Addendum No. 1 - Q & A .pdf

DEP Solicitation No. 2025004 Addendum No. 1 Page 1 of 4

ADDENDUM No. 1

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

DEP Procurement Section

3800 Commonwealth Boulevard, MS#93 Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3000

December 18, 2024

Addendum To: DEP Solicitation No. 2025004, entitled “Ambient Air Monitoring Gaseous Performance Audits”

The Department hereby answers questions posed by prospective Vendors. This addendum does not need to be returned with the response.

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1. - - I am writing to inquire if you will consider bids for regional coverage. Say, for example, south Florida.

No, this solicitation is for statewide services at ambient air monitoring sites located throughout Florida as indicated in Section 4, Scope of Work (SOW).

2.

We are reviewing the RFP. We are not able to find prior years audits and have a related question.

Can you tell us if there have been prior contractors that provided the services?

Yes, AMEC Foster.

3.

Is it possible to share what the last contract/bid was awarded for? We'd like to see how to price something like this (yearly vs entire 5 year term). Please provide some guidance.

The last contract/bid was awarded for $90.00 per hour (original contract); $91.80 per hour (1st renewal); $93.60 per hour (2nd renewal); and, $95.50 per hour (3rd renewal).

4.

Is there currently an incumbent conducting the audits? If so, who would that be?

No, there is no current contract for these services.

5.

4.4 24

Will a FLDEP operator be onsite for each audit to mark the channels down/up, answer questions during the audit, and address any response(s) that do not pass the audit?

Yes, as stated in Section 4.4 (3).

6.

The RFP references gaseous performance audits, but lists EPA QA Handbook Volume IV: Meteorological Measurements on page 21. Are meteorological audits a part of the scope? If so, there is no mention of audit equipment for conducting meteorological audits.

Meteorological audits are not part of the Scope of Work (SOW).

Addendum No. 1 Page 2 of 4

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7.

- 24

In the section for DARM OAM equipment (page 24), will flow meters be provided (i.e. BIOS Dry Cal, or similar)?

Yes, if needed. We currently have Alicats available.

8.

- 24

On the same page (page 24), there is a reference for temperature and pressure standards as part of the audit equipment. What is the purpose for those pieces of equipment? Are they for PM audits? If so, wouldn’t flow rate audits (and the need for flow meters) be applicable?

Temperature and pressure standards are standard pieces of equipment of the Florida DEP audit kit, usually applicable to PM and lead audits which are not included in the SOW for this project.

9.

For the audit results from the primary data system (assume data logger), Attachment 5 lists five one-minute averages in the ozone audit form. Will the accuracy criteria be based on each individual response measurement or an average of the five points?

An average of the five minutes.

10.

4.1 19

The RFP states that DARM will provide the NIST-traceable equipment and EPA protocol gases. We will refer to all gases and equipment as an "audit system".

Due to the complexity of the monitoring network, and the wide geographic area to be serviced, our question is, how many audit systems does DARM have available to be used simultaneously?

Four (4) complete audit systems with some additional spare pieces of equipment, if needed (i.e. four (4) additional T750U calibrators, etc.).

11.

4.3 23

Paragraph "c" states that each monitor is required to have a "passing valid audit completed at least once per calendar year." There are many reasons that an audit might fail, which could include an audit system failure, or an issue with the site monitor that needs to be corrected. Since the audit task is not complete until the audit passes, we are assuming that there could be repeat visits to the same site, to repeat audits for monitors that did not pass. Does DARM have an estimate of how often this occurs during a typical calendar year and which region of the state, if any, is most often visited for repeat audits?

In calendar year 2024, there were five (5) gaseous audits that failed (four (4) NO2 and one (1) SO2). These occurred in the central and southern parts of the state. It is typical for five (5) or so audits to fail more so in these parts of the state.

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4.3 23

Can the DARM OAM provide the verification/reverification schedule for all the audit equipment to be provided?

Everything but the T750Us are certified for up to 1 year. The T750Us are verified every 3 months for the ozone and every 6 months for the flows; the maintenance is performed annually. The verification/reverification are usually on a staggered schedule to avoid all equipment expiring at the same time.

Addendum No. 1 Page 3 of 4

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The gas cylinders are usually certified for 3 years but they usually don’t last more than 1 year when in constant use.

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4.3 23

In the event of audit failure, the contractor will have to return the audit equipment to DARM OAM for evaluation by the COB of the last business day of the audit week. Will additional equipment be available by DARM OAM as to maintain the audit schedule?

