SPECIAL NOTICE
B -- Urban Soils Survey and Hydrologic Characterization Work for Sustainable Use of Vacant Land
- Notice Date
- 5/3/2011
- Notice Type
- Special Notice
- NAICS
- 541620
— Environmental Consulting Services
- Contracting Office
- Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Acquisition Management, EPA/Ohio, 26 West Martin Luther King Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45268
- ZIP Code
- 45268
- Solicitation Number
- SOL-CI-11-00037
- Archive Date
- 6/15/2011
- Point of Contact
- William Yates, Phone: 513-487-2055
- E-Mail Address
-
yates.william@epa.gov
(yates.william@epa.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Research and Development, intends to negotiate, on a sole source basis, under the authority of FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), with the Cedarville Engineering Group, LLC, in order to assist the EPA in Urban Soils Survey and Hydrologic Characterization Work for Sustainable Use of Vacant Land. Post-industrial cities share the problems of ageing civic and water infrastructure, a depleted tax base and underserved populations lacking in basic environmental services and opportunity. On the other hand, these same urban core areas possess significant natural resource capitals in terms of what are presently unmanaged vacant lots, riparian areas, and culverted stream systems. Due to the expense of legal actions against large cities for violations of the Clean Water Act (1972) for combined sewer overflows, governmental authorities have started to look for ways of managing storm flows without resorting to traditional, capital-intensive wastewater infrastructure. One option to decrease the storm flow quantity is to use vacant land and its soil pore space for detention of excess storm water runoff volume. Soil investigations will be conducted on a selection of vacant lot areas to develop a representative soil map that accounts for major sources of variability in soil formation, horizonation, excavation and land-grading associated with construction and demolition activities, among other attributes. This updated, detailed soil sampling and mapping will inform environmental managers on the potential for soil management and how to best utilize soil resources in adding detention capacity to the various ("sewershed") drainage areas, quantify variation in infiltration capacity, and establish soil capabilities and limitations in the context of this overall effort. A. LOGISTICS AND TASKS: 1. Since site selection and overall quality of the sampling process will benefit from the presence of the contractor, we specify that the contractor shall be present in the field during two periods. The first period will occur in the month of July and the second period will occur in August, or September. The first period would be arranged for mid-July 2011 in Cleveland OH; and August or early September 2011 in Cincinnati OH. 2. USEPA will take nominal 2 inch diameter by 4 feet depth (to 12' or refusal) soil cores. The cores will be left in the acetate core sleeves. 3. Over the course of spring/summer 2011, USEPA will take nominal 2" diameter by 4' (length, serially taken to up to 12' total depth) soil cores at up to 30 sites in Cincinnati OH, and from 15 to 30 sites in Cleveland OH, totaling not more than 150 individual (4') core sections, though other core sections may be kept for reference and for the sake of comparison. The vendor shall be present at the time of sampling, and will retain the soil cores for taxonomic descriptions, and basic soil chemical analyses. All sampling gear and consumables will be provided by USEPA. The contractor will arrange for transport or shipment of soil sub-samples to a soil characterization laboratory 4. The contractor shall take photos of each site to record prominent features and general landscape condition, then georeference each sampling point with a suitable GPS unit that has good resolution (~3m) 5. The contractor shall conduct descriptions of up to 150 soil cores (total 4' core sections) as per details in the next section, which covers specific approach and QA/QC; and subsample for chemical characterization horizons of each soil core as determined and agreed upon by USEPA and the contractor. For example, the surface horizon and a unique or impeding sub-surface horizon may be of greatest interest to USEPA, and therefore, there would be two samples per core. B. DETAILS: Soil Description A complete pedon description of each component identified in the study area shall be written by the Contractor and the taxonomy of the soil core (nominal pedons, pedons hereon) shall be detailed and, if possible or suggested, related to a well-defined, existing soil type. Where possible, the number of pedons that are sub-sampled for chemical analysis shall be based on similarities in soil composition and arrangement of diagnostic horizons among the soil cores. Samples shall also be subject to lab analyses including (grinding-sieving, pH, organic carbon determination, particle size analysis, exchangeable base determination, and titratable acidity). Laboratory analysis shall be performed by a suitable, certified soil characterization laboratory. USEPA shall inspect and at their option approve laboratory analysis protocols as written and held by the contractor's laboratory. Soil survey standards from the National Soil Survey Handbook [Section 627.08(d)(2)] and the Soil Survey Manual shall be followed. Quality assurance protocol shall be carried out by the contractor. C. DEVELOPMENT OF MAP: The contractor shall develop a soil map for sampling areas in each of Cincinnati and Cleveland OH project sites. To the extent possible, all map units shall be consociations with a single component representing a homogeneous unit, except for asphalt, concrete, buildings, or other manmade (impervious) surfaces included in the delineations. A series name shall be used to identify the component wherever possible. Where a series name cannot be used, a soil family shall be used to identify