03 Sol 1305M224R0017 Amend 3 Att F Questions and Answers.pdf

Attachment F

Questions and Answers

Question 1

Do we (bidders) have the option to modify the SCHEDULE OF PRICES spreadsheet by inserting new line items that are required for the mussel watch program? We feel this is important since some preparation services are not shown on the price schedule. Additionally, some items (ie tissue or sediment organics) are actually a combination of several analyses.

Separating the tests into different line items would give NOAA the option to choose each analyses separately.

Answer

Offerors shall not deviate from the schedule of prices provided. Revised Attachment B Price

Schedule is provided as part of Amendment 0003.

Question 2

There appears to be a discrepancy in the list of required compounds that are currently being collected as part of the mussel watch program vs. the list of compounds that are referenced in the tender documents. Can you please clarify?

Answer

As part of this amendment, the Government has revised Attachment A SOW and Attachment B

Price Schedule.

Question 3

The current annual NOAA mussel watch program seems to be much more extensive than the 45 sites mentioned on the Schedule of Prices (15 each for East Coast, West Coast, and Gulf). Is

NOAA considering contracting a portion of the sampling? If so, Table 1 on Page 6 of the SOW breaks out the % of walk-up sites vs. boat accessible sites, based on the previous 300+ mussel watch locations. Do those percentages apply to the 45 sites that would be subcontracted? In other words, how many of the subcontracted sites would be boat accessible vs walkup? There are considerable cost differences if the offeror needs to supply the boat for sampling.

Answer

The Statement of Work (SOW) has been updated in Amendment 0003 to remove the sampling requirements.

Question 4

Is NOAA considering contracting a portion of the sample collection, or is it “all or nothing”? In other words, is it possible that NOAA would only request that a few of the 45 sites be collected?

The current sampling program seems to be much larger so we're not sure if the quantities mentioned in the pricing spreadsheet are correct.

Answer

The SOW has been updated in Amendment 0003 to remove the sampling requirements.

Question 5

The price table mentions mussel collection for the East, Gulf, and West however, for the Great

Lakes, it only requests “Field Sample Processing”. Can you clarify the difference, what is involved, skill set required, and how much time would be required for the processing?

Question 6

Since NOAA is one of the offeror's primary clients for the types of analyses mentioned in the

RFP, would it be appropriate for the offeror to request NOAA to complete the “Past Performance

Questionnaire” form?

Answer

As stated in the solicitation, “If a Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System

(CPARS) rating is completed within three years, then the offeror shall NOT send the

Attachment E Past Performance Questionnaire to those Government and commercial activities. If a CPARS rating is not completed, the offeror shall complete blocks 1-4 for every

Contract Reference in Attachment E Past Performance Questionnaire in addition to the requested information above. The offeror is required to send Attachment E Past Performance

Questionnaire and Attachment D Past Performance Information Form (not included in page count) to those Government and commercial activities provided by the offeror in their submission and e-mail the completed Past Performance Questionnaire directly to Spencer

Matsushima at spencer.matsushima@noaa.gov only if a CPARS rating has NOT been completed within three years of the completion of performance for the past performance reference by the due date of this solicitation. Past Performance Questionnaire’s shall be completed by Government or commercial activities and Past Performance Questionnaire’s received directly from the offeror as part of their proposal will not be evaluated.”

Therefore, if NOAA has not completed a CPARS for the project, then it is appropriate for the offeror to request NOAA to complete the PPQ.

Question 7

Although the offeror has submitted the “Past Performance Questionnaire” form to numerous clients, requesting completion as soon as possible, we are not in a position to mandate the completion. In fact, one client has informed us that completing such forms violates their company policy. In the event that the questionnaires are not returned before the RFP deadline, should we request an extension for submission? Or should we submit the RFP without the questionnaires?

Answer

Past Performance Questionnaires shall be returned directly to Spencer Matsushima and Heather

Coleman, as listed in the solicitation. Should the questionnaire not be received, the Contracting

Officer will make an attempt to contact the POC referenced in the Past Performance Information

Form. Only the Past Performance Information Form shall be submitted by the Offeror. As stated in the solicitation, "Past Performance Questionnaires shall be completed by Government or commercial activities and Past Performance Questionnaires received directly from the offeror as part of their proposal will not be evaluated.”

