SOURCES SOUGHT
A -- eLRN
- Notice Date
- 4/30/2007
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541380
— Testing Laboratories
- Contracting Office
- Department of Homeland Security, Office of the Chief Procurement Officer, Office of Procurement Operations, Office of the Chief Procurement Officer, Washington, DC, 20528, UNITED STATES
- ZIP Code
- 00000
- Solicitation Number
- Reference-Number-eLRN-RFI
- Response Due
- 5/30/2007
- Description
- General Information: Subject: Request for Information (RFI) for establishment of pilot laboratories for Membership in the Environmental Laboratory Response Network (ELRN) to perform testing of samples contaminated with Chemical Warfare Agents (CWAs). The purpose of this RFI is for Federal, State and Local environmental or public health laboratories (no commercial labs) on the West Coast and South East regions of the United States to respond and submit the attached ELRN membership criteria and ELRN Laboratory Checklist. This RFI applies only to laboratories who wish to perform testing on samples that are contaminated with Chemical Warfare Agents (CWA). The Homeland Security Laboratory Response Center, located within the Environmental Protection Agency?s Office of Emergency Management, Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, generates and updates criteria for admission into and continued participation of all laboratories in the eLRN. Laboratories which apply for eLRN membership must meet the following basic criteria: ? Laboratory affiliation: Full membership in eLRN will be limited to public and private institutions performing regulatory and/or relevant analytical work. Exceptions are acceptable and will be determined on a case by case basis. ? Quality: Must have a quality assurance program in place to ensure the quality of data or other results. Accreditation is not required; however, quality systems should be equivalent to ISO17025 or the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (NELAP). ? Data and Information Security: Must agree to share data through established network channels and only to designated personnel during Incidents of National Significance. Data and communications related to data should be appropriately secured. Electronic data transfer will be utilized and a Staged Electronic Data Deliverable (2 a) format will be proscribed for the transmission of data. ? Distribution of Protocols: Must agree in writing and have systems in place to limit copying, distribution, and access of eLRN designated ?secure? methods to those individuals who are actively engaged in environmental analysis in the eLRN. ? Proficiency: Must demonstrate proficiency by participating in eLRN-sponsored proficiency testing programs. ? Sample Handling: Must have sample transport, chain-of-custody, and sample accountability controls to support law enforcement activities. Laboratories should be able to demonstrate that the items/samples examined and reported on were those submitted to the laboratory. A ?chain of custody? record should be maintained from the receipt of items/samples which details each person who takes possession of an item or alternatively the location of that item (e.g., if in storage). In addition, procedures should be documented which describe the measures taken to secure exhibits in the process of being examined which must be left unattended. ? Test Methods: Must agree to adhere to eLRN approved testing protocols when testing eLRN samples. (see Standard Analytical Methods for Use During Homeland Security Events at www.epa.gov/nhsrc/pubs/reportSAM092905.pdf) ? Reporting: Laboratories must immediately report positive and suspect results to the designated eLRN contact for that laboratory in accordance with State and Federal requirements. In addition, laboratories must agree to provide results of any and all testing performed for eLRN into a designated data repository. Laboratories must agree to release test results to authorized personnel only. ? Audits: Must agree to receive audits by eLRN representatives for the purposes of assessing qualifications for membership, capabilities, capacity, and quality. ? Laboratory Qualification Checklist: Must complete and agree to meet the requirements listed in the eLRN Laboratory Qualification checklist. ? Facility and Personnel Security: All laboratories (Toxic Industrial Chemical and other non-specialty described below) must have training manuals and operational SOPs consistent with current laboratory safety practices which include, but are not limited to, a facility Chemical Hygiene Plan, radiation monitoring (if applicable), and a designated emergency medical treatment center. Additional requirements for specialty laboratories include: o Select (Biological) Agent Registration Laboratories: Must conform to existing requirements of the USA Patriot Act and current version of 42 CFR Part 73 or have contingency plans for handling, reporting, transferring or disposing of select agents and toxins, where applicable. (See http://www.epic.org/privacy/terrorism/hr3162.pdf and http://www.cdc.gov/od/sap/pdfs/42_cfr_73_final_rule.pdf o Surety (Chemical Warfare) Agent Laboratories: Must comply with the EPA/DOD ultra-dilute MOA requirements, and have contingency plans for handling, reporting, transferring, or disposing of surety agents and contaminated materials, where applicable. Personnel handling surety agents will be subject to background checks, must be citizens or have appropriate documentation, and be subject to random drug testing. Laboratories handling surety materials must have secured exclusion zones to prevent unauthorized entry or access to surety materials. In addition, at least two persons in the facility must maintain a security clearance at the secret level. o All Hazard Receipt Facilities: Must have trained personnel who are currently capable of analyzing environmental samples for microbiological, chemical or radiological contaminants as appropriate. Personnel handling select agents shall conform to USA Patriot Act regulations and current version of 42 CFR 73. (see cites above under select agent) Interested laboratories meeting the above criteria are requested to complete the attached checklist and return the completed checklist to Dennis Reutter at Dennis.Reutter@dhs.gov by 4:00 EDT on May 30, 2007. Applications will be reviewed by an interagency selection committee. Successful applicants will be visited by representatives of DHS S&T prior to final selection. ***NOTE*** The checklist mentioned above will appear in an amendment to this RFI.
- Record
- SN01283911-W 20070502/070430220243 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
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