262830RM_Project_Documents.pdf

INVITATION FOR BIDS (“IFB”) - PART I

IFB #: 262830RM

IFB TITLE: LABORATORY TESTING SERVICES CATEGORIES I, II, III

1.0 PURPOSE

Sarasota County (“County”), a political subdivision of the State of Florida, will receive bids on the date indicated in OpenGov Procurement (“OpenGov”), the County’s electronic procurement portal, for the purpose of selecting one or more supplier(s) to provide laboratory testing for water, wastewater, stormwater, and solid waste systems for the County. The scope of services includes, but is not limited to, laboratory testing; drinking water permit compliance; microbiology testing; inorganics testing; nutrients testing; metals testing; and solid waste permit compliance, as stated herein.

Bidders are required to comply with Part II, Scope of Services.

OpenGov is located at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/scgov

2.0 BIDDER

2.1 For the purpose of this IFB, the term “Bidder” (also identified as “Offeror”) is defined as the legal entity submitting a bid and/or identified on the electronic bid submittal.

2.2 Bidders intending to submit a bid as a joint venture with another company must provide documentation attesting to the formation of that joint venture with their bid submittal. For purposes of this solicitation, all vendors who make up the joint venture will be considered together as the Bidder.

2.2.1. Bidders proposing to engage in construction contracting as a joint venture or partnership must apply for registration with the State of Florida, Department of Business and Professional Regulation and any other state or local licensing agencies, as required by Florida State Statute 489.119, prior to the date bids are due.

3.0 QUALIFICATIONS

3.1 Category 1

3.1.1. Required Experience for Category 1:

a. Bidder must provide two (2) verifiable commercial, industrial, institutional, or governmental references that demonstrate the bidder has performed a minimum of 700 of the types of tests described in the Category 1 Pricing Table and submitted to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) in the Automated Data Processing Tool (ADaPT) electronic format within the twelve (12) months preceding the date of this bid opening.

b. Additionally, each reference must verify field sampling was https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/scgov provided according to the FDEP current Field Standard Operating procedures within the past five (5) years.

c. Only references submitted at the time of bid submittal in the format specified by the County will be used to verify qualifications have been met for Category 1.

3.1.2. Required Certifications for Category 1

a. Bidder (or its subcontractors) must be certified through the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) Environmental Laboratory Certification Program (ELCP) Certification for the testing of each Analyte item listed on the Category 1 Pricing Table. Proof of certification is demonstrated through copies of the FDOH certificates with the Laboratory Scope of Accreditation.

b. Failure to submit proof of required certifications within three (3) business days after request from the County may result in bidder being declared non-responsive.

3.2 Category 2

3.2.1. Required Experience for Category 2

a. Bidder must provide two (2) verifiable references that demonstrate the bidder has performed a minimum of 6,000 of the types of tests described in the Category 2 Pricing Table within the twelve (12) months preceding the date of this bid opening. References shall verify bidder has submitted at least 3,000 tests in the Florida DEP ADaPT electronic format.

b. Each reference must verify field sampling services were provided according to the FDEP current Field Standard Operating Procedures references within the past five (5) years.

c. Only references submitted at the time of bid submittal in the format specified by the County will be used to verify qualifications have been met for Category 2.

3.2.2. Required Certifications for Category 2

a. Bidder (or its subcontractors) must be certified through the FDOH ELCP Certification for the testing of each Analyte item listed on the Category 2 Pricing Table. Proof of certification is demonstrated through copies of the FDOH certificates with the Laboratory Scope of Accreditation.

b. Failure to submit proof of required certifications within three (3) business days after request from the County may result in bidder being declared non-responsive.

3.3 Category 3

3.3.1. Required Experience for Category 3

a. Bidder must provide two (2) verifiable references that demonstrate the bidder has performed a minimum of 6,000 of the types of tests described in the Category 3 Pricing Table, within the prior twelve (12) months preceding the date of this bid opening.

b. Each reference must verify field sampling services were provided according to the FDEP current Field Standard Operating Procedures within the past five (5) years.

c. Only references submitted at the time of bid submittal in the format specified by the County will be used to verify qualifications have been met for Category 3.

3.3.2. Required Certifications for Category 3

a. Bidder (or its subcontractors) must be certified through the FDOH ELCP Certification for the testing of each Analyte item listed on the Category 3 Pricing Table. Proof of certification is demonstrated through copies of the FDOH certificates with the Laboratory Scope of Accreditation.

b. Failure to submit proof of required certifications within three (3) business days after request from the County may result in bidder being declared non-responsive.

4.0 ALTERNATES

4.1 Unless otherwise specifically provided in Part II of this IFB, reference to any equipment, material, article or patented process, by trade name, brand name, make or catalog number, shall be regarded as establishing a minimum standard of quality and shall not be construed as limiting competition.

4.2 Category 3 only - Contractor has the option of offering an equivalent National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Conference (NELAC) certified method that will not excessively reduce the ability of previous data to be analyzed in concert with a new proposed method.

