U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 26 W. Martin Luther King Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45268

B -- CERTIFICATION QUALITY EMISSION TESTING SERVICES RELATED TO SULFUR SOL 97-42 POC Antoinette Clay (513) 366-2158 The US EPA plans to negotiate on a sole source basis a contract with the Coordinating Research Council (CRC) for certification quality emission testing services. Negotiations shall be conducted pursuant to the authority of 41U.S.C. 253 (c)(1), which allows for negotiation without full and open competition if there is only one responsible source. The basis for this determination is that the US EPA, National Vehicle and Fuels Emissions Laboratory has a requirement to have a contractor perform 20 Federal Test Procedure (FTP) emission tests using testing protocols and test fuel specified in the CRC test program (CRC Vehicle Test Program to Determine the Fuel Sulfur Effect on Emissions from California Low-Emission Vehicles). In addition, the contractor will collect emissions samples for speciation and deliver the samples to the California Air Resources Board. On a subset of two tests, the contractor shall collect three additional samples and speciate one of the samples in an independent laboratory, while delivering one sample each to EPA's National Vehicle and Fuels Emissions Laboratory and the California Air Resources Board. The proposed contractor, CRC, provides a unique capability inherent in their ability to utilize the resources and experience of the member auto and oil companies. EPA's purchase of a minimal level of test services will allow EPA to leverage CRC's resources and give EPA access to critical data which we could not otherwise obtain. The EPA was mandated by Congress to conduct a Tier 2 Study, which would access the air quality need for further reductions as well as the cost and feasibility of potential vehicle emission control technology and alternatives. An important element of the study is an assessment of the impact of in-use fuel sulfur levels on vehicle emission control technology, in which little data is available. Recently, CRC agreed to sponsor a sulfur effects vehicle emission test program with EPA participation. This emission test program will provide data which are critical for EPA'sTier 2 Study. EPA will be procuring testing services which represent a relatively small fraction of a much larger emission test program. In doing so, EPA will receive not only the specific test results from the contracted services, but EPA will also have access to data from the full test program. This substantial leveraging of resources is a unique opportunity and EPA does not know of any other contractor which could provide such services. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. Sources wishing to be considered must submit a qualification statement to Antoinette Clay at the above address or by FAX (513) 366-2107 within 7 calendar days of publication of this notice. (0197)

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