U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, Contracts Management Division (MD-33), Attn: ORDSC, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711

B -- PILOT STUDY TO EXAMINE THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN GIS-DERIVED AND MEASURED PESTICIDE LEVELS IN AGRICULTURAL AREAS OF CALIFORNIA SOL PR-RT-98-E2G229 DUE 092598 POC Starry M. Jones, Contract Administrator, (919)541-2897, Julio Lopez, Contracting Officer, (919)541-4474 E-MAIL: Click here to visit the site that has information, jones.starry@epamail.epa.gov. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency intends to negotiate sole source with Impact Assessment, Inc., Environmental Health Investigations Branch, 5900 Hollis Street, Suite E, Emeryville, CA 94608 for "Pilot Study to Examine the Association between GIS-derived and Measured Pesticide Levels in Agricultural Areas of California Along the U. S./Mexico Border". The overall objectives of this procurement are to: (1) measure levels of agriculturally-applied pesticides in school yard soils located in high pesticide exposure zones and correlate these values with GIS-derived measures of pesticide usage in the same areas; (2) gather information about the timing of pesticide applications on agricultural fields in agriculturally-active counties along California/Mexico border (within 100 km of the U.S./Mexico border; and (3) to present this information in the same GIS format and on the standardized base map series developed for the previous GIS contract between the state of Arizona and the U.S. EPA. The contractor is required to perform the following tasks: Task 1. Collect and quantify the levels of pesticides in school yard soils in Imperial County, prepare a quality assurance project plan detailing the management controls, data acquisition techniques; Task 1a. prepare a final report including summary and interpretation of the results of both quality assurance/quality control and routine samples. Task 2. Gather information on the location and rotation of crop types, pesticide usage, application methods, quantity of pesticides used, and dates of application by crop type in the agriculturally-active counties along the California/Mexico Border. Task 2a. Prepare a brief final report which shall include a summary of the result and copies of the GIS maps produced, summarizing and describing the techniques used to gather the required data. Task 3. Produce GIS coverages of the Mexican States along the U. S./Mexico border. Task 3a. Preparation of base maps. Task 3b. Identify Population Areas and Create GIS maps of these areas,Task 3c. Produce GIS Maps of Age Distributions of Children, these maps shall be produced as overlays for the base maps produced in Task 3a. Task 3d. Produce GIS maps of the Mexican border states indicating agricultural areas and cropping information on a state wide bases along the U.S./Mexican border. Task 3e. Prepare a brief final report which will include a summary of the results and GIS maps from Tasks 3a-3d., describing areas of high population density, high agricultural land usage, and provide detailing information on the sources used in producing the GIS maps. Task 4. Identify and inventory existing environmental, population, and health outcome datasets available for the Mexican border region. Task 4a. Prepare a brief final report. Task 5. Conduct a pilot study on establishing a community relations and education program to provide for effective dialogue between EPA and the general public along the U.S./Mexico border in the state of California. Task 5a. Prepare final report, detailing the process and the methods used (or tried), including costs, to transfer information to the general public. Task 6. Coordination, participation and presentation of project status and products. EPA believes that Impact Assessment, Inc., is the only vendor capable of satisfying the requirements stated above. The period of performance is expected to be from date of award to October 15, 1999. No solicitation is available. All interested parties must respond within 15 days of the date of this announcement. Interested vendors shall (1) include information on the proposed services which clearly supports the requirements outlined above and; (2) provide itemized pricing that is sufficient to make a determination that competition is feasible. Submit your response to the U. S. EPA, Attn: Starry M. Jones, (MD-33), Contracts Management Division, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711. No telephone or facsimile request will be honored. Posted 09/10/98 (W-SN248044). (0253)

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