UATMP, PAMS, and NMOC Support

This notice was cross-posted with Notice ID "EP-D-14-030_Amendment" entitled "Amendment to UATMP, PAMS, and NMOC Support" originally published on August 4, 2020. Due to technical issues with reactivating an Inactive posting, the cross-posting was created. We are now reconciling the cross-posting and restoring it as an amendment to this notice for historical purposes. We will inactivate the cross-post. The amendment is as follows: ********************************************************************************************************************* Notice of Intent NAICS Code: 541380 Testing Laboratories. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a requirement for continuation of services under the current contract, EP-D-14-030, as described below. The US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS) has a requirement for air toxics monitoring support under the Urban Air Toxics Program (UATMP). This requirement is currently performed under Contract EP-D-14-030. The Non-Methane Organic Compound (NMOC) was initiated in 1984 to provide data for use in development of control strategies for ozone. Interested state and local agencies sampled for total NMOC, selected toxic compounds (primarily chlorinated hydrocarbons), speciated volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and carbonyl compounds. This program involved the weekday collection of samples during the 0600-0900 time period between June 01 and September 30 which were shipped to a central laboratory for analysis. In 1991, some agencies participating in the NMOC program requested speciation analysis of the samples collected. Consequently, the analysis of some 78 individual hydrocarbon species in the C2-C12 carbon number range was established and referred to on the Speciated Non-Methane Organic Compound (SNMOC) analysis. In response to the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments enhanced ozone monitoring requirements were promulgated, requiring states to establish Photochemical Assessment Monitoring Stations (PAMs) as part of their State Implementation Plan (SIP) in ozone non-attainment areas. The PAMs program was initiated in 1993 to provide state and local agencies with needed support in the implementation and operation of PAMs monitors. This support includes VOC and carbonyl analysis, automated and manual gas chromotography operation, quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) program development, standards preparation and certification, data reduction and validation, and on-site technical assistance. Similar to the NMOC program, the Urban Air Toxics Monitoring Program (UAMTP) was initiated in 1988 as an analytical/technical support program focused on ascertaining ambient air levels of organic toxic species. The UATMP initially involved about 20 state and local agencies and supported the collection and analysis of a 24-hour canister sample every 12 days for a 12-month period. The program has since expanded to provide for the measurement of additional Clean Air Act Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs) such as carbonyls, PM10 metals, and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), and the standard sample collection frequency as increased to 1 in 6 days. The driving force for these program changes is the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA). As required under the GPRA, the EPA has developed a Strategic Plan that includes a goal for the Clean Air Act. An objective under this goal was to improve air quality and reduce air toxic emissions to level 75 percent below 1993 levels by 2010, in order to reduce the risk to Americans of cancer and other serious adverse health effects caused by airborne toxics. While there originally was no national network or systematic program for air toxics ambient monitoring, such a program now exists and is comprised of two separate and distinct components for which UATMP support is available and often used; these programs are described below. The National Air Toxics Trends Station (NATTS) Network was established during 2003 and 2004. It is intended for long term operation for the principle purpose of discerning national trends in air toxics ambient concentrations. The original NATTS Network consisted of 23 sites, 16 urban and 7 rural. Two urban sites were added in 2007, and three more were added in 2008, bringing the total number of NATTS to 28. Over 100 HAPs are measured on a 1 in 6-day sampling schedule and include VOCs, carbonyls, PM10 Metals, hexavalent chromium, and PAHs. The Community-Scale Air Toxics Ambient Monitoring (CSATAM) program was initiated in 2004. It is intended to support state, local, and tribal agencies in conducting discreet, investigative projects of approximately two-year durations. Projects are selected from periodic (1 to 2 year-cycle) grant competitions; the intended objectives include identifying and profiling air toxic sources, developing and assessing emerging measurement methods, characterizing the degree and extent of local air toxics programs, and tracking progress of air toxics reduction activities. The incumbent Contractor provides ambient air sampling and analysis support for air toxics and ozone precursor programs under the Urban Air Toxics Monitoring Program (UAMTP), National Air Toxics Trends Station (NATTS), and Community-Scale Air Toxics Ambient Monitoring (CSATAM) programs described above. The current contract, EP-D-14-030, period of performance was extended for six months from September 30, 2019 to March 31, 2020 via FAR Clause 52.217-8'Option to Extend Services. The contract was then extended from April 1, 2020 to September 30, 2020 via FAR 6.302-1'Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Government intends to compete, negotiate, and award a follow-on contract for a five-year (sixty-month) period of performance which include five (one-year ordering periods) in accordance with the Federal Acquisitions Regulation (FAR). However, due to delays in the acquisition process, the contract for follow on services will not be awarded prior to the current expiration date of September 30, 2020 of contract EP-D-14-030. Since the services of the contract are critical and cannot lapse, the EPA must extend the period of performance of the current contract for an additional six months with a six month option period to allow time for the new follow on contract to be awarded. The EPA intends to negotiate this period of performance extension on a sole source basis with Eastern Research Group, Inc. There are no other contractors that have the capability of providing the level, breath, depth of support, and continuity of services that are required by OAQPS for the air toxics monitoring support under the Urban Air Toxics Program (UATMP). This notice will be posted for 15 calendar days. The intent of this notice alerts the vendor community to the extension of contract EP-D-14-030, and the upcoming opportunity for competition of this opportunity. This notification alerts all vendors to this action and to determine if any other source (s) exist; and, therefore, no solicitation is available. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract extension based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether competition is viable. Responses to this notice should be submitted to the Contract Specialist, Jeffery Clodfelter via the following e-mail address (contact@example.gov) within 15 calendar days from the date of this notice.