4.3 To propose an alternate NELAC certified method Contractor shall submit the following information before the bid Question and Answer deadline identified in OpenGov:

4.3.1. Identify the alternate method to be used.

4.3.2. Provide a detailed, step-by-step sequence of proposed

procedures used by the Contractor in analyzing the parameters.

4.3.3. Provide assurance through a detailed explanation and comparison with corresponding data that the alternate method will produce results consistent with the results from the method specified in the Pricing Table and will not result in discontinuous step functions, errors in trend analysis, or an increase in the method detection limit.

4.4 Alternate methods may be acceptable if, in the sole opinion of the County, they are comparable to those specified. The County will reply in writing within 7 days of submittal to each alternate method submitted to allow or deny its acceptance. If accepted, the alternate method must be noted on the contract fee schedule.

4.4.1. If an alternate method is proposed and accepted by the County, the approved method is the method the Bidder must supply for the duration of the agreement unless the Bidder submits a written request for a change to be approved by the County.

4.5 To be considered, substitutions must be submitted to the Procurement Contact listed in OpenGov no later than the Question Submission deadline listed in OpenGov. Substitutions must be identified by alternate method to be used and shall include full descriptive information as identified in Section 4.3 above. The County shall respond via addendum in OpenGov indicating whether the substitution has been approved or denied.

4.6 A bid containing a substitution that has not been approved by the County shall be disqualified.

5.0 PRE-BID MEETINGS

In the event a meeting and/or site visit is scheduled it will take place at the time, date, and location specified in the Solicitation Timeline posted in OpenGov.

6.0 SUBMITTAL INSTRUCTIONS

Refer to the Submittal Instructions section in OpenGov for instructions on how to submit a bid. Bidders are advised to review the General Terms and Conditions of Solicitations which are available in OpenGov.

7.0 SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS

7.1 Vendor Questionnaire

All bidders must complete the required forms and information included in the Vendor Questionnaire section of OpenGov. Completed forms and other requested documents must be uploaded with bidder’s response in OpenGov. Bidders who fail to complete and upload required forms and documents or fail to provide responses to questions in the Vendor Questionnaire section of OpenGov may be found non-responsive.

7.2 Pricing

All bidders must complete the Pricing Table provided in OpenGov.

Bidders who fail to fully complete the pricing table in OpenGov may be found non-responsive.

8.0 AWARD

It is the intent of the County to award a contract to the responsive and responsible bidder(s) submitting the lowest price per category. Unless otherwise noted, bidders must submit a price for every line item in a category to be considered for award of that category. The County reserves the right to make multiple awards per category.

8.1 In the event of a tie, the IFB tie-breaking procedures identified in the Sarasota County Procurement Manual will apply.

8.1.1. To be considered, tied bidders will be required to provide documentation certifying they have implemented a drug-free workplace program meeting the requirements stipulated in Section 287.087, Florida Statutes. Documentation must be provided within the time specified by the County at the time of request.

8.2 Multiple Awards

8.2.1. After identifying the lowest responsive and responsible bidder in accordance with the Bid Award criteria as listed above, offers will be made to the next responsive and responsible bidder(s) in the order of their submitted Total Bid Price from lowest to highest for each category until the desired number of contracts (Maximum of 2 per category) is reached.

8.3 Preferences

Bidders wishing to be considered for Local Business Preference or American Business Preference must complete and submit a Local & American Business Certification Form with their submittal. The Local & American Business Certification Form can be found in the Vendor Questionnaire section of OpenGov.

In awarding this bid, preference shall be given to local businesses and American businesses in accordance with Section 2-215 of the Sarasota County Procurement Code.

Local and American business preferences do not apply in the award of this bid due to grant funding requirements

8.4 Contract

A draft of the contract that the successful bidder(s) will be expected to sign (a Term Contract) is posted on the Procurement website shown below. The County may, at its sole discretion, select a different contract type or make revisions to the one referenced above following the recommended award of this solicitation.

https://www.scgov.net/government/procurement/contract-templates

9.0 PRICING

9.1 As applicable, all trip charges, mileage, vehicle charges, travel time and labor are to be included in the Analyte Test Fee. Special sampling requested by the County will be charged at the hourly sampling rate, which does not include courier services, if applicable.

9.2 As applicable, estimated usage for each item is listed in the bid. This is an estimated figure only and no guarantee is made or implied as to the actual quantities that will be acquired under resulting contracts.

Quantities listed herein are subject to increase or decrease during the term of the contract. In either occurrence, the Offeror will perform the work at the unit price as bid. The County, at its discretion, may authorize an initial contract for a greater not-to-exceed amount than that submitted by the Bidder.

10.0 COUNTY WORKPLACE COMPLIANCE

10.1 Smoking – Smoking is not permitted inside any County facility. Smoking is restricted to designated smoking areas outside a facility.

10.2 Parking – The Bidder’s representatives shall abide by all parking restrictions. The Bidder’s vehicles are subject to the same restrictions, limitations, fines and tickets as posted for any other vehicle. Where time limit restrictions exceed the required time to provide services, arrangements shall be made in advance.

10.3 Alcohol/Drugs – Service personnel under the influence of alcohol and/or non-prescription drugs are not permitted to work in County facilities.