Question 8

We are unable to obtain fixed pricing for some of the subcontracted analyses due to insufficient information from NOAA. In order to obtain a fixed quotation, we will need to know the specifics that are required from the analyses (ie method name, MDL, and compound suite). In the absence of this information, is it ok if we use the comment “TBD – to be determined” in our offer on the

Schedule of Prices?

Answer

“TBD” is not permissible in the schedule of prices. As stated in the solicitation, "The offeror shall include the unit price and total amount for each item in the pricing schedule, for each of the five twelve-month pricing periods." Failure to include pricing for any of the services requested will render the offer nonresponsive and the offeror ineligible for award.

Question 9

In the absence of the answers to the questions posed above, should we request an extension for submittal until these questions can be resolved?

Please see Amendment 0002 which extends the closing date to the solicitation to May 24, 2024.

Question 10

The SOW has a broad range of services. Is it NOAA’s intent to have a single award or to award multiple contracts based on expertise?

The Government intends to issue a single-award IDIQ contract resulting from this solicitation.

Question 11

It is not possible to determine a firm-fixed-price for sampling with the variability in requirements listed in the SOW and the uncertainty on the scale of sampling required. For example:

SOW Section 1.2. Task Description (p.3) states that "Secondarily, NCCOS may contract all or a portion of field sampling activities, particularly for Mussel Watch. SOW Mussel Watch sampling

(p.6) states that "*Note: This information is a summary of all of the Mussel Watch sites.

Currently all Mussel Watch samples are collected by NCCOS personnel and collaborating organizations. It is anticipated that these arrangements shall continue into the future."

Consequently, it is difficult for offerors to determine potential sample collection costs, particularly as they need estimate costs for staff training, permitting, and logistics:

● Training (SOW Section 2 Field Sampling (p. 4) "NCCOS may choose to require training for new field crews or in the event that new protocols are required for either standard

NS&T programs or Special Studies."

● Permitting costs (SOW Permits and Permissions (p.4) "The contractor shall be solely responsible for timely submission of permit applications, permit fees, and end of permit reporting"

● Logistics (SOW Mussel Watch sampling (p.5) "Field crews shall access Mussel Watch sites by the best practical means, which may include automobile (walk-up sites), boat, or aircraft."

Questions:

1. Would the government provide at least historical information of the locations and the requirements for training, permitting, and logistics for each.

2. Would the government consider removing sampling (items 34 -40) from the pricing schedule, or at least indicate TBD (to be determined) and issue separate Task Orders under the contract, with additional details, if and when sampling is needed.

3. Appendix 1. MWP Target Collection Dates: Would the government please clarify the years for these collections.

Answer:

1. The SOW has been updated in Amendment 0003 to remove the sampling requirements.

2. The SOW has been updated in Amendment 0003 to remove the sampling requirements.

3. The SOW has been updated in Amendment 0003 to remove the sampling requirements.

Question 12

All the services defined in the SOW are not reflected in Attachment B: Schedule of Prices. How will the Government address these services?

Answer

Amendment 0003 updates the SOW to remove Histopath requirements, and updates Attachment

B: Schedule of Prices to include additional analytes.

Question 13

Does every line item in Attachment B need to be bid on?

Answer

Offerors shall not leave any blanks in Attachment B: Schedule of Prices. As stated in the solicitation, "The offeror shall include the unit price and total amount for each item in the pricing schedule, for each of the five twelve-month pricing periods." Failure to include pricing for any of the services requested will render the offer nonresponsive and the offeror ineligible for award.

Question 14

Will offerors have the opportunity to submit follow-up questions after these questions are answered?

Answer

The question deadline has passed. Answering untimely questions is at the discretion of the

Contracting Officer and is not guaranteed.

Question 15

There are no PCB and Pesticides on the pricing sheet, unless they are a part of the (organic compound list)?

Answer

Attachment B: Schedule of Prices has been updated in Amendment 0003 to include additional items.

Question 16

Microplastics/Nanoparticles are discussed in SOW (page 3) but not on the price sheet.

Answer

Question 17 n-alkanes, Pristane and Phytane are not included in the price sheet.

Answer

Question 18

SOW Section 2.3. Sample Collecting and Processing, (p. 7). What happens to the field data which is collected. Does that need to be uploaded into the EDD?

Question 19

SOW Section 2.3. Sample Collecting and Processing, (p. 7). Does Chlorophyll A analysis need to be performed on the filter?

