MODIFICATION
A -- ANALYTICAL LAB RESEARCH
- Notice Date
- 9/29/2010
- Notice Type
- Modification/Amendment
- Contracting Office
- Environmental Protection Agency, Specialized Service Center/Cin. Proc. Operations Div., 26 West Martin Luther King Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45268
- ZIP Code
- 45268
- Solicitation Number
- RFQ-OH-10-00175
- Response Due
- 10/1/2010
- Archive Date
- 11/1/2010
- Point of Contact
- Point of Contact, William Yates, Purchasing Agent, Phone (513) 487-2055
- E-Mail Address
-
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(yates.william@epamail.epa.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- NAICS Code: 541380 This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; quotations are beingrequested and a written solicitation will not be issued. Refer to RFQ-OH-10-TBD when responding to this request. The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 05-41. The NAICS code is 541380-Testing Laboratories, the size standard is twelve (12) million dollars. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Research and Development, National Risk Management Research Laboratory, Air Pollution Prevention and Control Division, located in Durham, North Carolina has a requirement for Microscopy-based Characterization of Particulate Matter collected from vehicles burning ethanol-blended biofuels. All services shall be provided to the U.S. EPA National Risk Management Research Laboratory, Air Pollution Prevention and Control Division, located in Durham, North Carolina. The F.O.B. point shall be destination. Price quotes shall include any setup charges. The provision at FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors-Commercial, applies to this to this acquisition. The provision at FAR 52.212-2, Evaluation-Commercial Items is applicable and the specific evaluation criteria are included in the Technical Evaluation Criteria. Offers shall provide descriptive technical literature in sufficient detail to demonstrate that the technical approach meet the minimum requirements specified in Statement of Work. Statement of Work Background: The chemical and physical characterization of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from emissions sources is a priority at the U.S. EPA-ORD owing to the National Ambient Air Quality Standards promulgated in 1997. The chemical composition of PM2.5 is inherently complex and thus unresolved. This condition has required that advanced analytical and sampling methods be continuously developed and applied to PM2.5 samples. Such research activity helps the Agency better understand the chemical and physical properties, health implications, and public health risks posed by this criteria pollutant. Biofuels research is also emerging as an important EPA research focus. As part of a National biofuels initiative, combustion tests involving ethanol-fuel blends and biodiesel products were conducted to better understand the emissions of air toxics from biofuels. Multiple sample filters and TEM grid samples collected from these tests require further analysis currently. High resolution-transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) are examples of the techniques that shall furnish data on PM2.5 morphology, size distribution, nano-heterogeneity, inclusions, crystallinity, elemental composition, and surface chemistry. These techniques shall be applied to biofuel combustion samples. Work Description: The contractor shall use microscopy and the other complementary techniques outlined below to investigate a variety of PM2.5 samples from biofuel combustion testing. The PM2.5 sample analysis shall be performed using lacey films or grids, quartz or teflon filter media, or alternative substrate that suits a particular technique specified below. The contractor shall perform one or all of the following analyses on the PM2.5 samples under the EPA project officer's (PO) discretion: 1. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM): SEM shall be applied to obtain the morphology and size distribution of PM2.5 collected from various biofuel combustion emissions sources. The contractor shall use SEM mainly as an advanced screening tool for high-resolution (HR)-TEM. When necessary, the contractor shall conduct energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX) while on the SEM to identify the elemental carbon and distinguish carbon, inorganic, and metal content.2. High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HR-TEM): The contractor shall apply standard bright-field TEM to obtain PM2.5 morphology and size distribution, images for lattice fringe analysis, and for visualization of sp2 carbon lattice planes and noncrystalline amorphous graphene carbon segments. The HR-TEM shall also be used by the contractor to examine the crystallinity of particle inclusions, inorganic matter, or particle nuclei. EDX on the HR-TEM shall be used to determine the elemental composition of inclusions and particle nuclei. 3. X-ray photoeclectron spectroscopy (XPS): The contractor shall perform XPS on a select subset of PM2.5 samples as indicated by the PO. The XPS technique shall be used to analyze PM2.5 surface chemistry and to determine the oxidation state of select elements.4. Selected Area Electron Diffraction (SAED): The contractor shall use SAED to provide a global measure of the material crystallinity. The contractor shall use diffraction patterns to confirm the specific crystalline phase(s) in conjunction with Fourier Transform of the bright field HR-TEM image. These patterns shall be collected and stored on film for future processing. 5. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM): The contractor shall use AFM to reveal the topographical structure of the collected PM2.5.6. Electron microprobe analysis: The contractor shall use electron microprobe analysis to determine the element stoichiometry of sampled PM2.5. Source Sample Description and Analysis: Aerosol emissions samples from at least two major EPA biofuel combustion test campaigns shall be analyzed using the techniques described above. In specific, the samples were collected from dynamometer testing of light-duty vehicles burning a variety of ethanol fuel blends and from combustion of multiple biodiesel fuels in a generator systems. Samples from these source tests shall be analyzed using at least HR-TEM and XPS methods. For the dynamometer testing a total of 20 samples shall be analyzed using at least HR-TEM and XPS (a single 2 h session for each method), and 3 lattice fringe analyses shall be performed. A total of 30 biodiesel combustion samples shall be analyzed using at least HR-TEM and XPS with 4 lattice fringe analyses. Deliverables: The contractor shall deliver an interim performance report to the EPA project officer for each biofuel test campaign. The report shall contain the following information:1. A full description of the experimental procedures applied to the PM2.5 sample, and the rationale behind a particular method application.2. SEM, HR-TEM, and