Any person known or thought to be under these influences will be escorted off County property.

10.4 Security - The Bidder must adhere to all Sarasota County security procedures. The Bidder’s work force shall be made up of persons legally authorized to perform work in the United States. The Bidder shall, at the County’s request, submit the following information for each of their employees: name, date of birth, social security number and green card (if applicable).

10.5 Identification - The Bidder shall require all employees to visibly wear identification while on County property. Said identification shall contain a color photograph of the employee, the name of the employee and the name of the company. The Bidder shall require all employees to wear a company uniform, which shall include the name of the employee and the company. Persons not conforming to this requirement may be denied access to the building. Denial of access does not alleviate the Bidder’s responsibilities herein.

https://www.scgov.net/government/procurement/contract-templates

PART II

SCOPE OF SERVICES

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I. OVERVIEW

A. The County requires laboratory testing services for water, wastewater, stormwater, and solid waste systems for various county departments.

County departments that will utilize the contract include, but shall not be limited to, Planning and Development Services - Environmental Protection, Stormwater, Solid Waste, and Public Utilities - Water/Wastewater. Sample testing requirements are:

1. For each Category, as applicable, Contractor shall have the capability to conduct the appropriate tests specified in the following chapters of the Florida Administrative Codes (F.A.C.):

Chapters 62-302, 62-520, 62-550, 62-528, 62-600, 62-610, 62- 620, 62-640 and 62-777.

2. For each Category as applicable, Contractor shall have the capability to perform procedures following the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Regulations on Test Procedures for the Analysis of Pollutants 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 136, Test Methods for Evaluating Solid Waste following EPA SW- 846 Methods, and EPA Solid Waste Disposal Facility Criteria (Subtitle D) EPA 40 CFR Parts 257, 258 and 261.24.

3. Contractor shall comply with the reporting requirements contained in Chapter 62-160.340, F.A.C. The Contractor shall report all results using the chemical names as specified in the Florida regulations. The Contractor shall maintain reporting formats in order to comply with all current regulatory requirements. Contractor shall be required to meet all regulatory requirements as updated from time to time for the duration of the contract.

B. Contractor shall identify a single point of contact as its Project Manager (PM) for all work performed under the resulting contract. Any changes to the PM shall be communicated to the County Administrative Agent at the earliest opportunity.

II. CATEGORY 1 SPECIFIC SCOPE

A. CATEGORY 1 SERVICES:

Wastewater, Permit compliance (daily/weekly, monitoring wells, biosolids), Drinking Water Permit compliance, Water Use Permit compliance, and basic water quality.

1. Group II Regulated (EPA’s) Contaminants in drinking water

2. Microbiology in non-potable water, drinking water, and solids

3. Primary and secondary inorganic contaminants in drinking water

4. Other Regulated Contaminants in drinking water

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5. Metals in non-potable and drinking water and solids

6. General Chemistry in non-potable, drinking water and solids

7. Volatile organics in non-potable and drinking water

B. WORK PRODUCT

1. Sample pick-up locations are listed in Attachment A - Pick-up Locations. Sample pickup will be carried out on a routine basis:

Monday to Sunday at water reclamation facilities, and Monday to Friday at potable water facilities. The Central County Solid Waste Disposal Complex listed in Attachment A is a potential pick-up site to be chosen based on the County’s specific needs. The County reserves the right to add or remove locations at its discretion and will provide the Contractor with an updated list as changes occur.

2. The following Method Detection Limits (MDLs) shall be achieved:

a) Certain parameters require dilutions to cover appropriate range. These parameters include, but are not limited to, bacteria and Carbonaceous Biochemical Oxygen Demand (CBOD). The minimum recommended number of dilutions is three (3). As a result of varying sample matrices and laboratory MDLs, it is unfeasible to outline all applicable ranges. Contractor is advised to discuss any sample from an unknown source with a County QA Officer. The County will not pay for any result reported as "greater than (>)" the laboratory MDL. Values reported as "less than (<)" the laboratory MDL (as reported in the Quality Assurance (QA) Plan for the appropriate matrix) will be acceptable.

However, the County will not pay for any result reported as "less than (<)" the laboratory MDL where the MDL is artificially raised due to a dilution factor, except in cases of matrix interference.

b) MDLs reported shall be adequate to determine compliance with surface water, groundwater and biosolids standards as listed in Chapters 62-302, 62-520, 62-550, 62-528, 62- 600, 62-610, 62-620, 62-640, 62-777, F.A.C., and EPA Part 503 Biosolids Rule. shall determine MDLs, on at least an annual basis, for all methods utilized in this Technical Specifications. The MDL shall be calculated in accordance with the most current version of Chapter 62-160, F.A.C.

and 40 CFR 136, Appendix B.

3. As a result of permit conditions, the timely performance and completion of the required services is vitally important to the County. The following timetable for receipt of Contractor reports (starting from the time of receipt of samples) shall be met:

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a) A maximum of seven (7) calendar days for hard copy reports requiring microbiological results only.

b) A maximum of fourteen (14) calendar days for biosolids reports.

c) A maximum of nine (9) calendar days on all other samples submitted under Category 1 (for example, daily/weekly reports for the water reclamation facilities listed in Attachment A.

