B--Intenet to sole source - Contaminant testing of eggshells and carcasses

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Region 7 in Alaska, plans to award a sole source, firm-fixed price contract to Test America Laboratories, Inc. for contaminant analysis of eggshells and carcasses collected in 2012 and 2013. Test America was previously awarded a competitive contract in 2011 for similar analysis, successfully meeting detailed technological and quality assurance requirements. Continuity in using the same laboratory is crucial due to inter-laboratory variability in analytical results, which could compromise the ability to compare data across different years and harm the integrity of the experimental design. Therefore, Test America is required to conduct these analyses using consistent methods, procedures, and quality standards to ensure reliable, comparable results over the multi-year study. The contract scope includes performing analyses for strontium-89, strontium-90, gross alpha, and a gamma profile encompassing radionuclides such as Cs-137, Co-60, and K-40 in biological samples. These tests must adhere to established technical criteria, including minimum detection concentrations. This award is not open for competitive bidding, as the government does not intend to accept proposals from other sources, emphasizing the necessity of laboratory and methodological consistency for this project. The contract is associated with solicitation number F12PS00716 under NAICS code 541380 and administered by the Department of the Interior’s Fish and Wildlife Service headquarters based in Falls Church, Virginia.