U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, Contracts Management Division (MD-33), Attn: ORDSC, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711

A -- GULF ECOLOGY DIVISION ANALYTICAL SERVICES -- GULF OF MEXICO STUDY SOL QQ3006 DUE 080698 POC Sya Mayes (919) 541 3416 WEB: click here for tables, http://www.epa.gov/oam/rtp_cmd. E-MAIL: click here to contact the contract specialist via, mayes.sya@epa.gov. THIS IS A COMBINED SYNOPSIS/SOLICITATION FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS PREPARED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FORMAT IN SUBPART 12.6, AS SUPPLEMENTED WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION INCLUDED IN THIS NOTICE. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONSTITUTES THE ONLY SOLICITATION; QUOTES ARE BEING REQUESTED AND A WRITTEN SOLICITATION WILL NOT BE ISSUED. The solicitation number is QQ3006 and the solicitation is being issued as a Request for Quote (RFQ). The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 97-03. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) anticipates that the contract will be awarded as a result of full and open competition. A firm-fixed-price contract is anticipated to result from the award of this solicitation. This procurement is for the analysis of 100 sediment samples for organic and elemental contaminants, TOC, grain size, and AVS/SEM. The samples will be collected from October 1998 through December 1999, and shipped to the Contractor for analysis. The successful contractor shall have demonstrated experience in the analysis of these analytes (Table 1-2), and shall employ methods equivalent to those utilized by the National Status and Trends (NS&T) Program under NOAA (National Oceanic and Atomospheric Administration) or EPA's EMAP (Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program). Prior to contract award, the contractor shall demonstrate the ability to meet the required method detection limits of the Programs listed above (see Tables 3 -5) and shall also provide results of analysis of applicable reference materials. The contractor shall provide a written QA Management Plan equivalent to the EPA's requirement document (EPA QA/R-2: EPA Requirements for Quality Management Plans) and a written Quality Assurance Project Plan equivalent to the EPA's requirement document (EPA QA/R-5: EPA Requirements for Quality Assurance Project Plans (QAPP) for Environmental Data Operations (category 2)) for EPA's review and approval prior to the initiation of analyses. These reference documents can be located at HTTP://es.epa.gov/necrqa/qa/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. The quality assurance and quality control criteria for these analyses shall meet those specified for the EMAP-Estuaries Program. The basic minimum criteria include the following quality control samples for a minimum for every 20 samples analyzed: (i) one laboratory method blank, (ii) one matrix spike, (iii) one matrix spike duplicate (spike concentration should be five to ten times the specified Method Detection Limit (MDL)), (iv) laboratory control reference materials (equivalent to a certified reference material), and (v) calibration curve. The minimum expected mean recovery efficiencies for metals is 80-120 % and for pesticides PCBS, and PAHs it is 70-130% at concentrations equal to or greater than 10 X the specified MDL. The mean percentage recovery and variance of all analytes of interest in a laboratory fortified matrix and standard reference materials shall be documented in the QA PP and reported in for each batch of samples. The contractor shall re-analyze (at no cost to the Government) the entire batch of samples if recovery results of the spike matrix are deemed unacceptable for the methods utilized. The vendor shall submit a copy of their Quality Assurance/Quality Control protocols with their proposal. 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). Results shall be reported in an electronic format (ASCII). The contractor shall also provide a hard-copy output of data files (i.e., spreadsheets) for the purpose of quality assurance. A written report detailing the methods used, and the results of QA measures shall also be provided by the contractor. The report is to be submitted to the EPA Project Officer within 120 days after receipt of the samples. Any laboratory notes discussing problems encountered shall be included as an appendix to this report. Original records, such as laboratory notebooks and chromatograms, shall be retained for at least three years following final report submission, as they may be requested to be sent to EPA. The contractor shall provide EPA with a quote on a per sample