Inactive

The purpose of this sources sought is to determine the availability and capability of interested businesses to perform the following: The U.S. Geological Survey has an obligation to provide chemical a... The purpose of this sources sought is to determine the availability and capability of interested businesses to perform the following: The U.S. Geological Survey has an obligation to provide chemical analysis of geologic materials, to include plants, waters, soils, sediments and rocks, for inorganic constituents The requirement is for a base and four option years. This notice is being posted for fact finding and planning purposes only and shall NOT be construed as an Invitation for Bid, a Request for Proposal, Solicitation, Request for Quotes, or an indication the Government will contract for the items or services herein. Responses to this sources sought will be used by the Government to make appropriate acquisition decisions. After review of the responses to this sources sought a solicitation announcement may be published in the BetaSAM website. Responses to this sources sought synopsis are not considered adequate responses to the solicitation announcement. All interested offerors will have to respond to the solicitation announcement in addition to responding to this sources sought announcement. This notice is not to be construed as a commitment on the part of the Government to award a contract, nor does the Government intend to pay for any information submitted as a result of this notice. The Government does not reimburse respondents for any cost associated with submission of the information being requested or reimburse expenses incurred to interested parties for responses to this source sought. Any response received will not be used as a proposal. The NAICS code is 541380 size standard $16.5 million All firms interested in this sources sought must be registered with or have the ability to register with the System for Award Management (SAM), in order to receive a Federal contract award. To register, go to the SAM Internet address at http://www.sam.gov. Failure to register may render the offeror ineligible for award of a contract. Capability and Technical Experience - Interested parties should submit capability statement describing adequate training and experience in scientific and technical appropriateness in reference to the potential work to be performed. Please include company name, address, telephone number, point of contact with an email address, business size, DUNS number, SAM Registration number, Federal CAGE code, general description of the company, how long the company has been in business and a description of similar contracts with the government and/or commercial customers (include points of contact, contract numbers, value and contract type). The point of contact is Timothy Bertsch; e-mail tbertsch@usgs.gov. 1.1 The Contractor shall perform analyses according to the methods stated in the contract. Where notated, the analytical method used can be similar to the prescribed method so long as analytical performance is met or exceeded. 1.2 Samples to be analyzed by the Contractor will be provided and delivered to the Contractor by the Government as the samples become available. Sample delivery will be variable throughout the year in both quantity and analytical method type, and generally will be highest during August and September. 1.3 Some of the samples collected may contain hazardous materials, the concentration of hazardous materials in any sample is expected to be low, however some samples may contain concentrations high enough to be harmful. The USGS will attempt to keep the Contractor informed of which samples may contain high concentrations of such materials. It is the responsibility of the Contractor to take the appropriate safety precautions to ensure the safety of employees in the event that a sample does contain unexpectedly high concentrations of hazardous material. 1.4 In order to be able to handle the soil samples from outside the continental United States (CONUS), or from regulated areas within the United States, the Contractor must have the appropriate approval and permits from the Deputy Administrator, Plant Protection and Quarantine programs, U.S. Department of Agriculture. Disposal of any remaining sample and sample extracts must meet regulatory guidelines. 1.5 The samples will be sent to the Contractor directly from Mineral Resources Survey Program Sample Control, Building 20, Denver Federal Center, Denver, Colorado. All solid samples will be physically prepared (ground) to the necessary USGS sample preparation standards prior to shipment and will be containerized with each sample having a USGS assigned identification number and a chain of custody sheet. All water samples will be preserved before shipment according to method protocols. The chain of custody process will be used to maintain a paper trail for the samples, and the term should not be construed as requiring the level of chain of custody necessary for evidentiary samples. The USGS ID number shall be retained and used on all records pertaining to the sample. This does not preclude the Contractor from assigning their own accession or laboratory number to the sample. The chain of custody sheet will also specify the determinations to be performed on each sample. The Contractor shall record the date and time of sample receipt. The USGS Technical Liaison shall be informed immediately of any problems by telephone or by electronic communications. The USGS Technical Liaison shall also be sent an electronic acknowledgment of the receipt of samples indicating the USGS job number, the Contractor's assigned job number, the analyses requested for the samples, the date of receipt, and any comments concerning the condition of the samples or problems encountered. 1.6 The Contractor shall maintain an internal tracking procedure to ensure accountability of the samples and the data at all times. 