SAED images in electronic format at low (200 nm - 10 ?m), intermediate (20 nm), and high scale (5 nm) magnifications.3. A description of the images and an interpretation of the analytical results of the respective method for use in a peer-reviewed journal article or EPA report.4. The results of a fringe analysis for select HR-TEM sample images, which include graphs of the fringe length distribution and separation distance, curvature, and tortuosity of PM2.5 nanostructure.5. Results of the XPS analysis in spreadsheet and graphical format. The graphs shall show the binding energy (x-axis) versus the emitted electron signal (y-axis).6. Interpretations of XPS line positions, chemical shifts, and splittings with respect to the oxidation and binding states of atoms. And discussion of the molecular composition of the surface layers of PM2.5 for inclusion into an EPA report or journal article.7. A 3-D topographical map of the PM2.5 with vertical resolution down to the sub-nanometer range as determined by AFM and an analytical description of results.8. The results and a description of the electron probe microanalysis and any applicable graphs that show the element stoichiometry of the samples. Period of Performance: The base period of performance will be determined at time of award.. The analysis of the entire suite of samples described in the Source Sample Description and Analysis section with reporting shall be completed within the base period. Interim reports containing the results of the analyses and interpretation of results shall be delivered within 60 days of the completion of the analysis. Attachment BTechnical Evaluation Criteria RFQ-OH-10-Microscopy-based characterization of particulate matter (PM) emissions from light-duty vehicles burning biofuels A. The Government will award a purchase order resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose proposal conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. The following factors will be used to evaluate quotes: technical acceptability, technical performance, and price. The following requirements will be evaluated on a best value basis. Offerors shall provide information to demonstrate/substantiate that the proposal meets the minimum requirements. Offerors shall:1.Demonstrate/substantiate that its facilities contain the proper array of technical equipment (HR-TEM followed by lattice fringe analysis, SEM, XPS, etc.) needed to perform advanced microscopy/spectroscopy techniques on combustion PM. 2.Provide technical information to demonstrate/substantiate that offeror is capable of performing advanced microscopy techniques on PM emitted from combustion systems. This technical information shall include evidence of (i) a minimum of ten peer-reviewed research publications in the field of PM and microscopy for principal investigator, (ii) principal investigator status on at least three government funded (or collaborative) PM-microscopy projects, and (iii) at least ten PM-related microscopy presentations at the American Geophysical Union, American Association for Aerosol Science, American Chemical Society or closely related international research conference venue. B. Responses to the non-price evaluation criteria identified above shall be evaluated using the following adjectival rating system: Superior: Exceeds the minimum requirements of the specifications.Acceptable: Meets the minimum requirements of the specifications.Unacceptable: Does not meet all requirements of the specifications. C. After the responses have been evaluated against the factors above, an order is expected to be placed with the offeror that represents the best value to the government. Price may not be the determining factor. Best and final quotes should be provided. D. A written notice of award or acceptance of a quote, mailed or otherwise, furnished to the successful offeror within the time for acceptance specified in the quote, shall result in a binding contract without further action by either party. Before the quote's specified expiration time, the Government may accept a quote (or part of a quote), whether or not there are negotiations after its receipt, unless a written notice of withdrawal is received before award. Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items, with its offer. This clause may be found on the Internet at the following site: http://www.arnet.gov/far/. Clause FAR 52.213-4, Terms and Conditions - Simplified Acquisitions (Other Than Commercial Items) for Universities, and clause FAR 52.212-4, Contract terms and Conditions-Commercial Items, for non Universities applies to this acquisition. The Clause at FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition. Under FAR 52.212-5 paragraph (b), the following additional clauses apply to this acquisition: 52.222-26, Equal Opportunity (Mar 2007) (E.O. 11246), 52.222-35, Equal Opportunity for Special Disabled Veterans, Veterans of the Vietnam Era, and Other Eligible Veterans (Sep 2006). 52.222-36, Affirmative Action for Workers with Disabilities (Jun 1998), 52.222-37, Employment Reports on Special Disabled Veterans, Veterans of the Vietnam Era, and Other Eligible Veterans (Sep 2006), 52.222-50, Combating Trafficking in Persons (FEB 2009) (22 U.S.C. 7104(g)). Any firm or University that believes it is capable of meeting EPA's requirement stated herein may submit a quote, which if received by the response date of this announcement will be considered. Responses to this solicitation must be in writing. The quote shall include a breakdown of the total price that includes for example: any labor costs, travel costs, installation, acceptance testing, warranties. All quotes received in response to this posting will be evaluated based on Best Value. Offerors shall submit 1 copy of their offer including their DUNS (Data Universal Numbering System) number, referencing RFQ-OH-10-TBD, no later than, October 1, 2010 at 5:00 PM EST to William Yates as follows: via email at yates.william@epa.gov and hays.michael@epa.gov. Quotations may be sent via regular mail to: U.S. EPA, ATTN: William Yates, Mail Code: NWD-CPOD, 26 West Martin Luther King Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45268, or via Express Mail/Hand Carry to: U.S. EPA, 4411 Montgomery Road, Suite 300, Norwood, OH 45212. Questions may be submitted via e-mail at yates.william@epa.gov. The following is an updated entry for the combined synopsis/RFQ: QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS: Question: Will the contractor gather the air samples or if they have already been gathered?Answer: The samples were already gathered. Question: If the air samples have already been gathered, what filter media was used?Answer: They were collected on TEM grids and also on quartz and Teflon filter media. Question: What is the number of samples needed to test?Answer: 50 sample analyses will be conducted across the source categories and of the 50 Seven samples will undergo lattice fringe analysis
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