B -- ANALYSIS OF PERSONAL POLYCYCLIC HYDROCARBONS (PAH) AND URINARY PAH METABOLITES

Notice Date

February 26, 2001

Contracting Office

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

ZIP Code

27711

Solicitation Number

EPAU2A703

Response Due

March 13, 2001

Point of Contact

Barbara Nelson, Contract Specialist, (919)541-4474; McDonald Morrison, Contracting Officer, (919)541-4364

E-Mail Address

Contact the Contract Specialist at the e-mail address (nelson.barbarar@epa.gov)

Description

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; PROPOSALS ARE BEING REQUESTED AND A WRITTEN SOLICITATION WILL NOT BE ISSUED. The solicitation number is EPAU2A703 and this solicitation is issued as a request for proposals (RFP). The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 97-20. The associated North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 541710 which has a size standard of 500 employees to qualify as a small business; however, it is anticipated that the contract will be awarded as a result of full and open competition. A firm, fixed-price purchase order is anticipated to result from the award of this solicitation. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) wishes to procure analyses of personal polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and urinary PAH metabolites. The Human Exposure and Atmospheric Sciences Division (HEASD)is conducting studies to apportion human exposure to PM2.5 sources and to the sources of toxic components of PM2.5. As part of HEASD's research program, cooperative human exposure assessment studies of PM2.5 to susceptible populations in the Seattle area are currently being conducted by the University of Washington. HEASD is collaborating with investigators to analyze toxic PAH from personal air samples and urinary PAH metabolites from these studies. For this procurement, the EPA will provide 200 urine and filter extract samples, and the contractor shall analyze the samples for personal PAH and urinary PAH metabolites. The contractor shall provide a detailed report with specific analytical methods used, the quality assurance and quality control performance, and the data reported in both electronic (e.g., Excel spread sheet) and paper report format. The following PAH shall be quantified in filter extracts from personal exposure monitors: pyrene, benz[a]anthracene (BaA), benzo[b]fluoranthene (BbF), benzo[k]fluoranthene(BkF), benzo[a]pyrene(BaP), benzo[e]pyrene(BeP), benzo[ghi]perylene(BghiP), cyclopenta[cd]pyrene, chrysene, coronene, dibenz[a,e]pyrene (dBaeP), dibenz[a,h]anthracene, and retene. Metabolites of the following PAH shall be quantified in the urine samples: anthracene, methyl anthracene, acenaphthylene, acenaphthene, fluorene, fluoranthene, methyl fluoranthene, pyrene, naphthalene, phenanthrene, methyl phenanthrenes, dimethyl phenanthrenes, perylene, benz[a]anthracene(BaA), benzo[b]fluoranthene(BbF), benzo[k]fluoranthene (BkF), benzo[j]fluoranthene(BjF), benzo[b]fluoranthene (BbF), benzo[a]pyrene(BaP), benzo[e]pyrene (BeP), benzo[ghi]perylene(BghiP), indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene(IcdP), dibenzo[a,e]pyrene(dBaeP), cyclopenta[cd]pyrene(CPP), 4H-cyclopenta(def)phenanthrene, dibenz[a,h]anthracene, dibenz[a,c]anthracene, benzo[b]chrysene, benzo[ghi]fluoranthene, retene, triphenylene, chrysene, methylchrysene, and coronene. For the PAH analysis method for filter extracts the EPA will provide 200 samples of a dichloromethane: acetone (1:1) extract of the Teflon filter used to collect personal PM2.5 for 24 hours. This extract will be equivalent to at least 2 m3 of sampled air. The analysis method employed shall be sufficiently sensitive to detect 0.05 ng of each PAH per m3 of air sampled. The anticipated concentration of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) in these samples would range from < 0.05 to 10 ng per m3 personal air sampled. At a minimum, the analysis shall be conducted in duplicate and where the results vary more than 10%, a triplicate analysis shall be conducted. Therefore, the analytical protocol shall be sufficiently sensitive to quantitate <0.03 ng of each analyte. Acceptable methods of analysis include HPLC/fluorescence with variable wavelength fluorescence detection (such as reported by Tanabe et al., 1987) and/or GC/MS optimized for these detection limits. Authentic standards must be available for all analytes and a quantification standard used for calibration. For the urinary PAH Metabolite analysis method the EPA will provide 200 urine samples representing an aliquot of urine (minimum of 5 ml and a maximum of 10 ml). EPA will also provide the creatinine content for each sample so the data may be expressed as ng of each urinary metabolite per mg creatinine. The analytical method employed shall be sufficiently sensitive to detect 0.5 ng metabolite/ml of urine which is equivalent to 2 ng metabolite/mg creatinine of each PAH metabolite. At a minimum the analysis shall be conducted in duplicate and where the results vary by more than 10%, a triplicate analysis shall be conducted. The urine shall be treated by enzymatic hydrolysis using as a minimum both beta glucuronidase and aryl sulfatase to deconjugate the metabolites prior to analysis. This treated urine shall be extracted to enrich and purify the mixture prior to analysis using C18 reversed phase liquid chromatographic material. The hydrolyzed and extracted urine samples shall be analyzed either by GC/MS/SIM or HPLC detection using authentic reference compounds to confirm identification of metabolites that shall be quantified such as reported by Costa et al. NMR shall be used for definitive structural identification. Quantification standards shall be used in the analysis with authentic reference standards. The following evaluation criteria shall be used to determine successful offers: 1) The offeror shall provide evidence of authentic standards necessary to perform these analyses. Those standards should coincide with those listed for the PAH and PAH metabolite analysis, including a listing of the standards and their sources, 2) the offeror shall provide evidence of published analysis of PAH urinary metabolites in urine collected from human subjects, including prior publications or reports, 3) the offeror shall provide evidence of meeting the above specified detection limits, and 4) the offeror shall provide evidence of a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the specified analysis, and provide the SOP including quality assurance and quality control procedures for these analyses. The provision at 52.212-1, Instruction for Offerors -Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition. Interested parties shall submit offers which include the 11 items outlined in FAR 52.212-1(b). Provision at 52.212-2, Evaluation -- Commercial Items, is hereby incorporated by reference. The following factors shall be used to evaluate offers: technical acceptability and price, with technical being significantly higher than price. Award shall be priced in increments of 50 for a total of 400 samples at completion of project. Offerors are to include a competitive price list, a complete copy of the provision at 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications -- Commercial Items, with the offer. The offeror is to provide Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) with the offer. The clause at 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions -- Commercial Items, is hereby included by reference. The clause at 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statues or Executive Order -- Commercial Items, is hereby incorporated by reference (including: 52.222-3; 52.233-3; 52.203-6; 52.203-10; 52.219-8; 52.222-26; 52.222-35; 52.222-36; 52.222-37). Offers are to be delivered to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Attention: Barbara Nelson (MD-33), 79 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709 no later than 15 days after date of CBD announcement, 4 PM EST. Facsimiles will be accepted at (919)541-4273. Please call Barbara Nelson, (919)541-4474 to confirm receipt of facsimiles.

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010228/BSOL002.HTM (W-057 SN50E5P7)