R -- HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT SUPPORT FOR REGULATED AND POTENTIALLY REGULATED CHEMICALS RELEASED INTO THE ENVIRONMENT

Notice Date

March 22, 2001

Contracting Office

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Program Contract Service Center (3803R), 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460-0001

ZIP Code

20460-0001

Solicitation Number

PR-HQ-01-13425

Response Due

April 17, 2001

Point of Contact

John J. Nanartowicz III, Contracting Officer, 202-564-4756

E-Mail Address

Contracting Officer (nanartowicz.john@epamail.epa.gov)

Description

THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT SYNOPSIS FOR WRITTEN INFORMATION ONLY FROM SMALL BUSINESSES. THE NORTH AMERICAN INDUSTRY CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (NAICS) CODE IS 541690. THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION ANNOUNCEMENT FOR PROPOSALS AND NO CONTRACT WILL BE AWARDED FROM THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. NO REIMBURSEMENT WILL BE MADE FOR ANY COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH PROVIDING INFORMATION IN RESPONSE TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND ANY FOLLOW-UP INFORMATION REQUESTS. NO TELEPHONE CALLS REQUESTING A SOLICITATION WILL BE ACCEPTED OR ACKNOWLEDGED. THERE IS NO SOLICITATION AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME. RESPONSES SHALL NOT EXCEED 40 PAGES AND STANDARD COMPANY BROCHURES ARE NOT DESIRED. INFORMATION SHALL FOCUS ON THE CAPABILITY TO PROVIDE SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL SERVICES AS DEFINED BELOW. The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is performing a market survey to identify small businesses that have technical capabilities that can support the Analytical Support Branch (ASB) within the Office of Environmental Information (OEI). Specifically, the EPA is researching the potential for issuing a partial small business set-aside solicitation for the services defined in this synopsis and in the draft Statement of Work. The proposed percentage of the set-aside is 40 percent of the estimated Level of Effort (LOE). The Government's estimated LOE is currently 45,000 hours over five (5) years. BACKGROUND: ASB within the OEI of the EPA is responsible for supplying scientific support to meet EPA's regulatory mission. One area where ASB is called upon is in evaluating the health hazard and ecological risks of the chemicals on the Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) list of chemicals. These assessments are necessary primarily due to three major requirements. First, a petition process exists, where a public requestor may petition EPA to either add or delete specific chemicals from the list. A second requirement exists where EPA has agreed to voluntarily perform full hazard assessments for all chemicals on the initial TRI list and either validate the justification that they stay as listed chemicals or be removed from the list. A third need for conducting assessments is to support EPA's justification of adding or deleting a chemical at any time for other extenuating circumstances. ASB's support function also requires that technical support be available when additional programs and initiatives arise. Two of these areas, already identified, are Persistent, Bioaccumulative, and Toxic (PBT) chemicals and High Production Volume Chemicals (HPV). In supporting these regulatory activities, ASB requires access to a broad range of expertise in the health and environmental sciences, and biostatistics. Analysis and assessment of hazards and risks must frequently be conducted under severe time and scope constraints imposed under the regulations or due to court ordered deadlines. Drafts of completed analyses and risk assessments may require outside review by designated scientist prior to delivery to EPA. Completed assessments and reviews must adhere to Agency guidelines for conduct of each analysis or assessment. When necessary they must be legally defensible and must be able to support regulatory actions by EPA. This diverse evaluation, analysis, review and comment is collated into packages that support regulatory decisions. The timetable for assembling these packages usually requires coordination, adjustment, and changes between the sections, and, in effect requires the contractor to be on call for rapid turnaround for small-scale tasks. SCOPE: The contractor shall provide multi-disciplinary support services which include assessments of hazard, exposure, and risk in support of the ASB's mission as well as potentially supporting other branches within OEI. Level of assessments may range from screening evaluations using readily available data to detailed evaluations that assess and integrate hazard, dose response, exposure, and potential risk to human health and the environment. Chemicals of concern only include those chemicals that are or have the potential to be released into the environment. For additional details, please visit the EPA Website at: "http://www.epa.gov/oam/hpod/#Sources Sought." Small businesses with the capability of providing these services are invited to submit, in writing, sufficient information within the page limitation (40 pages) which demonstrates their ability to fulfill this requirement. Responses, including the vendor's business status (e.g.: small, small dis-advantaged, minority-owned, 8(a), etc.) should be mailed via U.S. Postal Service to the following address: U.S. EPA; ATTN.: John J. Nanartowicz III (Mail Code: 3803R); 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington DC 20460. HAND CARRY/COURIER/OVERNIGHT CARRIER ADDRESS (FedEX, Airborne, UPS, USPS -- Express Mail): U.S. EPA; ATTN.: John J. Nanartowicz III (Mail Code: 3803R); Ronald Reagan Building; 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW; Bid and Proposal Room -- Room 61107; Washington DC 20004. Capability statements shall be submitted no later than April 17, 2001.

Web Link

R -- Health and Environmental Assessment Support for (http://www.epa.gov/hpod/#Sources Sought)

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010326/RSOL021.HTM (W-081 SN50H0H7)