SOLICITATION NOTICE
H -- Cold FTP Feasibility Testing
- Notice Date
- 7/14/2005
- Notice Type
- Solicitation Notice
- Contracting Office
- Environmental Protection Agency, Construction & Small Purchases Branch, 26 W Martin Luther King, Cincinnati, OH 45268
- ZIP Code
- 45268
- Solicitation Number
- RFQ-OH-05-00150
- Response Due
- 7/29/2005
- Archive Date
- 8/29/2005
- Description
- NAICS Code: 541380 The U.S. EPA, National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory (NVFEL) located in Ann Arbor, Michigan intends to negotiate on a sole source basis with Mercedes Benz Service Corp. (MBSC) of Ann Arbor, Michigan to conduct Cold (FTP) Feasibility Testing for vehicles under the authority of FAR Part 6.302-1. This requirement will utilize FAR Parts 12 and 13, Commercial and Simplified Acquisition Procedures. Recent investigations into cold FTP test data has indicated that cold temperature hydrocarbon (HC) emissions from spark ignition (SI) light duty vehicles may be much higher than originally estimated. Current emission standards for cold temperatures (20 F) only require compliance for carbon monoxide (CO). Lack of additional cold emission standards may result in delayed usage of hardware and/or control features normally used to reduce emissions at 75 F. Additionally, current cold emissions modeling has not been confirmed with Tier 2 type vehicle systems, and lacks SI engine particulate matter (PM) relationships below 75 F. MBSC will assist EPA in proving out hardware/calibration changes by testing vehicles, as close to sea-level as possible, through emission testing and measurement at a cold test facility. EPA will deliver vehicles daily to the testing facility. EPA will receive results from the daily testing and make adjustments to vehicles for the next day of testing based on results received. Any necessary changes to test vehicle systems that impact emissions will be performed by EPA personnel only. MBSC will quantify current levels of emissions in Tier 2 type vehicles, by performing a baseline cold (20 F) FTP testing following normal Cold CO-type procedures. In addition to criteria pollutants, measurement of non-methane organic gas (NMOG) and PM shall be required to assess specific levels of selected vehicles. This information will also be used to supplement and improve current modeling assumptions. After the baseline has been established, MBSC will conduct cold testing to assess the feasibility and impact of vehicle controls. This would include testing the effect of activating existing hardware and/or software /calibration features currently used to meet the 75 F FTP emissions standards. The specific approach will be dependent on the individual vehicles' baseline emissions performance and available hardware and features. It has been determined that MBSC is the only firm able to provide Cold FTP Feasibility Testing because it is the only facility that could meet the cold temperature NMOG and PM analysis requirements close to sea-level and located within local access to the NVFEL Laboratory in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Also, due to the experimental nature of the proposed testing program it will require EPA staff to modify and/or return the vehicles to NVFEL after completion of each individual test, in order to be able to make the necessary manual hardware and/or software calibration changes that are indicated from a review of the test results. Since the test program is expected to last 8 to 12 weeks and will require this daily vehicle transfer/modification, any arrangement to have the testing conducted at a distant laboratory that is not located near NVFEL would be unworkable from logistics as well as from a cost standpoint. MBSC is the only known test facility able to satisfy both the Cold FTP Feasibility Testing requirements and logistical requirement of being located near NVFEL. THIS NOTICE IS NOT A REQUEST FOR QUOTATION. However, any firm believing itself capable of providing the services of Cold FTP Feasibility Testing within the Ann Arbor, Michigan area may submit technical documentation to establish their capability. Such documentation must be submitted to the POC within 15 days of electronic posting of this notice. A determination not to compete the proposed requirement based upon responses received will normally be considered solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement or to proceed on a sole source basis. Documentation should be submitted in writing to Scott Tharp via Fax (513) 487-2107 or email Tharp.Scott@epa.gov. Telephone responses will not be honored.
- Record
- SN00847687-W 20050716/050714212758 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
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