4. Contractor shall furnish the County with a certified report for work completed, quality-control data, copies of the invoices, and regulatory reporting forms, if applicable. An electronic copy may be requested by the County for the microbiological results to be provided within 48 hours of sampling.

5. Hard copy reports shall be distributed as follows:

a) For routine weekly reports of the water reclamation facilities, one (1) complete original shall be sent to the originating facility and one (1) complete original shall be sent to the County Quality Assurance (QA) Officer.

b) One (1) original of all other reports shall be sent to the County QA Officer.

6. Contractor shall maintain the ability to submit results to the County in the FDEP Automated Data Processing Tool (ADaPT) electronic format (both Electronic Data Deliverable [EDD] and Long Range Depended [LRD]) with the error log and other associated files. Refer to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s website for additional information.

7. Contractor shall maintain a tracking method (Dashboard), provided by the County QA Officer, for each water reclamation facility, that contains the major analytic permit requirements and their graphic representation on a weekly basis.

8. Contractor shall be responsible for updating and modifying the formulas in the (Dashboard) program as necessary.

C. QUALITY ASSURANCE

1. Contractor shall run quality-control samples in accordance with Chapter 62-160, F.A.C., Quality Control Requirements, and Florida Department of Health (FDOH) per National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (NELAP) compliant certification.

2. The following QA data shall be included with all analytical laboratory reports and shall be included in the lump sum price quoted for each test. This data shall include, as applicable:

a) Blank Summary (to include method blanks);

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b) Duplicate Summary;

c) Matrix Spike Summary;

d) Calibration Data Summary (to include continuing calibration verification); and

e) MDLs as regularly attained in the laboratory.

3. Quality Control (QC) limits shall be reported by the Contractor. If any QC limits were exceeded, a flag or footnote shall be placed to indicate the affected samples.

4. All Chain of Custody forms shall be initiated or signed by the Contractor and shall be provided for all sampling sets. These forms are to be completed by the County employee performing the sampling. Upon arrival of the collected samples at the Contractor’s laboratory, the receiving agent will sign the Chain of Custody form. Signed original Chain of Custody forms shall be returned to the County with the associated reports.

5. Contractor shall review all reports for accuracy and abnormal test results prior to transmitting the reports to the County.

6. Contractor shall immediately notify the County QA Officer via telephone or email in the event that any accuracy problems, reporting problems, or abnormal test results become apparent to the Contractor. Contractor shall immediately notify the submitting facility and the QA Officer of any primary MCL exceedance.

7. Contractor shall be responsible for providing the County with written explanations for any and all QA irregularities regarding FDEP, FDOH, Florida Department of Health Environmental Laboratory Certification Program (ELCP) and County specifications and a copy of the Contractor’s corrective action plan.

D. COURIER SERVICE

1. Contractor shall provide a daily courier service seven (7) days a week, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. Eastern Time, for the purpose of transporting samples collected from the various County facilities (refer to Attachment A) participating in Category 1. The courier shall also serve on an on-call basis seven

(7) days per week, twenty-four (24) hours per day, for any additional pick-ups that may be required (scheduled or unscheduled). All courier costs must be reflected in the analytical testing unit price (scheduled or unscheduled). The courier service shall be responsible for the proper treatment of the samples and shall ensure that the arrival of samples to the Contractor meets the applicable holding times. A mutual time schedule will be negotiated to meet the needs of all parties. Contractor courier

Revised 1/12/2026 Prepared by Public Utilities Part II - Page 5 of 19 shall be responsible for recording temperature data obtained from the required coolers on the original Chain of Custody form, see Attachment B - Chain of Custody form attached hereto and incorporated herein. The required coolers will be designated by the County QA office.

2. As a result of abnormal /unscheduled events, Contractor or subcontractor shall accept samples seven (7) days a week, twenty-four (24) hours per day. Verbal response by the Contractor to a call shall be within one (1) hour. Any sample collected by County personnel after regular Contractor business hours (7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday) will be dropped off at any location listed in Attachment A.

Separate line items are provided on the Fee Schedule for after-hours analyses.

E. SAMPLE CONTAINERS

1. Contractor shall provide the County with sample containers composed of virgin material, certified or cleaned by the specifications outlined in the most current version of Florida Department of Environment Protection – Standard Operating Procedures (FDEP-SOP). Containers shall contain the proper amount and type of preservative for the parameters to be analyzed, according to 40 CFR Part 136. To ensure that samples collected by the County are correctly preserved, Contractor shall provide the County with extra preservatives to be used, if necessary. For bacteria testing, sterilized plastic cups (with tail) shall be furnished by the Contractor.

2. Coolers shall be in good condition and in sufficient quantities for services requested herein. Coolers shall be dedicated solely for shipping to and from the County. These coolers shall be used for no purpose other than to transport County samples and shall be properly maintained in good working order.

3. Contractor shall provide the County with sufficient sample containers and coolers for the County to conduct non-scheduled sampling. The County will provide the Contractor with a list of the number and types of sample containers and coolers required.

