Administrative Contracts Service Center (3803R), Environmental Protection Agency, Ronald Reagan Building -- 7th Floor, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20460

A -- SAMPLE ANALYSIS, REPORT, AND ELECTRONIC DATABASE SOL D7E942 DUE 060398 POC Carleton Myers, Contract specialist, 202-565-2561 E-MAIL: myers.carleton@epamail.epa.gov, myers.carleton@epamail.epa.gov. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency intends to award a contract to Southwest Research Institute on a sole source basis, in order to purchase the completion of analysis samples and quality assurance/quality control activities, quality assurance of the data, and development of a data package and report on 139 samples and related quality assurance samples for the uncompleted portion of the pesticides/PAH analysis. The analysis of these samples will complete the pesticides analysis of all media for the study. BACKGROUND The National Human Exposure Assessment Survey (NHEXAS) is a program sponsored by EPA's Office of Research and Development. The aim of NHEXAS is to document the fact, distribution, and determinants of exposures to pollutants experienced by the U.S. population and to monitor geographic and temporal trends in these exposures, such as the impact of using short-term data to assess longer term exposures. One of the three NHEXAS studies was conducted in and around Baltimore by a consortium consisting of Emory Univ., Harvard Univ., and Johns Hopkins Univ., and Westat under a co-operative agreement with Harvard University. The general objectives of the NHEXAS Maryland study are to: 1) measure pollutant concentrations in air, water, soil, dust, food, blood, and urine on surfaces and human skin using various sampling and analytical techniques, 2) determine direct exposure using personal exposure monitors, and 3) estimate human activity patterns using a series of questionnaires and diaries. Respondents were selected randomly using a stratified probability sample, so that interferences can be made about the exposures of the populations from which the samples are drawn. These data will be used to estimate human exposures among the sampled populations, test a series of hypotheses related to exposures, and design additional exposure studies. Target chemicals include volatile organic compounds, pesticides, metals, and polyaromatic hydrocarbons. The Baltimore study is a special study to investigate the temporal variability of measurements typically used in making estimates of human exposure. To this end, each respondent was visited six times over the course of a year and the NHEXAS protocol was implemented in its entirety. The consortium has been responsible for the analysis of the air, dermal wipe, dust, and soil samples. Other samples were analyzed by various federal laboratories. In addition, some samples were archived for future analysis. Among these samples are air, dust, and soil samples collected in residences of the survey. The air samples were specifically collected for pesticide/PAH analysis. The dust and soil samples were split. One portion was analyzed for metals. The second portion was analyzed for selected pesticides and PAHs. The analysis of the pesticides and PAHs was subcontracted to Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas. Analysis of a few of these samples has not been completed because of lack of funding. The samples and data are in the possession of Southwest Research. The purpose of this action is to purchase completion of the analysis of the samples and a report of the data described below from the study. STATEMENT OF WORK The contractor shall complete analysis, quality assurance and reporting of results for 139 NHEXAS Maryland study samples itemized in Table 1. In completing this analysis, the Contractor shall conform to the applicable procedures outlined in the following Southwest Research Institute Standard Operating Procedures, and any amendments or revisions to these procedures: SwRI SOP-01-19-05, April 1996, Splitting Fractions and Extraction of Neutral Pesticides and PAHs from Housedust and Soil for NHEXAS Study; SwRI SOP-01-19-06, April 1996, Extraction of Neutral Pesticides and PAHs from PUF Plug and Micro-Fiber Filter for NHEXAS Study; SwRI-01-19-02, July 1996, Determination of Pesticides and PAHs in Dust, Soil, Air, and wipe Extracts for NHEXAS Study. The results of the analysis for the 139 samples, along with results for any accompanying quality assurance/quality control samples shall be delivered to EPA. DELIVERABLES Contact contract specialist for copies of the deliverables. An electronic file containing the results in the sample analysis data sheets shall also be transmitted to EPA. The file should be in a format that is readily importable into spreadsheet software such as Lotus or Excel. This is not a formal solicitation, however, concerns interested in responding should furnish detailed data concerning capabilities. This notice may represent the only official notice to this solicitation. (0149)

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