SOLICITATION NOTICE
D -- Support for Preparation of Tribal Emission Inventories (TEISS) and Data Analysis
- Notice Date
- 6/1/2005
- Notice Type
- Solicitation Notice
- Contracting Office
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency RTP Procurement Operations Division (E105-02), 4930 Page Road Durham , NC 27703
- ZIP Code
- 27703
- Solicitation Number
- PR-NC-05-10474
- Response Due
- 6/15/2005
- Archive Date
- 10/15/2005
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) intends to negotiate a sole source procurement with The Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals, Northern Arizona State University, P.O. Box 15004, Flagstaff, AZ 86011-5004. The contractor will provide the following services: Task 1. Develop and Implement TEISS Web Course. The contractor shall develop a web-course on emission inventory (EI) general concepts, techniques and the use of the TEISS to conduct an EI for reservation lands. The web-course, open to 20 participants, shall be taught twice during the project period. The contractor shall revise the web-course based on input from the participants of the two classes. The web-course materials and staff to answer questions and provide guidance shall remain accessible throughout the year. Task 2. Develop data management tools and documentation. Most tribes are using Excel tables as their default data storage formats, and use a variety of methods for transferring their data into their files. Tribes are in need of guidance and mechanisms to conduct data entry validation (double-key programs), range checks and automatic flag assignments, formatting data for EPA?s Air Quality System (AQS) entry, consistently and accurately importing data from outside sources such as the National Weather Service (NWS) and analysis laboratories, and data reporting. Furthermore, the development of a consistent approach to data storage and formatting would allow simpler communication and data exchange. ITEP has developed Excel spreadsheets for each criteria pollutant, and blank Access databases for both filter (data-received-from-lab)-based and continuous (data-downloaded-from-analyzer)-based instrument systems, with associated procedures and tutorials. However, additional work is necessary to make these templates useful to the tribes. The contractor shall perform a thorough review and testing of the previously developed data management spreadsheets, macros, and databases, and make technical revisions to these templates to make them more user friendly and to ensure accuracy. In addition, the contractor shall develop detailed user?s manuals that include practical examples for both the Excel and Access templates. Task 3. Develop data mapping tool documentation. Maps provide a visual description of the data that is invaluable for tribal air departments who need to convey information to their tribal leaders and community members for whom English may be a second language and tables of numbers not useful. While tribal environmental offices may obtain GIS systems, staff time is so limited that the learning curve for mapping software tools can be insurmountable. Assistance with mapping air quality data using inexpensive, easy-to-use systems is urgently needed. NAU/ITEP and tribal instructors have assembled a tutorial on using ArcView 8.3, but this tutorial needs additional work to be useful to the tribes. The contractor shall review and test the ArcView tutorial and make technical as well as editorial revisions to ensure that the guidance is technically accurate and appropriately documented for the novice user of the software. Task 4. Develop data analysis and quality control tools and documentation. It is important that tribal air offices understand the implications of the results of ambient air quality monitoring and be able to convey that information to their tribal governments prior to releasing the data to the public. Tribes often use outside consultants and contractors for data verification and validation functions. As a result, tribes are often not as confident as they could be in the quality of their data, and therefore do not report and otherwise make use of the data to the full extent possible. Using the previously developed template spreadsheets and database structures as a starting point, the contractor shall design spreadsheets and other protocols for data analysis, for estimating precision based on collocated sites or span checks, and for estimating accuracy based on external and internal audits. These spreadsheets shall be automated templates for control charts that allow the visual display of quality control information. In addition, the contractor shall provide thorough and accurate documentation of the templates in the form of user?s guides that include example applications of the tools. Task 5. Develop data reporting tools and documentation. Tribal ambient air quality data is not as disseminated as widely as data from other sources. EPA?s Air Quality Subsystem (AQS) is not specifically tailored for tribal data submission, and the AQS help desks and personnel are not familiar with setting up data entry systems for tribes. The contractor shall develop and document simple stand-alone modules that operate in Microsoft Access that write text files formatted for AQS data entry/reporting for validated data. In addition, the contractor shall develop user?s guides for these reporting modules that include step-by-step instructions in their use and practical examples illustrating their application. EPA believes that the Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals is the only vendor capable of satisfying the Agency's requirements. The circumstances permitting Other than Full and Open Competition Justification is FAR 6.302-1, "Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy Agency requirements." The intent of this synopsis is to determine if any source(s) exists and, therefore, no RFP is available. Consequently, any response(s) failing to provide a capability statement but instead choosing to merely submit a routine letter requesting a copy of the RFP will not be honored. All interested parties must respond by June 15, 2005 @ 2:00 P.M. to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Attn: Natalia Fisher-Jackson, RTP Procurement Operations Division (D143-01), 4930 Page Road, Durham, NC 27703. Interested vendors shall: 1) include information on the proposed services which clearly supports the requirements outlined above; 2) fully explain your capabilities and qualifications and; 3) provide itemized pricing that is sufficient to make a determination that competition is feasible. Response to this synopsis must be made in writing. No telephonic or faxed request will be honored. ndors shall: 1) include information on the proposed services which clearly supports the requirements outlined above; 2) fully explain your capabilities and qualifications and; 3) provide itemized pricing that is sufficient to make a determination that competition is feasible. Response to this synopsis must be made in writing. No telephonic or faxed request will be honored.
- Web Link
-
The Environmental Protection Agency
(http://www.epa.gov/oam/solicit)
- Record
- SN00819607-W 20050603/050601212656 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
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