basis for each of the contract line items below, based on the number of samples projected for each line item. ITEM 0001: The contractor shall perform grain size determinations on up to 100 estuarine sediment samples. At a minimum, sand, silt and clay size fractions shall be reported. Acceptable methods for grain size analyses may be found in ASTM 1140-92, Standard Test Method for Amount of Material Finer Than The No. 200 Sieve and ASTM D422-Standard Test Method for Particle Size Analysis of Soils. ITEM 0002: The contractor shall perform simultaneous extracted metal (SEM) and acid volatile sulfide (AVS) analyses on 100 sediment samples. AVS/SEM methods equivalent to those found in Allen et al. (1991) shall be utilized. Prior experience in the analysis of marine sediment samples for SEM/AVS is required. Allen, H.E., G. Fu, W.S. Boothman, D.M. Ditoro, and J.D. Mahoney. (1991). Analytical method for determination of acid volatile sulfide and selected simultaneously extractable metals in sediment. EPA 821/12-91/100, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water, Office of Science and Technology, Health and Ecological Criteria Division, Washington, D.C. 20460. ITEM 0003: The contractor shall perform chemical analyses on 100 marine sediment samples. The analytes of interest and method detection limit requirements are listed in Tables 3-5. In addition, total organic carbon is to be determined on all samples. Note that MDL calculations follow EPA's "Definition and Procedure for the Determination the Method Detection Limit-Revision 1.11", 40 CFR Part 136, Appendix B. Analytical methods utilized by the EMAP programs (see reference) shall be utilized in order to meet the specified method detection limit and performance criteria. Note that the elemental analyses require a "total acid digestion" using hydrofluoric acid. USEPA 1992. EMAP -- Estuaries. 1992 Louisianian Province -- Quality Assurance Plan. ORD. Proposals will be evaluated using the following technical capabilities criteria: 1.) QA/QC protocols, including plans for analyzing CRMs; 2.) Demonstrated experience with contaminated sediment for the various metal and organic analytes; 3.) Demonstrated analytical experience in similar analysis (i.e. NS&T, EMAP, similar programs); 4.) Demonstrated experience with particle size, AVS, SEM and TOC; 5.) Proposed methodology for each Line Item, with references, and expected MDLs; 6.) Experience with similar size/scope projects; 7.) Past performance -- provide 3 references; 8.) Report preparation and records management. Award will be made to the lowest priced offer meeting all of the technical requirements. The following FAR provisions apply to this solicitation: 52.212-1, Evaluation-Instructions to Offerors-Commercial; 52.212-2, Evaluation-Commercial Item. Evaluation criteria to be included in paragraph (a) of provision 52.212-2 are as follows: (i) technical capability to meet the Government requirements; (ii) past performance; (iii) price, in decreasing order of importance. Technical and past performance, when combined, are significantly more important than price. 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 clause applies to this acquisition: 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items. The following additional FAR clauses which are cited in clauses 52.212-5 are applicable to the acquisition: 52.203-6, Restrictions on Subcontractor Sales to the Government, with Alternate I; 52.203-10, Price or Fee Adjustment for Illegal or Improper Activity; 52.219-14, Limitation on Subcontracting; 52.222-26, Equal Opportunity, 52.222-35, Affirmative Action for Special Disabled and Vietnam Era Veterans; 52.222-36 Affirmative Action for Handicapped Workers; 52.222-37, Employment Reports on Special Disabled Veterans and Veterans of the Vietnam Era; 52.225-3, Buy American Act -- Supplies; 52.222-41, Service Contract Act of 1965, As Amended. Cost and technical information should be submitted in separate proposals. Please submit three copies of offers to Sya M Mayes, Contract Specialist, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, MD-33, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711. Courier Delivery Address is: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Receptionist-Administration Bldg. Lobby, Attn: Sya M. Mayes, 79 Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. All offers are due by August 6, 1998, 4:30 p.m. EST. Offers/bids received after the exact time specified will not be considered. No telephonic or faxed requests will be honored. References/Tables can be found at http://www.epa.gov/oam/rtp_cmd. Posted 07/27/98 (W-SN228649). (0208)

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