F. PACKING / BOTTLE KIT SHIPPING

1. Contractor shall prepare and mark all containers based on the Sampling Report submitted by the County. Only waterproof labels and markers shall be used on the bottles.

2. The coolers are required to be delivered to the County during normal working hours, defined as Monday through Friday 7:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, excluding County observed holidays only.

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3. All coolers must include a sufficient number of blank Chain of Custody forms and a packing list indicating which bottles were included.

4. All bottles shall be labeled with the site name, field ID code provided by County, and client name.

5. Samples received by Contractor shall have the Chain of Custody forms indicating the parameters to be analyzed.

6. Contractor shall supply bottles as sampling kits in separate clear plastic bags.

7. All coolers with bottles containing acid shall be packed upright in clear plastic bags with a strip of pH paper and packing material around each bottle to ensure they remain upright, closed tight, and leak-proof. All glass containers shall be wrapped in bubble wrap packing.

8. Contractor shall pay all costs associated with shipping coolers, ice packs, and sample containers to the County.

III. CATEGORY 2 SPECIFIC SCOPE

A. CATEGORY 2 SERVICES:

Solid Waste Permit compliance, Drinking Water Permit compliance and miscellaneous inorganic, soil/sediment, and organic parameters.

1. Group I Unregulated contaminants in drinking water

2. Group II Unregulated contaminants in drinking water

3. Synthetic Organic contaminants in drinking water

4. Microbiology in non-potable and drinking water

5. Primary and secondary inorganic contaminants in drinking water

6. Other Regulated contaminants in drinking water and non-potable water

7. Metals in non-potable water, drinking water and solids

8. General Chemistry in non-potable water, drinking water and solids

9. Volatile organics in non-potable and drinking water

10. Extractable organics in non-potable and drinking water

11. Pesticides-Herbicides-Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) in non-potable water and drinking water

12. Radiochemistry in non-potable and drinking water

B. WORK PRODUCT

1. The following MDLs shall be achieved:

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a) Certain parameters require dilutions to cover appropriate range. These parameters include, but are not limited to, bacteria and CBOD. The minimum recommended number of dilutions is three (3). As a result of varying sample matrices and laboratory MDLs, applicable ranges cannot be outlined here. Contractor is advised to discuss any sample from an unknown source with a County QA Officer. The County will not pay for any result reported as "greater than (>)" the laboratory MDL. Values reported as "less than (<)" the laboratory MDL (as reported in the QA Plan for the appropriate matrix) will be acceptable. However, the County will not pay for any result reported as "less than (<)" the laboratory MDL where the MDL is artificially raised due to a dilution factor, except in cases of matrix interference.

b) MDLs reported shall be adequate to determine compliance with drinking water, surface-water and ground-water standards as listed in Chapters 62-302, 62-520, 62-550, 62-528, 62-600, 62-610, 62-620, 62-640, 62-777, F.A.C., EPA Part 503 Biosolids Rule, EPA 40 CFR Part 258 Appendix I and II and Part 261.24. Contractor shall determine MDLs, on at least an annual basis, for all methods utilized in this Technical Specifications. The MDL shall be determined according to the procedures outlined in the most current version of 40 CFR 136, Appendix B. If Contractor can't meet all the MDLs in Chapters 62-302, 62-777, F.A.C. or those dictated in 40 CFR Part 258 Appendix I and II, Contractor shall meet alternative practical quantitation limits (PQLs) per method in accordance with FDEP's most current "Guidance for the Selection of Analytical Methods and for the Evaluation of Practical Quantitation Limits". A letter may be submitted from the FDEP that accepts the Contractor results with their proposed PQLs or MDLs.

C. REPORTING

1. As a result of permit conditions, the timely performance and completion of the required services is vitally important to the County. The following timetable for receipt of laboratory reports (starting from the time of receipt of samples) shall be met.

a) Maximum of thirty (30) calendar days for complete electronic reports including QC summary report and hard copy of the invoice and original Chain of Custody form for samples submitted under Category 2. Electronic data package must be complete. Partial reports are not considered a complete electronic report. The original Chain of Custody can be requested at the discretion of the County.

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b) Within ten (10) days of the submittal of the complete electronic report for the Solid Waste facilities data will be submitted in the FDEP ADaPT electronic format (both EDD and LRD) with the error log and other associated files.

2. For solid waste permit reports, Contractor shall report all results using the chemical names as given in the Florida regulations and list results on all reports and forms by method and alphabetical order. For solid waste permit reports, all concentration results shall be reported in µg/L (micrograms per liter), unless specified otherwise in the Sampling Report or as requested by the County.

Metals samples will be analyzed for total metals unless otherwise noted and therefore shall not be filtered.

3. Additional regulatory reporting forms shall be completed for Category 2 by the Contractor as follows:

a) FDOH Public Drinking Water Analysis Report format and;

b) FDOH Public Drinking Water Copper and Lead Reporting format;

c) Electronic format required for Solid Waste Reporting.

D. QUALITY ASSURANCE

1. Contractor shall run quality-control samples in accordance with Chapter 62-160 F.A.C. and FDOH NELAP-compliant certification.