1.7 Samples sent to the Contractor's laboratory shall be analyzed in order of receipt (i.e., first in, first out) unless alternate instructions are received in writing from the Technical Liaison 1.8 The Contractor shall follow similar methodologies specified in the Section 4, or where indicated, an identical method shall be performed. 1.9 The Contractor shall have fully documented Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all methods and procedures run in the laboratory. SOPs shall be provided to the USGS after the contract has been awarded. 1.10 The Contractor shall conduct and document a Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) Program for all laboratory work performed pursuant to this contract. This QA/QC Program shall comply with the quality control requirements specified by the contract. 1.11 All specific QA/QC procedures prescribed (Section 2) shall be strictly adhered to by the Contractor. Failure to observe QA/QC requirements will be grounds for default of contract. Records documenting the use of the QA/QC protocol shall be maintained and reported in accordance with Section 6 and 7. 1.12 The Contractor shall have access to analytical instrumentation to meet all of the terms and conditions of the contract. The Contractor shall provide adequate instrument redundancy to ensure that enough operating units may reasonably be expected to be available at all times. The Contractor shall maintain all analytical equipment allocated for this contract at the time of award. 1.13 The Contractor shall appoint a professional analytical chemist(s) who shall have: 1) direct control over the analyses to be performed 2) be available to handle non-routine analytical problems if encountered 3) advise USGS Technical Liaison in the set-up of projects which will meet regulatory requirements and 4) work directly with the Technical Liaison for the USGS. 1.14 The Contractor shall communicate with USGS personnel by telephone or by electronic communications, as necessary throughout the process of sample shipment, analysis and data reporting to ensure that samples are properly processed. This shall include immediately notifying (within 48 hours) the Technical Liaison of any problems encountered in sample analyses that will affect the quality of the data produced, and laboratory conditions that impact on the timeliness of analyses and data reporting. If for any reason a valid analysis cannot be performed on a sample submitted by the USGS, the Contractor shall notify the USGS immediately (within 48 hours). All verbal notifications between the USGS and the Contractor shall be followed by a written notification. 1.15 Following sample analysis, the Contractor shall perform data reduction and shall provide a report on the analytical activities, sample data and quality control documentation as designated in Section 6 and 7. 1.16 Samples shall be analyzed and the data returned to the USGS and received by the Technical Liaison within 30 days of the time of sample receipt by the Contractor. 1.17 Any unused portion of the sample remaining after completion of analysis shall be properly stored by the Contractor for 3 years following submission of the data report to the USGS. When that time interval has passed, both the sample and the sample container shall be disposed of properly at Contractor's expense. It shall be the sole responsibility of the Contractor to ensure that all applicable regulations are followed in the disposal of samples or related chemicals. If the USGS should request return of a sample(s) prior to the expiration of the 3 year interval, it shall be returned at USGS expense in a manner that meets DOT regulations. 1.18 The Contractor shall establish a system of security and safeguarding that shall prevent analytical data, which shall be government property, from being released to unauthorized persons. 1.19 The Technical Liaison or his/her representative shall have access to the laboratory at all reasonable times for inspection purposes to observe sample analyses and ensure compliance with contract requirements. 1.20 No sample testing shall be done other than that cited on the request form without written confirmation from the Technical Liaison. 2 Internal Quality Control 2.1 The Contractor shall conduct and document a Quality Assurance Program (QAP) for all laboratory work performed pursuant to this contract with the objective of providing sound analytical chemical measurements. The QAP shall incorporate the quality control procedures, any necessary corrective action, all documentation required during data collection and all quality assessment measures performed by management to ensure acceptable data production. The laboratory QA/QC plans are subject to review and approval by the USGS. 2.2 The laboratory shall prepare Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all methods and procedures performed in the laboratory. SOPs shall provide clear and comprehensive directions for the step- by-step execution of an operation, analysis, or action which is commonly accepted as the method for performing certain routine or repetitive tasks. SOPs shall be provided to the Technical Liaison after the contract has been awarded. 2.3 The laboratory shall identify control parameters for each analytical method and shall experimentally establish control limits. The laboratory-derived control limits will be used in all USGS approved Quality Assurance Project Plans and must be used as long as the plans are applicable. The laboratory shall follow control measurements to detect trends and out-of-limit values by the use of control charts. Specifically, a "trend" is six points in a row steadily increasing or decreasing; a "run" is nine points in a row on one side of the mean. The laboratory shall re-evaluate control limits at regular intervals. Records of these activities shall be maintained by the laboratory. 