BASE BIOLOGICAL DATA ANALYSIS

Notice Date

November 9, 2000

Contracting Office

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

ZIP Code

20460

E-Mail Address

Click Here To Contact the Contracting Officer via (barrett.mekeba@epa.gov)

Description

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency intends to issue a sole source purchase order to California Depart of Health Services -CDHS, Environmental Health Laboratory 2151 Berkeley Way Berkeley, CA 94706. STATEMENT OF WORK (ABSTRACT) Using the most current research related to bioaerosols and other related environmental factors and reported health effects associated with bioaerosols, and a comprehensive understanding of the bioaerosol data available from the BASE study the CDHS shall prepare a data analysis plan which details the methods which may be used to summarize, present, and analyze the BASE biological data and any potential associations to other collected information from the study. The contractor shall assess data quality. BASE bioaerosol data will be evaluated by the following criteria: -- Number and quality of duplicate and blanks (shipping/field/lab); -- Percentage of unacceptable samples (e.g., overgrown, contaminated, or mishandled plates); -- Number of samples below detection limit. Descriptive statistical summary on bioaerosol data The following categories will be summarized: -- Overall distribution of bioaerosol data by species (mean/median and standard deviation; distribution modeling); -- Regional (climate) /seasonal (winter vs. summer) /diurnal/indoor-outdoor differences in bioaerosol concentrations. The contractor shall compare BASE data with published guidelines (e.g. Health Canada, 1995; AIHA, 1996; and findings from other building surveys) -- Percentage of total buildings and subcategories of the buildings (e.g., by climate zone, or location- urban/rural) that would meet published criteria. SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION: U.S. EPA believes that CDHS has several international experts in microbiology, environmental monitoring and measurements, biostatistics, and public health. In addition, beyond the long standing reputation of IAS/CDHS for technical accuracy and scientific competence when analyzing and evaluating complex biostatistical data sets including complex microbiological data similar to that found in the BASE study results, they are highly acquainted with the BASE study protocol, types of data available from the study, and the many issues and complexities of collecting and evaluating biological samples from the environment. This combination of expertise and knowledge is a necessity for dealing with the bioaerosol data collected as part of the BASE study. Based on communications with many national and international experts in the IAQ field and the memberships of various staff in many national and international scientific organizations, it is known that the combination of biostatistical, microbiological, environmental field work, environmental measurement instrumentation, and public health, as well as extensive knowledge of the BASE data set in one organization is extremely unique and extremely important to the BASE study completion. Any organization/company that believes they can perform the above stated work and meet the specifications as described in the Sole Source Justification should submit a capabilities statement (NOT A PROPOSAL/QUOTE) to the Contracting Officer at the E-Mail address listed below or via Fax on 202-565-2554. A sole source award will be issued to the organization listed above on or about November 24, 2000, unless capability statements are submitted that meet the requirements of the Agency. The Contracting Officer (Mekeba Barrett) can be reached via telephone on 202-564-4784.

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20001114/SPMSC013.HTM (W-314 SN506439)