2. The following QA data shall be included with all analytical laboratory reports and shall be included in the lump sum price quoted for each test. This data shall include, as applicable:

a) Case Narrative;

b) Surrogate Summary;

c) Blank Summary (to include calibration and continuing calibration blanks);

d) Duplicate Summary;

e) Matrix Spike Summary;

f) Calibration Data Summary (to include continuing calibration verification);

g) MDLs as regularly attained in the laboratory.

3. QC limits shall also be reported by the Contractor. If any QC limits were exceeded, a flag or footnote shall be placed to indicate the affected samples.

4. Contractor shall submit for County review all proposed QA/QC procedures and control limits, including actions to be taken in the event a QA/QC control limit is not met. Contractor shall follow, at a minimum, the methods and QA/QC procedures identified in the

Revised 1/12/2026 Prepared by Public Utilities Part II - Page 9 of 19 most recent revisions to Test Methods for Evaluating Solid Waste, Physical/Chemical Methods (SW-846) and Chapter 62-160, F.A.C.

5. All Chain of Custody forms will be initiated and signed by the Contractor and shall be provided for all sampling sets. These forms are to be completed by the County employee performing the sampling. Upon arrival of the collected samples at Contractor’s laboratory, the receiving individual will sign the Chain of Custody form. Signed original Chain of Custody forms shall be returned with the final report.

6. Contractor shall review all reports for accuracy and abnormal test results prior to transmitting the reports to the County.

7. Contractor shall immediately notify a County QA officer via telephone or email in the event that any Contractor holding times, accuracy problems, reporting problems, or if abnormal test results become apparent to the Contractor. Contractor shall immediately notify the submitting facility and the QA officer of any primary Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL, as set forth in all previously cited Rules) exceedances.

8. Contractor shall be responsible for providing the County with written explanations for any and all QA irregularities regarding FDEP, FDOH, ELCP and County specifications and a copy of the Contractor’s corrective action plan.

9. Contractor shall provide on a semi-annual basis updated MDL values and changes in precision and accuracy target limits for all analytes.

E. COURIER SERVICE

Under Category 2, courier service may be requested by the County and supplied by the Contractor on an as-needed basis. The County will request such service with twenty-four (24) hours’ notice. Sample pickup locations are listed in Attachment A. All courier costs must be reflected in the analytical testing unit price. The courier service shall be responsible for the proper treatment of the samples and shall ensure that the arrival of said samples to the Contractor meets the EPA holding times. A mutual time schedule will be negotiated to meet the needs of all parties.

F. SAMPLE CONTAINERS

Contractor shall provide the County with sample containers composed of virgin material, certified or cleaned by the specifications outlined in the most current FDEP-SOP. Containers shall contain the proper amount and type of preservative for the parameters to be analyzed, according to 40 CFR Part 136 and Solid Waste SW-846, as appropriate. To ensure that samples collected by the County are correctly preserved, Contractor shall provide the County with extra preservatives to be used if

Revised 1/12/2026 Prepared by Public Utilities Part II - Page 10 of 19 necessary. For bacteria testing, sterilized plastic containers (with tail and shrink wrap) shall be furnished.

1. Coolers shall be in good condition and in sufficient quantities.

These coolers shall be used for no other purpose than transport of samples and shall be kept in good repair.

2. Contractor shall provide the County with sufficient sample containers and coolers for the County to conduct non-scheduled sampling. The County will provide Contractor with a list of the number and types of sample containers and coolers required.

G. PACKING / BOTTLE KIT SHIPPING

1. Contractor shall prepare and mark all containers based on Sampling Report submitted by the County. Only waterproof labels and markers shall be used on the bottles.

2. The coolers are required to be delivered to the County during normal working hours, Monday through Friday defined as 7:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time excluding County observed holidays.

3. All coolers must include a sufficient number of blank Chain of Custody forms and a packing list indicating which bottles were included.

4. All bottles shall be labeled with the site name, field ID code supplied by County and client name.

5. Samples received by Contractor shall have the Chain of Custody forms indicating the parameters to be analyzed.

6. All coolers with bottles containing acid shall be packed upright in clear plastic bags with a strip of pH paper and packing material around each bottle to ensure they remain upright, closed tight, and leak-proof. All glass containers shall be wrapped in "bubble wrap" packing.

7. Contractor shall supply bottles as sampling kits in separate clear plastic bags.

8. It shall be the responsibility of Contractor’s courier, agent, or subcontractor, to package and ship the necessary samples to the Contractor’s laboratory. The County shall not be responsible for coordinating the transportation of samples via United Parcel Service (UPS) or a similar carrier. Contractor shall guarantee that the samples being shipped will arrive within a maximum of twenty-four (24) hour period and within sample holding times as outlined in 40 CFR Part 136 Table II. All costs associated with freight shall be included in the price per test. Contractor shall pay all costs associated with shipping coolers, ice packs, and sample containers to the County.

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IV. CATEGORY 3 SPECIFIC SCOPE

A. CATEGORY 3 SERVICES:

Surface water sampling for Microbiology, Inorganics, Nutrients, and Metals.

