B -- ANALYSIS OF PCB

Notice Date

August 8, 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

X7C057

Response Due

August 23, 2001

Point of Contact

JENNINFER HILL, Contract Specialist, 919-541-3083

E-Mail Address

Click here to contact the contract specialist via (hill.jennifer@epa.gov)

Description

THIS IS A COMBINED SYNOPSIS/SOLICITATION FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS PREPARED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FORMAT IN SUBPART 12.6, AS SUPPLEMENTED WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION INCLUDED IN THIS NOTICE. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONSTITUTES THE ONLY SOLICITATION. QUOTES ARE BEING REQUESTED AND A WRITTEN SOLICITATION WILL NOT BE ISSUED. The solicitation number is X7C057, and the solicitation is being issued as a Request for Quotation (RFQ). The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 97-27. The associated North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 541380, which has a size standard of $5 million to qualify as a small business, is applicable. 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. This procurement requires the contractor to perform analysis of PCBs in biological samples. Performance of the analysis will be conducted in two phases over a 12-month period and the number of samples will not exceed 70. The contractor shall provide instructions for the preparation, packing, and shipping of biological samples containing various concentrations of PCBs. The contractor shall analyze tissue culture samples and tissue culture fluids for specific PCB congeners of interest using their developed method capable of assessing all 209 PCB congeners in a variety of sample matrices from humans, experimental animals and in vitro toxicology models. The method involves an extraction of the sample, followed by sample cleanup to remove lipids and other contaminants, concentration to micro liter volumes, followed by determination of individual PCB congeners and pesticides using gas chromatography with electron capture detection. The limit of detection shall be in the pg to ng/g range. The contractor shall log in all samples when received by the analytical laboratory and given a unique identification number. Samples shall be stored at -80 C prior to analysis. All unused samples shall be banked until the end of the study. QC controls shall be plotted and monitored for individual and cumulative batches prior to reporting any data for the samples. All sample sets shall be checked for out-of-range values, and questionable data are rerun on a second GC column for validation. The concentration of individual PCB congeners shall be calculated using calibration standards run simultaneously with each batch of samples. For Aroclor 1242, 1248, 1254 and 1260 the concentrations of congeners not present in the calibration standard shall be calculated using response factors previously determined in our laboratory under the same GC conditions. Response factors shall be routinely checked semiannually or after any change in chromatographic conditions. EPA will generate and label tissue culture samples containing various concentrations of PCBs. Control samples consisting of tissue culture media, tissue blanks, and Aroclor 1254 will be generated in order to provide the contractor with the starting material for development and validation of the assay system and determination of background PCB levels: 10 media and plate blanks 10 samples. Phase One studies will generate samples from 3 tissue types exposed to Aroclor 1254: 3 tissues x 1 time point x 2 concentrations x 4 replicates 24 samples. Phase Two studies will generate samples from 2 tissue types in order to compare uptake of equivalent concentrations of Aroclor 1254 delivered as different overall mass: 2 tissues x 1 time point x 2 concentrations x 2 volumes x 4 replicates 32 samples. The contractor shall prepare a report of PCB congeners, and total PCBs, found in each sample from the control studies and Phase One samples six months after the receipt of the biological samples from the EPA. The contractor shall prepare a report of PCB congeners, and total PCBs, found in each sample from the Phase Two samples six months after the receipt of the Phase Two biological samples from the EPA. These samples will be generated after receipt of the report from Phase One. The following FAR provisions apply to this solicitation: 52-212-1, Instructions to Offerors -- Commercial Items; 52.212-2, Evaluation -- Commercial Items. Evaluation criteria to be included in paragraph (a) of provision 52.212-2 are as follows: (i) TECHNICAL CAPABILITIES CRITERIA: 1) Provide a copy of QA/QC protocols; 2) Demonstrate previous experience in analysis of PCBs; 3) Ability to meet the deadlines for the project; (ii) PAST PERFORMANCE: Provide 3 references (quality of service, timeliness of performance, and overall customer satisfaction); and (iii) PRICE. Award will be made to the offeror whose offer is the lowest priced offer meeting all of the technical requirements. Offerors must satisfactorily meet all of the technical requirements to be considered "technically acceptable". All offerors are to include with their offers a completed copy of provision 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications -- Commercial Items. The following FAR clauses apply to this acquisition: 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions -- Commercial Items; 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders -- Commercial Items and the following additional FAR clauses which are cited in Clause 52.212-5: 52.222-21, Prohibition of Segregated Facilities; 52.222-26, Equal Opportunity, 52.222-35, Affirmative Action for Special Disabled and Vietnam Era Veterans; 52.222-36 Affirmative Action for Handicapped Workers; 52.222-37, Employment Reports on Special Disabled Veterans and Veterans of the Vietnam Era; 52.222-41, Service Contract Act of 1965, As Amended. Any applicable wage determination(s) will be made a part of the resultant purchase order. Price and technical information should be submitted separately. The completed Representations and Certifications should be included with the price proposal. All technical questions are to be forwarded via email to the Contract Specialist at the following email address: hill.jennifer@epa.gov. Offerors should review the Statement of Work and other information posted with this Request for Quotation on EPA's website at the following address: http://www.epa.gov/oam/rtp_cmd. Arrow down to the REQUEST FOR QUOTATION section and click on the solicitation. Arrow down below that section to COMMERCIAL BUY CLAUSES AND FORMS which are provided for your convenience. Please submit two copies of the technical proposal and two copies of the price proposal to Jennifer B. Hill, Contract Specialist, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, MD-33, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711. Courier delivery address is U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Receptionist-Administration Bldg., Lobby, Attn: Jennifer B. Hill (MD-33), 79 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. All offers are due by August 23, 2001, 3:30 p.m., ET. No telephonic or faxed requests will be honored.

Web Link

Click here to visit the site that has information about (http://www.epa.gov/oam/rtp_cmd)

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010810/BSOL006.HTM (W-220 SN50U3L0)