SOLICITATION NOTICE
B -- CHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF ESTUARINE SEDIMENT AND FISH TISSUE
- Notice Date
- 1/21/2005
- Notice Type
- Solicitation Notice
- Contracting Office
- Environmental Protection Agency, Rtp Procurement Operations Division, 109 T W Alexander Drive, Rtp, NC 27711
- ZIP Code
- 27711
- Solicitation Number
- RFQ-RT-05-00113
- Response Due
- 2/8/2005
- Archive Date
- 3/8/2005
- Description
- NAICS Code: 541380 THIS IS A COMBINED SYNOPSIS/SOLICITATION FOR COMMERCIAL SERVICES 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. PROPOSALS ARE BEING REQUESTED AND A WRITTEN SOLICITATION WILL NOT BE ISSUED. The solicitation number is RFQ-RT-05-00113, and the solicitation is being issued as a 100% small business set-aside competition Request for Quotation (RFQ). The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 01-26. The associated North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code 541380, which has a size standard of $10.0 million to qualify as a small business, is applicable. A firm, fixed-price contract is anticipated to result from the award of this solicitation. This procurement is to conduct chemical analyses of estuarine sediment and tissue residue samples from the date of award through December 31, 2009. This procurement requires the contractor to perform analyses on a minimum of 20 samples of each. Additional samples analyses up to a maximum 2500 sediment and 1500 tissue will be performed at the option of the government. CONTRACT LINE ITEM NO. (CLIN) 1: The contractor shall perform chemical analyses on up to 1500 estuarine tissue residue samples (Minimum = 20). The analytes of interest and method detection limit requirements are listed in Tables 1-3. Note that MDL calculations follow EPA's "Definition and Procedure for the Determination of the Method Detection Limit - revision 1.11" 40 CFR Part 136, Appendix B. Analytical methods utilized by the NS&T or EMAP Programs (see references) or equivalent shall be utilized in order to meet specified method detection limit and performance criteria. A Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) program shall be in place at the contractor's laboratory, and shall address, at a minimum, the following topics: accuracy and precision, calibration, detection limits; physical processing of samples; analytical methods utilized; QA/QFC samples, including all acceptability criteria; data reporting. Routine analysis, i.e.,on a per batch basis, of Certified Reference Materials (CRMs) is required. The contractor shall take the received fish tissue samples, filet them, and separate into remains / filets. The contractor shall then composite samples from each component, by sampling location/species combination. The samples from a site shall consist of filets and remains from multiple fish (each component is treated as a sample) or whole shellfish from the site (up to 10 individuals). The wet weights associated with each component composited from each sample shall be determined. Reporting shall include all QA/QC information, weight associated with the composite/component and analyte concentrations. CLIN 2: The contractor shall perform chemical analyses on up to 2500 estuarine sediment residue samples (Minimum = 20). The analytes of interest and method detection limit requirements are listed in Tables 1-3. Note that MDL calculations follow EPA's "Definition and Procedure for the Determination of the Method Detection Limit - revision 1.11" 40 CFR Part 136, Appendix B. Analytical methods utilized by the NS&T or EMAP Programs (see references) or equivalent shall be utilized in order to meet specified method detection limit and performance criteria. Note that the elemental analyses for sediments require a "total digestion" using hydrofluoric acid. A Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) program shall be in place at the contractor's laboratory, and shall address, at a minimum, the following topics: accuracy and precision, calibration, detection limits; physical processing of samples; analytical methods utilized; QA/QFC samples, including all acceptability criteria; data reporting. Routine analysis, i.e.,on a per batch basis, of Certified Reference Materials (CRMs) is required. The contractor shall take the received sediment samples, separate samples for metals and organics. Reporting shall include all QA/QC information, weight associated with the sample and analyte concentrations. The contractor shall provide EPA with a price for the minimum number of samples projected on a per sample basis for each of the contract line items. An additional price should be provided on a per sample basis for batches of 50 samples up to the projected maximum number of samples. These additional samples will be batched and funded separately from the base number. Exercising this option will be at the discretion of EPA. Results shall be reported in an electronic format. 