1. Microbiology in non-potable water

2. Metals in non-potable water

3. General Chemistry in non-potable water

B. WORK PRODUCT

1. The Sarasota County Stormwater group conducts ambient monitoring of creeks and other water bodies with the intent of establishing status and trends of water quality. Significant effort is made to minimize unnecessary variability in the data so genuine trends can be detected with confidence. Continuing with the same analytical methods and method detection limits is strongly preferred.

2. Sample pick-up locations will be negotiated between the County and the Contractor. Intensive field sampling schedules often result in microbiological samples being transferred to the courier five (5) hours after initial sample collection.

3. The following MDLs shall be achieved.

a) Certain parameters require dilutions to cover appropriate range. These parameters include, but are not limited to, bacteria. The minimum recommended number of dilutions is three (3). As a result of varying sample matrices and laboratory MDLs, applicable ranges cannot be outlined here. Contractor is advised to discuss any sample from an unknown source with a County QA Officer. The County will not pay for any result reported as "greater than (>)" the laboratory MDL. Values reported as "less than (<)" the laboratory MDL (as reported in the QA Plan for the appropriate matrix) will be acceptable. However, the County will not pay for any result reported as "less than (<)" the laboratory MDL where the MDL is artificially raised due to a dilution factor, except in cases of matrix interference.

b) MDLs reported shall meet the values provided in the Fee Schedule for Category 3.

4. The timely performance and completion of the required services is vitally important to the County. The following timetable for receipt of Contractor reports (starting from the time of receipt of samples) shall be met:

a) Maximum of nine (9) calendar days on all samples

Revised 1/12/2026 Prepared by Public Utilities Part II - Page 12 of 19 submitted under Category 3.

b) Provide an electronic version in Excel (Watershed Information System (WIN) compatible) within 30 days after the County QA Officer has approved the report.

5. The Contractor shall furnish the County with a certified copy of the report for work completed, quality-control data, copies of the invoices, and regulatory reporting forms, as needed.

6. Hard copy reports are to be distributed as follows: One original of all reports is to be sent to the County QA Officer.

7. Special electronic FDEP report format for WIN-compatible information is required. Alternate formats may be required in the future. Contractor may be asked to furnish copies of raw data sheets, result calculations, etc. for samples submitted by the County.

C. QUALITY ASSURANCE

1. Contractor shall run quality-control samples in accordance with Chapter 62-160, F.A.C., Quality Control Requirements, and FDOH NELAP compliant certification. In addition, participation in Regional Ambient Monitoring Program (RAMP) is required at no additional cost. RAMP samples will be collected and processed quarterly. Meeting participation includes, but is not limited to, discussions regarding regulatory requirements, method procedures, sampling improvements, and agency requirements, as well as an inter-lab comparison of results.

2. The following QA data shall be included with all analytical laboratory reports and shall be included in the lump sum price quoted for each test. This data shall include, as applicable:

a) Blank Summary (to include method blanks and laboratory fortified blanks);

b) Duplicate Summary;

c) Matrix Spike Summary;

d) Calibration Data Summary (to include continuing calibration verification);

e) MDL as regularly attained in the laboratory; and

f) QC control limits shall also be reported. If any QC limits were exceeded, a flag or footnote shall be placed to indicate the affected samples.

3. The County shall create all Chain of Custody forms for all sampling sets. These forms shall be completed, dated, and signed by the County employee performing the sampling. The Chain of Custody shall remain unbroken during the transfer of the samples from

Revised 1/12/2026 Prepared by Public Utilities Part II - Page 13 of 19 the County to the Contractor via the courier. Upon arrival of the collected sample containers at the Contractor’s laboratory, the receiving agent shall sign the Chain of Custody form. Signed original Chain of Custody forms shall be returned with the final report. The County shall prepare all sample bottle labels using blank waterproof labels provided by the Contractor.

4. Contractor shall review all reports for accuracy and abnormal test results prior to transmitting the reports to the County.

5. Contractor shall immediately notify the County QA Officer via telephone or email in the event that any accuracy problems, reporting problems, abnormal test results or any Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL as set forth in Chapter 62-302, F.A.C.)

becoming apparent to the Contractor.

6. Contractor shall be responsible for providing the County with written explanations for any and all QA irregularities regarding FDEP, FDOH, ELCP and County specifications and a copy of the Contractor’s corrective action plan.

D. COURIER SERVICE

1. Contractor shall provide a courier service for the purpose of transporting samples collected. The courier shall serve on an on-call basis for scheduled pick-ups. All courier costs must be reflected in the analytical testing unit price (scheduled or unscheduled). The courier service shall be responsible for the proper handling of the samples and shall ensure that the arrival of said samples to the Contractor meets the applicable holding times. A mutual time schedule will be negotiated to meet the needs of all parties. Additional County approved pick-up sites may be added.

2. As a result of abnormal /unscheduled events, Contractor or subcontractor shall accept samples seven (7) days a week, twenty-four (24) hours per day. Response by the Contractor to a call shall be within one (1) hour. Any sample collected by County personnel after regular Contractor business hours (7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday) will be dropped off at a location to be determined by the County. Contractor shall be responsible for recording temperature data obtained from the cooler on the original Chain of Custody form.