Question 20

SOW Section 2.3. Sample Collecting and Processing, (p. 8) describes Total Organic Carbon

(TOC)/Total Inorganic Carbon (TIC) analysis, but the price sheet only requests TOC. Please clarify.

Question 21

SOW Section 2.3. Sample Collecting and Processing, (p. 8) describes Toxicity and Bioassay sampling and analysis. This analytical is not in the SOW. Please clarify.

Question 22

SOW Section 2.3. Sample Collecting and Processing, (p. 8) Table 3- Histopathology and

Biomarker/Geonomics is presented but not listed in the price sheet. Please clarify.

Question 23

SOW Section 3.1 (p. 11). The request for the reanalysis cost and sending samples to a referee lab needs further definition. Please clarify.

Answer

The Government reserves the right to request a re-analysis of the samples, per Section 3.3, and shall come at no cost to the Government, per Section 3.1. Furthermore, the SOW has been updated in Amendment 0003 to remove the reference to a referee lab.

Question 24

SOW Section 3.1 (p. 14). There is a requirement for RM or SRM in batches. The costs are challenging to estimate without an accurate estimate of the batch size.

Per SOW Section 3.2.1, batch sizes are 20 or fewer field samples.

Question 25

SOW Section 3.2.7 (p. 15). Histopathology isn't in the price sheet.

The SOW has been updated in Amendment 0003 to remove the Histopath requirements.

Question 26

SOW Section 3.2.8 Bioassay (p. 17) isn't in the price sheet.

Answer

Question 27

Table 10. Organics (p.19) list PCB Congeners. PCB Congeners is not described in the SOW in any other location or on the price sheet. Please confirm that the method is the NOAA Status and

Trends Method for Congeners and not EPA Method 1668 for PCB Congeners.

The method to be utilized is the NOAA Status and Trends Method for congeners.

Question 28

Retaining all sample containers for 5 years can be very expensive. Is the Government investigating an alternative storage option?

The Government is not investigating alternative storage options at this time.

Question 29

A number of the services requested in Attachment B require clarification. Please see our list of

Attachment B Questions in the table below.

Listed in

SOW

Item Service

Requested

Yes No

Attachment B Questions Answers

1 Tissue organics X Unsure what the definition is for

'organics' testing. Need specifications on which tests are to be included.

Attachment B: Schedule of Prices has been updated in Amendment

0003 to include break-out the components for organics.

2 Sediment organics

X Unsure what the definition is for

'organics' testing. Need specifications on which tests are to be included.

Attachment B: Schedule of Prices has been updated in Amendment

0003 to include break-out the components for organics.

3 Passive organics X SOW included multiple Passive

Sampler, each of which require different materials, equipment to be purchased/rented, and different targeted analytes, and Quality

Control requirements. The literature does not state that all passive samplers are for all 'organic' constituents. Need further specification on which passive sampler, for which organics, with which QC requirements.

Passive samplers will be purchased and deployed by

NCCOS. The contractor shall analyze the sampler material for the contaminants accumulated.

The likely passive samplers will be POCIS, SPMDs and silicon bands. There may be others identified at a later time in the future.

4 Sediment

Alkylated PAHs

X The list in the SOW has Petroleum and combustion Products, and the list is for PAH/aPAHs and

Biomarkers. Does this list include all of these compounds as well

Alkylated and aliphatic PAHs are included in the list.

5 Tissue Alkylated

PAHs

X The list in the SOW has Petroleum and combustion Products, and the list is for PAH/aPAHs and

Biomarkers. Does this list include all of these compounds as well

Alkylated and aliphatic PAHs are included in the list.

6 Passive

Alkylated PAHs

X The list in the SOW has Petroleum and combustion Products, and the list is for PAH/aPAHs and

Biomarkers. Does this list include all of these compounds as well?

Request the specification of which passive sampler and which QC requirements for PAH/aPAH analysis.

Alkylated and aliphatic PAHs are included in the list. The SOW has been updated in Amendment 0003 to remove any inclusion of passive samplers. NCCOS will purchase and deploy the passive samplers and the contractor will still have to perform analyses on them.

7 Tissue Furans and Dioxins

X No question posed.

8 Sediment Furans and Dioxins

X No question posed.

9 Passive Furans and Dioxins

X Request the specification of which passive sampler and which QC requirements for Dioxin/Furan analysis.