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 for each sample batch shall also be provided by the contractor. The report is to be submitted to the EPA Project Officer 150 calendar 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 chromatogram, shall be retained for at least three years following the final report submission, as they may be requested to be sent to EPA. The contractor is required to transfer copies of all technical, fiscal, and programmatic files regarding this contract to the Project Officer. These files shall be boxed in accordance with Federal Record Keeping Standards in boxes required by the Records Center and labeled as "Chemical Analysis of Estuarine Sediment and Fish tissue for the National Coastal Assessment Program - Contractor Name/Contract Number" and contain an internal and external packing slip that identifies the specific contents of each box. The external packing slip shall be affixed to the exterior of the box. The successful contractor shall have experience in the analysis of the analytes listed in Table 1 for all samples while the specific analytes to be determined for any sample must be determined by EPA. The successful contractor shall employ methods equivalent to those utilized by the National Status and Trends (NS&T) Program under NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) or EPA's EMAP (Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program). Samples will require analytical results for all analytes listed in Table 1. Prior to contract award, the contractor shall demonstrate the ability to meet the required method detection limits (listed below). To demonstrate capability, the contractor shall supply the results from certified reference materials (of the same matrices) that have been analyzed in the past year. Results from participation in the annual NIST inter-laboratory comparison may be submitted in lieu of the CRM's. The contractor is required to submit a copy of their Quality Assurance/Quality Control protocols to the EPA Project Officer prior to the analysis of samples. The contractor shall permit QA audit of laboratory and/or data entry procedures by an authorized agent of EPA at any time during the conduct of analyses (given advance notification). The Statement of Work References and Tables 1 - 3 are available at the EPA Procurement Website http://www.epa.gov/oam/rtp_cmd. The following FAR provisions apply to this solicitation: 52-212-1, Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Items; 52.212-2, Evaluation-Commercial Items. Evaluation criteria to be included in paragraph (a) of provision 52.212-2 are as follows: (i) TECHNICAL CAPABILITIES CRITERIA: 1) Provide a copy of QA/QC protocols including plans for analyzing Certified Reference Materials; 2) Demonstrate previous experience with sediment and fish tissue samples; 3) Demonstrate previous analytical experience with NS&T, EMAP or similar programs; 4) Provide a brief explanation of methods used for each CLIN with references and expected MDLs; 5) Experience with similar size/scope projects; 6) Ability to meet the deadlines for the project; 7) Plan to submit a final report (electronic format) as required; and 8) Describe Record Management Program; (ii) PAST PERFORMANCE: Submit a list of 3 customers for whom like or similar smple analysis have been performed within the past 2 years. Include specific points of contact and phone numbers. Evaluation will be based on 1) quality of product or service, 2) timeliness of performance, 3) overall customer satisfaction; and (iii) PRICE. Award will be made to the offeror whose offer is the lowest priced offer meeting all of the technical requirements. Offerors must satisfactorily meet all of the technical requirements to be considered "technically acceptable". 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 clauses apply to this acquisition: 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items; 52.246-11, Higher Level Contract Quality Requirement, 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Items and the following additional FAR clauses which are cited in Clause 52.212-5: 52.203-6 Restrictions on Subcontractor Sales to the Government, Alt I; 52.219-6, Notice of Total Small Business Set-Aside; 52.219-8, Utilization of Small Business Concerns; 52.219-14, Limitations on Subcontracting; 52.222-3, Convict Labor; 52.222-21, Prohibition of Segregated Facilities; 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; 52.232-33, Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer-Central Contractor Registration; 52.222-41, Service Contract Act of 1965, As Amended. Any applicable wage determination(s) will be made a part of the resultant purchase order. The completed Representations and Certifications should be included with the price proposal. All technical questions are to be forwarded via email to the Contract Specialist at the following email address: hill.jennifer@epa.gov. Offerors should review the Statement of Work and other information posted with this Request for Quotation on EPA's website at the following address: http://www.epa.gov/oam/rtp_cmd. Scroll down to the REQUEST FOR QUOTATION section and click on the solicitation. Scroll down below that section to COMMERCIAL BUY CLAUSES AND FORMS which are provided for your convenience. Please submit two copies of the technical proposal and price proposal to Jennifer B. Hill, Contract Specialist, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, RTP Procurement Operations Division (D143-01), Research Triangle Park, NC 27711 if using US Post Office mail. Courier delivery address is U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Attn: Jennifer B. Hill, RTP Procurement Operations Division (D143-01), 4930 Page Road, Durham, NC 27703. All offers are due by February 8, 2005, 12:00 p.m., ET. No telephonic or faxed requests will be honored.
- Record
- SN00738499-W 20050123/050121212543 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
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