E. SAMPLE CONTAINERS

1. Contractor shall provide the County with sample containers composed of virgin material, and certified or cleaned by the specifications outlined in the most current FDEP-SOP. Containers shall contain the proper amount and type of preservative for the parameters to be analyzed, according to 40 CFR Part 136, unless directed otherwise by the County To ensure that samples

Revised 1/12/2026 Prepared by Public Utilities Part II - Page 14 of 19 collected by the County are correctly preserved, Contractor shall provide the County with extra preservatives to be used if necessary. Contractor shall refresh County preservative stock with each change of Contractor preservative stock. For bacteria testing, sterilized plastic cups (with tail) shall be furnished.

2. Coolers shall be in good condition and in sufficient quantities for this term contract. These coolers shall be dedicated solely for shipping to and from the County. These coolers shall be used for no other purpose than transport of County samples and shall be kept in good repair.

3. Contractor shall provide the County with sufficient sample containers and coolers for the County to conduct non-scheduled sampling. The County shall provide the Contractor with a list of the number and types of sample containers and coolers required.

F. PACKING / BOTTLE KIT SHIPPING

1. Contractor shall prepare and mark all coolers based on project information provided by the County. Only waterproof labels and markers shall be used on the bottles. Samples will be shipped to the Contractor in wet ice.

2. Contractor shall deliver all coolers to the County during. normal working hours, Monday through Friday defined as only 7:00 a.m.

– 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, excluding County observed holidays.

3. Contractor shall pay all costs associated with shipping coolers and sample containers to the County.

4. Contractor shall supply bottles as sampling kits, with one kit per sampling station, in separate clear plastic bags secured with twist-ties. The County shall provide a list of parameters and sample bottles required per kit.

5. Contractor shall enclose each microbiological bottle in a separate small plastic, resealable, zipper storage bag and place it in the appropriate kit. The County shall return each microbiological sample in its separate plastic storage bag with all microbiological samples segregated from the other sample kits.

6. Contractor shall label all sample bottle caps alphabetically beginning with the letter “A”. The County shall provide the appropriate lettering for each bottle, which will match the order on the Chain of Custody form.

7. Contractor shall pack all kits with bottles containing acid upright in clear plastic bags and with packing material around each bottle to ensure they remain upright, closed tight, and leak-proof. All glass containers shall be wrapped in bubble wrap packing.

8. Contractor shall include in each set of coolers a sufficient number of pages of blank 2-inch by 4-inch waterproof labels (10 labels

Revised 1/12/2026 Prepared by Public Utilities Part II - Page 15 of 19 per page) for the specific sampling project. The labels will be contained in a plastic, resealable, zipper storage bag.

V. CONTRACTOR RESPONSIBILITIES

A. Every Contractor crew must have at least one employee that can effectively communicate in English with County staff or with the general public.

B. Contractor is responsible for any damage to County or personal property due to negligence on the part of the Contractor or their employees.

Restoration shall be made to County’s satisfaction.

C. Contractor is required to participate in performance and project report meetings as deemed necessary by County.

D. Contractor shall be responsible for all shipping of samples to and from the County Quality Assurance (QA) Office, located at 1255 T. Mabry Carlton Parkway, Venice, FL 34292, or a point so designated by the County.

E. Contractor shall be familiar with drinking water, wastewater, surface water, ground water and solid waste permit requirements and Florida State standards and is required to determine compliance with permits or other regulatory limits.

F. All certifications are required per Chapter 64E-1, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.) to test the analytes listed on the Pricing Tables. All certifications must be active throughout the term of the contract.

VI. COUNTY RESPONSIBILITIES

A. The County shall provide the Contractor (in advance when practicable) with sampling schedules, locations, requested analyses, and field IDs/site names, for bottle kit preparation, courier routing, and reporting.

B. The County shall provide the Contractor’s courier/lab representatives with reasonable access to County Facilities and designated pick-up/drop-off points, including gate access procedures, badging/escort requirements (if any), and site-specific hours/constraints.

C. Unless otherwise specified, the County shall collect samples using trained personnel and standard field practices, including Contractor-provided containers, preservatives, and field documentation consistent with applicable permits and County procedures.

D. The County shall maintain samples in appropriate conditions prior to transfer to the Contractor and shall make samples available for courier pickup or authorized drop-off within applicable holding times.

E. The County shall review analytical reports and data deliverables for completeness and usability, and shall promptly notify the Contractor of suspected discrepancies, missing information, or formatting issues so corrective actions can be made

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VII. ASSIGNMENT OF WORK

A. Service requests will be made to the Primary Contractor. If the Primary Contractor declines the work or is unable to perform the testing required, or in the occurrence of questionable or invalid data, the service request will be issued to the Secondary Contractor.

B. If Contractor declines or is unable to provide work on four (4) service requests in a twelve (12) month period, the Term Contract may be terminated at the sole discretion of the County.

C. Service requests will be dispatched by the County by means of a telephone call or email, and a PO number will be issued. This PO number must be referenced on all correspondence, including invoicing.

VIII. INVOICING

A. Contractor’s invoices shall…