The SOW has been updated in

Amendment 0003 to remove any inclusion of passive samplers.

NCCOS will purchase and deploy the passive samplers and the contractor will still have to perform analyses on them.

10 Tissue

Brominated flame retardants

X No question posed.

11 Sediment

Brominated flame retardants

X No question posed.

12 Passive

Brominated flame retardants

X Request the specification of which passive sampler and which QC requirements for Dioxin/Furan analysis.

The SOW has been updated in

Amendment 0003 to remove any inclusion of passive samplers.

NCCOS will purchase and deploy the passive samplers and the contractor will still have to perform analyses on them.

13 Tissue PFOS, PFOA, PFHA

X On page 13 of the SOW, there is an extended list of PFAS compounds listed. On this table there are only 3 compounds listed. What is actually required?

The 28 PFAS compounds are in the Table 3 of the SOW.

14 Sediment PFOS, PFOA, PFHA

X On page 13 of the SOW, there is an extended list of PFAS compounds listed. On this table there are only 3 compounds listed. What is actually required?

The 28 PFAS compounds are in the Table 3 of the SOW.

15 Passive PFOS, PFOA, PFHA

X Request the specification of which passive sampler and which QC requirements for PFOA, PFOS and

PFHA analysis.

The SOW has been updated in

Amendment 0003 to remove any inclusion of passive samplers.

NCCOS will purchase and deploy the passive samplers and the contractor will still have to perform analyses on them.

16 Tissue Butyltins X No question posed.

17 Sediment

Butyltins

X No question posed.

18 Passive Butyltins X Request the specification of which passive sampler and which QC requirements for butyl tins analysis.

The SOW has been updated in

Amendment 0003 to remove any inclusion of passive samplers.

NCCOS will purchase and deploy the passive samplers and the contractor will still have to perform analyses on them.

19 Tissue Metals X No question posed.

20 Sediment Metals X There was no reference in the SOW for Sediment SEM. Please provide more detail

Assuming that this question applies to “Sediment SEM” and vice versa, the specific method is not provided for this item - all analyses are performance-based.

21 Sediment SEM X Please specify in more detail what is required for this analysis.

Attachment B: Schedule of Prices has been updated in Amendment

0003 to remove Sediment SEM.

22 Shell Length and

Volume

X No question posed.

23 Wet and Dry

Weights of

Tissue

X Need clarification on what this means. Do we take a 10g samples and get the wet weight and they get

The contractor shall provide to

NCCOS the wet and dry weight of the sample. Line 25 is for dry the dry weight? How is this different than line 25?

weight of sediment. Aliquots of each homogenate sample are used to measure per cent dry material and per cent moisture content.

Line 23 is for tissue and Line 25 is for sediment.

24 Lipid Content of

Tissues

X No question posed.

25 Dry Weight X No question posed.

26 C. perfringens X No question posed.

27 Grain Size X No question posed.

28 Grain Size -extended phi size reporting

X Unsure what this means?

Laboratories support specific methods, with define reporting structures.

Attachment B: Schedule of Prices has been updated in Amendment

0003 to remove this analysis.

29 Total Organic

Carbon

X The SOW has been updated in

Amendment 0003 to provide clarification in section 3.2.6.

30 Total Carbonate X Attachment B: Schedule of Prices has been updated in Amendment

0003 to rename this analysis to

Total Inorganic Carbon.

31 Nutrients X No question posed.

32 Water Caffeine and Sucralose

X No question posed.

33 Water Total

Suspended

Solids

X No question posed.

34 Mussel

Collections East

X The SOW has been updated in

Amendment 0003 to remove the sampling requirements.

35 Mussel

Collections Gulf

X The SOW has been updated in

Amendment 0003 to remove the sampling requirements.

36 Mussel

Collections West

X The SOW has been updated in

Amendment 0003 to remove the sampling requirements.

37 Great Lakes

Field Sample

Processing

X The SOW has been updated in

Amendment 0003 to remove the sampling requirements.

38 Sediment

Collections East

X The SOW has been updated in

Amendment 0003 to remove the sampling requirements.

39 Sediment

Collection Gulf

X The SOW has been updated in

Amendment 0003 to remove the sampling requirements.

40 Sediment

Collections West

X The SOW has been updated in

Amendment 0003 to remove the sampling requirements.

