B--Laboratory analytical services to provide microplastics analysis in water, sedi
Laboratory analytical services to provide microplastics analysis in water, sediment, and air media for The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Upper Midwest Water Science Center (UMid-WSC), Middleton, WI T... Laboratory analytical services to provide microplastics analysis in water, sediment, and air media for The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Upper Midwest Water Science Center (UMid-WSC), Middleton, WI THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE ONLY. NO FORMAL SOLICITATION IS BEING REQUESTED UNDER THIS NOTICE. This Sources Sought Notice is for market research purposes to identify interested firms for the potential requirement detailed below. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 541380 (Testing Laboratories) and the size standard is $16.5 Million. The Government will review the information requested in this announcement to determine the type of set-aside (if any) for this requirement, should it come to fruition. A. Introduction: The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Upper Midwest Water Science Center (UMid-WSC), Middleton, WI has a requirement for laboratory analytical services to provide microplastics analysis in water, sediment, and air media. This Statement of Work defines the sample processing, laboratory analytical services, and data reporting needed to provide results in support of microplastics project activities for the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) performed under the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) Phase VI corridor study. B. Background: The USGS Upper Midwest Water Science Center (UMid-WSC) conducts unique investigations into the prevalence of microplastics in freshwater environments from around the Great Lakes region. The UMid-WSC, in collaboration with the Washington Water Science Center (WA WSC) microplastics laboratory, jointly developed proposals for microplastics projects under the MMSD Phase VI corridor study until the WA WSC microplastics laboratory discontinued offering analytical services to other USGS cost centers in May 2020. As a result of this closure, The UMid-WSC needs an experienced, ISO certified accredited laboratory for microplastics analysis in water, sediment, and air media to allow for consistent, quality-derived, and cutting-edge microplastics results and research. As part of the MMSD Phase VI corridor study, the USGS UMid-WSC is conducting microplastics research to evaluate, 1) the sources and types of microplastics to water and sediment in Milwaukee area streams and rivers under different urban land use settings, and 2) the effectiveness of infiltration-based green infrastructure practices on the removal of microplastics from urban stormwater. Data gathered during these evaluations, and the resulting information and interpretations will allow for a better understanding of sources and types of microplastics to the aquatic environment as well as potential remediation practices for the removal of microplastics from stormwater. This project relies on the use of automated water sampling methods, and/or in person sampling techniques to collect water samples over the course of precipitation and/or snowmelt-induced runoff events. In addition, periodic sediment samples along with wet and dry atmospheric deposition samples will be collected to assess additional sources and types of microplastics to Milwaukee area streams and rivers. C. Technical Requirements: The technical requirements list technical details related to small particle isolation and identification, the processing of water, sediment and air samples for microplastics and quality assurance/quality control. 4.1 The laboratory must be an ISO17025 accredited laboratory specializing in microanalysis of particles. 4.2 The laboratory should routinely work with particles ranging from 100 nanometer to 1 millimeter in size. 4.3 The laboratory must routinely isolate individual synthetic organic polymeric particles as small as 1 micrometer from water, sediment, and air matrices with sample preparation capabilities that include expertise in microtomy and ultramicrotomy. 4.4 The laboratory must routinely analyze particles by infrared microspectroscopy down to 10 x 10 micrometers and obtain data from even smaller synthetic organic polymeric particles. 4.5 The laboratory must routinely analyze particles by confocal Raman microspectrophotometry down to approximately 1 micrometer. 4.6 The laboratory must routinely have access to various commercial spectral libraries as well as internal libraries that include a wide range of organic synthetic polymers and inorganic fillers. 4.7 The laboratory must have access to physical reference collections that are immediately available for developing particles for particle recovery control validation experiments. 4.8 The laboratory must use the most up to date and established procedures and techniques for the isolation, enumeration, and identification of microplastics from various environmental media. The selected approach, procedures, and techniques must be robust to undergo U.S. Geological Survey and independent scientific peer-review for publication in scientific peer-reviewed journals. Methodological guidance documents have been provided in section 1.4 Applicable Documents. 4.9 The laboratory must ensure microplastic particles are recovered and not destroyed during the preparation of samples regardless of environmental media. Obtain reference microplastics of various morphologies and polymers, preferably less than 333 micrometers in size, and preferably a bright color such as red, green, or yellow. Add between 5-10 reference microplastics to 10% of the samples per sample extraction batch prior to commencing any oxidation or digestion steps so that the reference microplastics are taken through all the steps of the extraction process. 4.10 The laboratory must, following the completion of sample preparation, plate each sample containing the reference microplastics on either a microscope slide, appropriate filter, or other material depending on the appropriate analytical procedure and visually inspect via microscopy to verify the presence of both the quantity and structural integrity of the reference microplastics. 4.11 The laboratory must identify a minimum of 80% of the reference microplastics. Identification of greater than 120% of the reference microplastics is an indication that the preparation procedures is overly aggressive and causing fragmentation of particles. Techniques used should be modified until fragmentation of reference microplastics is no longer observed. 4.12 The laboratory must perform a sufficient number of negative control (blanks) equal to or greater than 10% of the total number of samples collected for each media. A petri dish, centrifuge tube, pipette, microscope slide, or other acceptable material used by the laboratory for the processing of microplastics samples that has gone through the complete preparation process (handling, extraction, oxidation, digestion, etc.), not including the sample sieve materials for each media preparation, should be used by the laboratory for performing negative controls. 4.13 The laboratory must evaluate all sample processing materials, supplies, laboratory equipment, oxidation reagents, digestion reagents, solutions, solvents, laboratory purified water, and any other processing utensils, materials, and consumables used for the processing of any environmental matrix sample submitted for their contamination potential. If any of the above are found to have microplastics contamination, then the laboratory must switch to materials and supplies free of microplastics. A detailed scope of work will be provided with any solicitation that may be issued. All business concerns who believe they can responsibly provide this type of service must submit the following information to the Contracting Officer: 1. Tailored capability statement describing information in providing the services described above. 2. The firm must specify that they are either: 2.1 A small business (8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, etc.) Or 2.2 Other than small business under the NAICS Code listed in the announcement. 3. The firm must provide a point of contact name and e-mail information, and the firm¿s Cage Code, and SAM.gov UEI. NOTE: All information submitted in response to this announcement is voluntary - the Government will not pay for information requested nor will it compensate any respondent for any cost incurred in developing information provided to the Government. Materials submitted to the Government for review will not be returned. Respondents will not be notified of the results of the evaluation. This is not a request for quotations. The Government does not intend to award a contract based on responses received under this announcement. In order to be responsive to this Notice, a firm must provide the appropriate documentation for consideration by November 14, 2022. Responses that do not comply with these procedures will not be considered. Inquiries will only be accepted by e-mail to Lisa Williams at ldwilliams@usgs.gov
Data sourced from SAM.gov.
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