2.4 The laboratory performing analyses required by this contract shall be subject to periodic audits by the USGS, and/or its impartial representative to ensure that the systems and procedures described in the Contractor's QAP are actually operational and in conformance with contract requirements. 2.5 QC samples (e.g. laboratory control spikes, blanks, matrix spikes, matrix spike duplicates, external control materials, etc.) shall be included with the analyses of all samples. At a minimum, the laboratory shall analyze the QC samples specified at the frequency indicated in section C.4.6. The Contractor may supplement the QC samples required by the terms of this contract to ensure accurate and precise data. 2.6 Reanalysis or confirmatory analysis may be required by the USGS when anomalous results are reported by the Contractor. The Contractor shall pay for the rerun if the new value is outside of the 2 sigma error of the first value, and the USGS will pay for the rerun if the rerun value lies within the 2 sigma error of the first value. 2.7 Corrective actions shall be implemented whenever QC sample results exceed control limits. All corrective actions shall be documented, the records maintained by the laboratory, and reported in the narrative portion of the data report. 2.8 Laboratory control samples (LCS) shall be used to control the analytical process. Whenever an analyte in a LCS does not meet acceptance criteria, the problem shall be resolved and the analytical system restored to normal before further samples are analyzed. A senior chemist shall evaluate the problem and, if in his or her opinion re-analyses is not required (the problem does not affect the integrity of the data for the samples) or not possible (e.g. insufficient sample), the data shall be qualified. If the samples must be reanalyzed because the quality of the data for an analyte is compromised, the Technical Liaison shall be informed of the problem as soon as possible so that the need to collect another sample can be evaluated. 3 External Quality Control 3.1 Ten percent of samples delivered to the Contractor shall be USGS blind quality assurance samples consisting of reference materials, duplicate samples and blanks. 3.2 The results of the analyses of the standard reference materials and duplicate samples will be closely monitored by the USGS. If the known standard mean value does not fall within the calculated 2 sigma error range of the reported mean value, immediate corrective action shall be taken by the Contractor upon notification by the Technical Liaison. 3.3 When the unacceptable data are reported to the USGS and are recognized, the Contractor shall be notified by the Technical Liaison to halt the flow of samples through the part of the system which yielded the erroneous values. Causes of the unacceptable data shall then be determined and reported to the Technical Liaison by the Contractor. 3.4 Further analyses, after the Contractor's receipt of a notice to halt further testing by the USGS for quality assurance purposes, shall be resumed by the Contractor only with consent of the Technical Liaison. Samples analyzed after the last acceptable control sample and before the shutdown shall be re-analyzed at the Contractor's expense. 3.5 The USGS may request rerun analyses on up to ten percent of the yearly sample total. The cost of requested reruns shall be paid by the Contractor if the new value is outside of the 2 sigma error of the first value, and by the USGS if the rerun value lies within the 2 sigma error of the first value. 4 Methods of Analysis 4.1 Methods of analysis shall be equivalent to the methods listed in this contract or conform to identical methods where specified. 4.2 The analytical methods shall not be changed during the life of the contract without the written approval of the Technical Liaison. A full and immediate description of the proposed change shall be sent to the Technical Liaison in writing prior to any change and approved by the Technical Liaison prior to any change. 4.3 The suitability of the Contractor's methods shall be established by demonstration of ability to provide analyses of the required accuracy (as determined by analysis of standards), precision (as determined by replicate analyses) and detection level (as determined by low level standards). Limits of determination are indicated in Section 4.7 under the method summary of each analytical method. 4.4 Specific requirements pertaining to method of analysis, detection level, accuracy, precision, error and reporting units are specified in Section 4.7 for each method of analysis. Each method has been notated as having to be similar in terms of the method summary provided or identical to the method provided. Similar methods are expected to meet or exceed the number of elements, accuracy, precision, and lower limit of determination benchmarks. 4.5 The USGS has the right to specify and change, if necessary, the number of significant figures to be used in reporting. This information will be provided, in writing, to the Contractor by the Technical Liaison. 4.6 Minimum Quality control requirements for all analytical methods shall include the following: one analytical blank per 20 samples, one well characterized standard reference material (SRM) per 20 samples (SRM should be a matrix similar to the unknowns), one analytical duplicate per 20 samples, and one sample duplicate per 20 samples. USGS makes no implied or in fact contract by issuing this Sources Sought announcement. Acknowledgement of receipt of responses will not be made, nor will respondents be notified of the USGS's view of the information received. Material that requires a non-disclosure agreement or that may be business sensitive will not be accepted. Please note that responses to this notice will not be returned. Contracting Office Address: USGS OAG DENVER ACQUISITION BRANCH PO BOX 25046 204 DENVER FEDERAL CENTER DENVER CO 80225-0046 US Point of Contact(s): Timothy Bertsch