41 QA Meeting X Requires further definition. Attachment B: Schedule of Prices has been updated in Amendment

0003 to remove this analysis.

42 Organic

Intercalibration

X Please specify in more detail what is required for this analysis.

The laboratory analyzing samples on the Mussel Watch samples participates in periodic intercalibration exercises where common samples are analyzed by different laboratories, to assess the accuracy and precision of each lab's analyses. Additional details can be found in the report "Quality

Assurance Project Trace Organic

Intercomparison Exercise Results

1986 – 1990.”

43 Trace Metal

Intercalibration

X Please specify in more detail what is required for this analysis.

The laboratory analyzing samples on the Mussel Watch samples participates in periodic intercalibration exercises where common samples are analyzed by different laboratories, to assess the accuracy and precision of each lab's analyses.

44 Tissue Personal

Care &

Pharmaceuticals

X Please define what the compound list is for this category.

The SOW has been updated in

Amendment 0003 to add the specified compounds in Appendix

1.

45 Sediment

Personal Care &

Pharmaceuticals

X Please define what the compound list is for this category.

The SOW has been updated in

Amendment 0003 to add the specified compounds in Appendix

1.

46 Passive Personal

Care &

Pharmaceuticals

X Please define what the compound list is for this category.

The SOW has been updated in

Amendment 0003 to add the specified compounds in Appendix

1.

47 Hormones (add on to lines 55, 56, and 57)

X Please define what the compound list is for this category.

The SOW has been updated in

Amendment 0003 to add the specified compounds in Appendix

1.

48 Tissue Current

Use Pesticides

X Please define what the compound list is for this category.

The SOW has been updated in

Amendment 0003 to add the specified compounds in Appendix

3.

49 Sediment

Current Use

Pesticides

X Please define what the compound list is for this category.

The SOW has been updated in

Amendment 0003 to add the specified compounds in Appendix

3.

50 Passive Current

Use Pesticides

X Please define what the compound list is for this category.

The SOW has been updated in

Amendment 0003 to add the specified compounds in Appendix

3.

51 Tissue

Alkylphenols

X The SOW has been updated in

Amendment 0003 to add the specified compounds in Appendix

2.

52 Sediment

Alkylphenols

X The SOW has been updated in

Amendment 0003 to add the specified compounds in Appendix

2.

53 Passive

Alkylphenols

X The SOW has been updated in

Amendment 0003 to add the specified compounds in Appendix

2.

54 Tissue

Glutathione

X These are not traditional environmental tests and we are unsure what the analytical methods/instrumentation or data reporting is required.

Metabolomic and Lipidomics measures allow the assessment toxicity induced stress and organel damages in organism's tissue exposed to oxidative stresses. As part of the metabolomics analyses, the offeror could be required to conduct Glutathione and Lipid

Peroxidase biomarker assays on tissue samples. The SOW has been updated in Amendment 0003 to add a list of metabolomics and

Lidomics in Appendix 4.

55 Tissue Lipid

Peroxidation

X

56 Tissue

Acetylcholineste rase

X

57 Tissue Total

Protein analysis

X

58 Tissue Targeted

Metabolomics

X

59 Tissue Non-

Targeted

Metabolomics

X

60 DNA damage X

61 EDD Reporting X No question posed.

62 Tissue Methyl-mercury

X No question posed.

63 Sediment

Methyl-mercury

X No question posed.

64 Full Scan

Investigation*

X Additional detail on how to execute this is required to provide a price.

The SOW has been updated in

Amendment 0003 to add details on

Full Scan Investigations in section

3.2.9.

65 Omics analysis X This is not a traditional environmental test and we are unsure what the analytical methods/instrumentation or data reporting is required.

Metabolomic and Lipidomics measures allow the assessment toxicity induced stress and organel damages in organism's tissue exposed to oxidative stresses. As part of the metabolomics analyses, the offeror could be required to conduct Glutathione and Lipid

Peroxidase biomarker assays on tissue samples. The SOW has been updated in Amendment 0003 to add a list of metabolomics and

Lidomics in Appendix 4.

66 Packing Fee X Needs further definition Packing fees are charged per container forwarded to an outside laboratory for specialized analyses, and added to section 3.1 of the SOW.

67 Processing Fee X Needs further definition Processing fees are charged for aliquoting sample and glassware costs, and added to section 3.1 of the SOW.