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COMMERCE BUSINESS DAILY ISSUE OF APRIL 30,1998 PSA#2085ORGANIC COATINGS AND COATING EQUIPMENT VERIFICATION PROGRAM -- POWDER
AND UV-CURABLE COATINGS Contact Point, Vicki Miller (814) 269-2782,
Concurrent Technologies Corporation (CTC), 1450 Scalp Avenue,
Johnstown, PA 15904. Alternate Contact Point, Michael Kosusko, (919)
541-2734, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Risk
Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL), MD-61, Research Triangle Park,
NC 27711. CTC iS currently identifying organic coatings and coating
technologies for a series of verification studies under the EPA's
Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Program. The goal of the
ETV Pilot Program at CTC, hereafter referred to as the ETV Coatings and
Coatings Equipment Program (ETV CCEP), is to speed adoption and promote
routine use of environmentally acceptable organic surface coatings and
technologies. These technologies have the potential to reduce toxic
emissions and provide economic and performance benefits. This
announcement is an open solicitation for po~wder and/or ultraviolet
(UV) curable coatings for verification testing. CTC is operating the
ETV CCEP under theNational Defense Center for Environmental Excellence
(NDCEE) program, Contract Number DAAA21-93-C-0046. ~~~~Background --
The ETV CCEP was established to identify, evaluate, demonstrate,
verify, and transfer information about innovative and/or alternative
coatings and coating technologies to users and regulators. This program
fulfills the need for independent evaluation of technology performance.
The ETV CCEP brings together the interests of potential end users of
these technologies and Federal and State regulators to facilitate
independent verification of technology performance. Customers,
investors, and regulators alike will judge a technology on its merits,
backed by quality data. The public/private partnership encourages
development of new technology and develops markets for existing
technologies. Technologies for verification testing are chosen
according to product need, usage volume, emissions reduction potential,
and stakeholder group input. Selection Criteria -- The ETV CCEP
requires that potential powder/UV curable coatings submitted for
verification satisfy certain selection criteria. Products submitted for
verification must have obvious pollution prevention qualities that can
be tested and presented as valuable Verification Factors for the end
user. Products submitted must be commercial ready, meaning that they
are beyond the conceptual stage and are ready for introduction into use
within the manufacturing engineering community. Finally, the technology
provider must own the product and its associated technologies, or
control the right to use it under a licensing or other legal agreement.
The verification process applies only to those technologies that meet
these criteria. Selecting Technologies for Verification -- Each of the
responses will he reviewed to determine if the submission meets the
above criteria. Candidates for verification testing will be prioritized
by the ETV CCEP and the stakeholder group and selected based on several
factors, including: highest pollution prevention potential,multi-media
environmental impact, lowest economic risks ~for implementation,
realistic potential to meet performance requirements, practicality of
implementation, and whether or not verification is a true
implementation obstacle. Next, the test protocol is finalized based on
the focus area and technology provider input. The ETV CCEP verifies
the technology performance (technology providers may participate as
observers). Performance parameters evaluated will focus on
environmental and quality benefits reflective of the technology.
Finally, a verification report is prepared for the EPA and verification
statements are issued by the EPA. Technology providers will have the
opportunity to review the verification data after QA approval. Release
of the verification statement is at the technology provider's option.
Participants' Role -- The technology provider is expected to be able
to contribute time and funds to the verification. Specifically, the
technology provider should plan to cover the costs and/or labor for the
following: attending a "vendor's briefing" to obtain site, program, and
fee information; reviewing and commenting on the test protocol
(provided to technology providers prior to the meeting); sending the
technology to CTC when required for testing; and assisting with set-up
of the technology (if necessary) for verification testing.
Verification testing will be performed by CTC staff at CTC's facilities
unless CTC does not have the existing capabilities to do so. In this
case, a sub-contractor's site will be used. The ETV CCEP is responsible
for: preparing a verification plan; conducting the verification
testing; evaluating and verifying the data; preparing a verification
report for the EPA; and disseminating information to users, regulators,
and the public. The verification process is considered complete when
the verification report has been approved. Benefits of Participation --
The ETV CCEP will prepare and distribute a statement, under EPA
s~ignature, which verifies that the technology met its performance
goals as part of the verification report. You will be working with CTC
and EPA Regional and Laboratory staff in all aspects of the
verification. Your staff may gain valuable insights into the needs of
your customer. The ETV CCEP has an aggressive information distribution
program and the results of the verification will be distributed to all
applicable user groups and regulators to increase their awareness of
the technology (this assures the maximum exposure and visibility of the
results of the verification). Participation will help to maximize your
marketing resources; a verification conducted under the auspices of
the ETV CCEP may alleviate the need of doing product-specific
verifications at the direction of each potential user or customer.
Finally, the ETV CCEP Stakeholder Group includes representation from
Federal and State regulatory agencies that will provide input on the
development of the evaluation. Naturally this will enhance the
acceptance of the verified technology. Response Format -- A written
informational response, not a proposal, is requested. This request for
information is designed only to determine those technologies that may
be candidates for verification. As appropriate, confidential or
proprietary information should be so indicated on the submission. It is
recommended that this type of information be kept to a mini~mum. The
ETV CCEP requests that responses consist of a letter indicating
interest in participation, which includes the following information
(where applicable): name(s), address, phone and fax numbers, and
electronic mail of the vendor/technology provider and information on
the technology or technologies that the provider would want to include
in the verification proces~s. Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0492 19980430\SP-0009.MSC)
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