle ParkNC27709USA
- ZIP Code
- 00000
- Solicitation Number
- RFQ-RT-11-00181
- Response Due
- 9/15/2011
- Archive Date
- 10/15/2011
- Point of Contact
- Marsha B. Johnson
- E-Mail Address
-
johnson.marsha@epa.gov
(johnson.marsha@epa.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- THIS IS A COMBINED SYNOPSIS/SOLICITATION FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS PREPARED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FORMAT IN FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION (FAR) SUBPART 12.6 'SOLICITATION FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS', AS SUPPLEMENTED WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION INCLUDED IN THIS NOTICE. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONSTITUTES THE ONLY SOLICITATION. QUOTATIONS ARE BEING REQUESTED AND A WRITTEN SOLICITATION WILL NOT BE ISSUED. The solicitation number is RFQ-RT-11-0018, and the solicitation is being re-issued as a full and open competition Request for Quotation (RFQ) using FAR Part 13 Simplified Acquisition Procedures. The solicitation was previously posted as solicitation number SOL-NC-11-00032 as a combined synopsis/solicitation issued as a 100% small business set-aside competition Request for Quotation (RFQ) using FAR Part 13 Simplified Acquisition Procedures on August 3, 2011. The 100% small business set-aside competition has been dissolved due to no responses to the requirement. The solicitation docu ment and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 05-41. The associated North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code 541380, Testing Laboratories, which has a size standard of $12.0 million to qualify as a small business, is applicable. This procurement is for the laboratory analyses of 137Cs and 210Pb activities in marine sediments. The Government intends to award a firm fixed-price contract for a 12 month period of performance for a minimum of 200 sample analyses and a maximum of 400 sample analyses. Statement of Work: GENERAL DESCRIPTION: The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory (NHEERL), Gulf Ecology Division (GED) is conducting a study to determine the rates of sediment burial in three bayous situated in watersheds with different land use histories. Previous 137Cs dating of sediment cores from similar environments in Mobi le Bay suggests that sediment deposition rates are approximately ?1cm year-1. Based on this information, we anticipate that a 1m core will capture about 100y of historic sediment deposition. Because the bayous are dynamic sedimentary environments, two tracers (137Cs and 210Pb) will be used to examine sediment deposition and mixing and calculate burial rates. As such, the Agency will require laboratory analyses of 137Cs and 210Pb activities in marine sediments. WORK TO BE ACCOMPLISHED AND GENERAL REQUIREMENTS: The contractor shall provide the necessary personnel, facilities and equipment, and otherwise do all things necessary for, or incidental to analyze a minimum of 200 and a maximum of 400 estuarine sediment samples for 137Cs and 210Pb activity. Samples were collected from 15 sediment cores in January 2011. USEPA/NHEERL/ GED shall express mail 15-40mL of sediments in plastic containers to the vendor. 137Cs activities shall be determined according to Ritchie and McHenry (1990) while 210Pb activities shall be determined according to Nittrouer et al. (1979; 1984) and Kuehl (1986), or established and equivalent methods. More specifically, sediment 137Cs activities shall be determined with non-destructive gamma counting. Then, the samples shall be leached with acid; Po isotopes spontaneously electro-deposit onto silver discs and alpha spectroscopy shall be used to determine activity. The minimum detection limits required are approximately 0.1 dpm/g for 137Cs and 210Pb. The contractor shall be responsible for necessary sample preparation and analysis. The contractor shall provide an interpretation for estimated burial rates (cm year-1) in each of the 18 cores using the 137Cs and 210Pb data measured in these samples. MILESTONES AND DELIVERABLES: Results shall be reported as the activities (dpm/g) of 137Cs and 210Pb in each marine sediment sample to the EPA Contracting Officer?s Representative (COR). These results shall include activities of sup ported and excess 210Pb. The results shall be provided electronically (Microsoft Excel email attachment or CD) in a form that can be easily copied into other computer applications. The contractor shall provide quality assurance (QA) information with each data report sent to the EPA research point of contact within each 60 day calendar period after receipt of each batch of samples. The contractor shall also provide a final hard-copy output of data files (i.e., spreadsheets) for the purpose of quality assurance. A written report detailing the methods used, the results of QA measures, and interpretations of burial rates for each of the 15 cores shall be provided in a Microsoft Word document by the contractor within 60 calendar days of the final sample analysis. Laboratory notes discussing problems encountered shall be included as an appendix to this report. Original records, such as laboratory notebooks and efficiency/calibration curves, shall be retained for at least three ye ars following final report submission, as copies may be requested to be sent to the EPA. ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA: The basic minimum criteria include the following quality control samples for a minimum of every 20 samples analyzed: (i) one laboratory method blank, (ii) one duplicate sample analysis, (iii) laboratory control reference materials (equivalent to a certified reference material), and (iv) efficiency/calibration curve(s). Analytical precision for standards shall be ? 2% and error between duplicate samples shall not exceed 20%. The contractor shall re analyze (at no cost to the Government) an entire batch of samples if results of the blanks or standards are deemed unacceptable for the methods utilized. The contractor shall permit QA audit of laboratory and/or data entry procedures by an authorized agent of EPA at any time while conducting the analyses (given advance notification). APPLICABLE AND CONTROLLING DOCUMENTS: The contractor shall provide a written QA Managem ent Plan equivalent to the EPA?s requirement document [EPA Requirements for Quality Management Plans (QA/R-2)] and a written Quality Assurance Project Plan equivalent to the EPA's requirement document [EPA Requirements for QA Project Plans (QA/R-5)] with the quote. These reference documents can be located at http://www.epa.gov/quality/qa_docs.html. The QAPP shall describe in detail all chemical methods, including expected recovery of all analytes, and all standard operating procedures used in these analyses. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: The period of performance shall be 12 months from the date of contract award. The following FAR provisions apply to this solicitation: 52.212 1, Instructions to Offerors Commercial Items, FAR 52.212-2, Evaluation - Commercial items. Evaluation criteria to be included in paragraph (a) of provision 52.212-2 are as follows: A.TECHNICAL CRITERIA: 1. Demonstrated adequacy of Quality Assurance Management Plan (QAMP) and Quality Assurance Project Plan s (QAPP) (QAMP and QAPP requirements can located at: http/www.epa.gov/quality/qa??_docs.html, see Sections QA/R-2 and QA/R-5 for specific details) to meet the requirements of the statement of work. 2. Demonstrated experience in similar areas of research with analysis of marine sediment samples for various tracers (137Cs and 210Pb). 3. Demonstrated use of the analytical methods specified in the Statement of Work or equivalent methods in similar projects. B. PAST PERFORMANCE: Submit a list of 3 customers for whom like or similar sample analysis have been performed within the past 3 years. Include specific points of contact and phone numbers. Past performance will be evaluated on 1) quality of product or service; 2) timeliness of performance (ability to adhere to deadlines); and overall customer satisfaction. C. PRICE: The Government intends to award a single contract to the responsible offeror whose technically acceptable proposal offers the 'Best Value' to the Government p rice and other factors considered. For this requirement, 'best value' will be determined based on technical criteria, past performance and price. Only those offerors submitting technically acceptable quotations shall be considered for award. For this requirement, Technical Criteria and Past Performance are significantly more important than price. All offerors are to complete the On-line Representations and Certifications at https://orca.bpn.gov/. In accordance with FAR 52.204-7(b)(1)Central Contractor Registration, all prospective awardees shall be registered in the CCR database prior to award, during performance, and through final payment of any contract or purchasing agreement resulting from this solicitation. All offerors are to include with their offers a completed copy of provision 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications -Commercial Items. The following FAR clauses apply to this acquisition: 52.212 4, Contract Terms and Conditions Commercial Items. The foll owing additional FAR clauses which are cited in clauses 52.212 5 are applicable to the acquisition: 52.219-28, Post Award Small Business Program Representation; 52.222-3 Convict Labor, 52.222-21 Prohibition of Segregated Facilities, 52.222 26, Equal Opportunity; 52.222 35, Affirmative Action for Disabled Veterans and Veterans of the Vietnam Era; 52.222 36, Affirmative Action for Handicapped Workers; 52.222 37, Employment Reports on Special Disabled Veterans and Veterans of the Vietnam Era; 52.222-50 Combating Trafficking in Persons; 52.225-13 Restrictions on Certain Foreign Purchases; 52.232 33, Payment by Electronic Fund Transfer-Central Contractor Registration; 52.222-41 Service Contract Act of 1965, As Amended; 52.222-42 Statement of Equivalent Rates for Federal hires. Any applicable wage determination(s) will be made a part of the resultant contract. All technical questions are to be forwarded to the Contracting Specialist no later than September 7, 2011, 12:00 p.m. ET a t the following email address: Johnson.marsha@epa.gov. Offerors should review the Statement of Work and other information posted with this Request for Quotation on EPA's website at the following address: http://www.epa.gov/oamrtpnc/1100181/index.htm. ALL FURTHER INFORMATION RELATED TO THIS SOLICITATION WILL BE LOCATED AT THE EPA WEBSITE. Please submit two copies each of the technical and price proposal (including pricing sheet) to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, RTP Procurement Operations Division, Attn: Marsha Johnson (E105-02), 4930 Old Page Road, Durham, NC 27703. All offers are due by September 15, 2011, 12:00 p.m. (noon), ET. No telephonic or faxed requests will be honored. E-mail proposals are acceptable and should be e-mailed to: Johnson.marsha@epa.gov.
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