the component. One site shall be selected from each map unit identified, to typify soil characteristics of that map unit and to serve as a basis for soil classification based on Keys to Taxonomy (11th edition). If data support is appropriate, map units shall be labeled with a combination of two digit numeric symbol representing the taxonomic unit followed by an alphabetic character representing slope. If other phases are needed, they shall be designated by a numeric symbol following the slope phase. Special feature symbols shall be used, if needed and will represent point features. The map shall be digitized; all sample locations and transect points shall be georeferenced using GPS at the time of sampling. A legend of map symbols and map unit names along with a conversion table (that will provide greater detail (order-1 resolution) by giving a taxonomy to soils presently designated as urban land complex) based on map units currently identified by NRCS in the Soil Survey of Cuyahoga County, laboratory data, and pedon descriptions shall be provided. In addition, a populated attribute database shall be developed and tables shall be generated. EVALUATION FACTORS 1. Evaluation Method The Government intends to issue a single purchase order to the responsible offeror whose quote represents the best overall value to the government based on (1) technical and previous experience, (2) past performance, and (3) quality assurance plan. Award may not necessarily be made to the lowest price offeror. 2. Evaluation Criteria and Score Method 1) Technical experience (facilities, technical expertise and equipment) a. Facilities: The offeror shall describe the available facilities and equipment as it relates to fulfilling services and objectives of this RFQ as set forth in the statement of work (SOW); b. Technical Expertise and previous experience: The offeror shall describe their technical and organizational experience for projects similar in size, scope, and complexity for the work as outlined in the SOW. This shall include the description of the resources necessary to achieve the objectives of this contract. Specifically: i) Assist with sampling site selection given project objectives that pertain to urban storm water management outlined in the SOW associated with this request; ii) use extensive knowledge and experience with other urban soil assessments and soil surveys in the NE or SW OH area or related projects in other urban areas to provide description and taxonomy of soil cores taken by USEPA scientists; iii) provide soil chemical analysis services on a subset of these cores (can be subcontracted to a business that practices proper protocols and QA); and iv) experience with the development and updating soil surveys to the extent the offeror can integrate all past and present information with the data from this project into a soil survey framework based on extensive prior experience with previous soil surveys at different scales of resolution and decision making on classification of soil taxonomy in areas previously unclassified due to the predominance of urban land complex soil designations. c. Technical plan of action and milestones: The offeror shall describe the technical approach in a plan of action and milestones for achieving the aims of the SOW. d. Organization and management plan: The offeror shall provide a clear delineation of the responsibilities, lines of authority, and proposed staffing levels. Staffing and qualifications of personnel in providing services similar in scope to those described in the SOW. e. Resumes: Resumes shall be no more than 2 pages for the key personnel and shall include education, previous experience and publications, and technical certifications held. A demonstrated familiarity with NE OH urban soils would also promote good performance under this contract. 2) Past performance The offeror shall provide a list of completed projects of similar size, scope, complexity; or work products or activities that pertain to the objectives outlined in the SOW and otherwise pertinent to urban soil description and taxonomic work, soil assessment (chemical, physical) and integration of data into a soil survey. 3) Quality assurance plan The evaluation of the offeror's quote will be based in part upon the submitted quality management plan. This document will ensure that quality work will be executed and that the services will meet the overall requirements of the tasks listed in the RFQ. The North American Industry Classification Code (NAICS) is 541620. The size standard for this code is $7 Million. THIS NOTICE OF INTENT is not a request for competitive proposals. No solicitation document is available. However, interested parties may identify their interest and capability of meeting EPA requirements by submitting technical documentation to William M Yates, Contracting Officer, at the office identified above, by e-mail yates.william@epa.gov. The technical documentation must establish that the instrument to be provided meets all requirements. Anticipated award date is June 29, 2010. Documentation must be submitted to William M Yates by 3:00 PM, May 31, 2010 in order to be considered by EPA. A determination not to compete the proposed requirement based upon responses to this notice is 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. Point of Contact for this requirement is William M Yates, Contracting Officer, at (513) 487-2055, or via e-mail at yates.william@epa.gov. Questions must be submitted in writing to William M Yates via e-mail. Telephone queries will not be honored.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/EPA/OAM/OH/SOL-CI-11-00037/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: 26 W. MLK Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45268-0001, United States
- Zip Code: 45268-0001
- Zip Code: 45268-0001
- Record
- SN02438577-W 20110505/110503234327-deefb79858b1f4e3f8622b25128747de (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
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