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

A -- NOTICE OF INTENT TO NEGOTIATE ON A SOLE SOURCE BASIS FOR PERVAPORATION MODEL MODIFICATION AND VERIFICATION SOL DCNCSX028 POC Kathleen Roe, phone: (513)487-2144, fax: (513)487-2109 WEB: Office of Acquisition Management -- Cincinnati Contracts, This procurement will not appear on the web site.. E-MAIL: U.S. EPA -- Cincinnati Contracts Management Division, roe.kathleen@epa.gov. The U.S. EPA National Risk Management Research Laboratory plans to negotiate on a sole source basis under the authority of FAR Part 6.302 with Rutgers University for the modification and verification of a mathematical model of pervaporation originally developed by Rutgers. The existing model describes the removal of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from surfactant solutions using a membrane process called pervaporation in a flat sheet geometry. The contractor shall update the model and perform laboratory experiments to evaluate the updated version. The updated model shall predict VOC removal performance for an open channel membrane module. The contractor shall perform laboratory experiments with an open channel pervaportation module and compare the results to model predications. It is EPA's position that Rutgers University is uniquely qualified to perform these services based on the fact that Rutgers originally developed the pervaporation model and is, therefore, best equipped to modify and verify it.EPA research indicates that no other contractor has developed a similar model which incorporates the effect of surfactants on VOC removal. However, any firm believing itself capable of meeting the requirements may submit a technical documentation to demonstrate its potential of complying with the statement of work. This notice is not a request for quotations, however, any quotations received within 15 days of electronic publication date of this notice will be considered by the Agency. Information received will normally be considered only for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. A determination not to compete this requirement based on responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Posted 05/10/00 (W-SN453463). (0131)

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