U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Risk Reduction Engineering Laboratory, 26 W. Martin Luther King Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio 45268

A -- VERIFICATION TESTING OF PACKAGE DRINKING WATER TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES FOR SMALL SYSTEMS Sol. DW-501. Due 050195. Contact Point - Jeffrey Q. Adams, 513-569-7835. USEAPS's Risk Reduction Engineering Laboratory (RREL) is issuing a ``Request for Pre-Applications'' (RFPA) to solicit Pre-Applications for a cooperative agreement to organize, develop, and pilot a prgram for verification testing of package drinking water systgems for use by small communities. Pre-Applications should address program goals and objectives including the development of Standard verification protocols and test plans, convening and supporting Government/Industry partnerships for involvement by representatives of the major Stakeholder constituency groups, independent testing and validation of package equipment to obtain ``credible'' cost and performance data, and preparation of product verification reports for broad dissemination. The effort proposed in the Pre-Applications should support the intent of EPA's Environmental Technology Initative (ETI) specifically the goals and objectives of the Environmental Innovation, Commercialization, and Enhancement (EnTICE) program described in the RFPA DW-501. Emphasis should be on the performance and cost of specific manufacturer's/vendors' systems that address the treatment of common small community problems, i.e., microbials, particulates, and disinfection by-products. The pilot verification program proposed in Pre-Applications should describe how it will be developed and implemented to benefit the various Stakeholders. Stakeholders include manufacturers/vendors, water utilities, consulting engineering/scientific services, state and federal regulators, and industry trade organizations. Vendors benefit from: (1) the use of credible data to promote products, (2) the use of verified data for submission to State regulatory agencies toward gaining approval of products for utilization at sites of application, and (3) identification of where enhancements to equipment are needed. Regulatory agencies will be provided with valuable information that can be used toward satisfying acceptance criteria with regard to alternative treatiment strategies. Small water utilities (buyers) and their agents (consultants) may use verification data to make a more informed selection of equipment for field applications. The involvement of numerous stakeholders provides critical input from various perspectives on implementing a successful effort, and provides numerous opportunities to leverage funding of the program. Pre-Applicants must convey capabilities in the areas of partnership building and technical and management expertise concerning drinking water treatment particularly related to small systems applications. In order to gain support, trust, and credibility among product manufacturers/vendors, water utilities, and government regulators the Pre-Applicant must be well established in the drinking water industry with an impeccable reputation for excellence and fairness and have established relationships with the major industry stakeholder constituency groups. Pre-Applications should discuss a plan on how the verification program can become self sustaining as EPA funding is stepped-down over the budget period of the pilot program. Pre-Applications should present a plan to privatize the verification program as efficiently and effectively as possible, resulting in a program that can run on program generated income and leveraged resources. The program should maintain a long-term relationship with EPA that incorporates the highest funding levels andoversight as the program is initiated and reduced levels of funding and increased independence in subsequent years. This solicitation is made under the Statuatory authority of the Safe Drinking Water Act, as amended, Section 1442. It is intended as a request for letters of interest from non-profit entitles only. The statutory authority under which this program is conducted does not allow EPA to enter into Cooperative Agreements with for-profit organizations. Contingent upon the availabiity of funds, RREL expects to set aside three yearly incremental fundings: $950,000 for the first year of the pilot program, $900,000 the second year, and $800,000 the third year. The specific outputs from the Cooperaive Agreement will be negotiated between RREL and the Cooperative Agreement will be negotiated between RREL and the successful Pre-Applicant. However, at a minimum the successful Pre-Applicant will be required to submit: (1) quarterly progress reports, (2) a Verifification report for each treatment system tested, and (3) a final report prior to the conclusion of the Cooperative Agreement. Pre-Applicants are advised of the following: A minimum of 5% total project cost-sharing is required by the Pre-Applicant; Responses to the RFPA are due to the Risk Reduction Engineering Laboratory by Close of Business Eastern Standard Time (5:00 P.M.) May 1, 1995. In response to letters of interest, RREL will send out the RFPA which will describe requirements for the Pre-Application; Pre-Applications must be greater than twenty-five (24) pages in content, and must be submitted in accordance with the RFPA; The successful Pre-Applications will be invited to submit a Cooperative Agreement Application, including a full and detailed project proposal for funding consideration; All requests for RFPA DW-501 must be in writing; no telephone requests will be honored; Requests may be faxed to - Attention: Alva Edwards 513-569-7787. (069)

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