Yes.

14.

4.4 24

Can DARM OAM provide the QAPP and SOPs that govern the technical work under this RFP for review in aiding the development of a proposal?

See the below link: (DEP-18-0 Rev 9 Audits & Auditing; DEP-18-10 REV 1 ZAG; DEP- 18-22 REV 1 ZAP; DEP-18-23 REV 1 Audit Correction; DEP-18-26 Rev 0 Corrective Action; DEP-18-28 Rev 0 Teledyne T750U Audit; and, FL Gaseous QAPP- 2021_Rev2_April2022_EPA final).

https://ftpportal.dep.state.fl.us/public/folder/jnD9j3IR6k__6QHxp3kCQQ/Addend um%20No.%201%20for%20RFP%202025004%20- %20Ambient%20Air%20Monitoring%20Gaseous%20Performance%20Audits

Password: 2025004

15.

4.4 24

Can DARM OAM provide the proposed 2025 audit schedule?

See the below link: (2025 Audit Schedule). Note: This schedule includes gaseous audits, ozone primary comparisons, and site reviews. However, the scope of work for this project is only gaseous audits.

https://ftpportal.dep.state.fl.us/public/folder/jnD9j3IR6k__6QHxp3kCQQ/Addend um%20No.%201%20for%20RFP%202025004%20- %20Ambient%20Air%20Monitoring%20Gaseous%20Performance%20Audits

Password: 2025004

16.

4.4 24

As a contractor that will travel to Florida to conduct the audits, the audit schedule will have a direct impact on our costs and efficiency. Will/can the audits be scheduled such that 5-7 audits can be conducted during business hours over a period of a week (M-F)?

Usually, a minimum of four (4) audits will be scheduled for the week during business hours M-F.

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4.4 24

Is the provided tri-blend gas bottle with regulator (EPA Protocol Gases) suitable to efficiently audit NO2, SO2, and CO analyzers simultaneously? Can you confirm the typical gas bottle concentrations, along with typical diluent and gas flows for generating audit test atmospheres?

No, they cannot be audited simultaneously. The gas bottles come in the following concentrations: NO 16 parts per million (ppm); SO2 5ppm; CO 200ppm. Normal https://ftpportal.dep.state.fl.us/public/folder/jnD9j3IR6k__6QHxp3kCQQ/Addendum%20No.%201%20for%20RFP%202025004%20-%20Ambient%20Air%20Monitoring%20Gaseous%20Performance%20Audits https://ftpportal.dep.state.fl.us/public/folder/jnD9j3IR6k__6QHxp3kCQQ/Addendum%20No.%201%20for%20RFP%202025004%20-%20Ambient%20Air%20Monitoring%20Gaseous%20Performance%20Audits https://ftpportal.dep.state.fl.us/public/folder/jnD9j3IR6k__6QHxp3kCQQ/Addendum%20No.%201%20for%20RFP%202025004%20-%20Ambient%20Air%20Monitoring%20Gaseous%20Performance%20Audits https://ftpportal.dep.state.fl.us/public/folder/jnD9j3IR6k__6QHxp3kCQQ/Addendum%20No.%201%20for%20RFP%202025004%20-%20Ambient%20Air%20Monitoring%20Gaseous%20Performance%20Audits https://ftpportal.dep.state.fl.us/public/folder/jnD9j3IR6k__6QHxp3kCQQ/Addendum%20No.%201%20for%20RFP%202025004%20-%20Ambient%20Air%20Monitoring%20Gaseous%20Performance%20Audits https://ftpportal.dep.state.fl.us/public/folder/jnD9j3IR6k__6QHxp3kCQQ/Addendum%20No.%201%20for%20RFP%202025004%20-%20Ambient%20Air%20Monitoring%20Gaseous%20Performance%20Audits

Addendum No. 1 Page 4 of 4

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Question / Answer dilutant air flow – most audits 5 liters per minute (lpm); some points require 4 lpm;

and trace SO2 is 8 lpm. Gas flow rates range from 5 cubic centimeters (cc) (0.005 lpm) to 450 cc (0.450 lpm).

18.

Attachment 3 1

How will task assignments be issued? On a site-by-site basis for conducting audits, a deployment-by-deployment basis (where a number of sites to audit are assigned), or on a contract year basis?

It depends on what is needed at the time; it would be on a site-by-site basis or a deployment-by-deployment basis (where a number of sites to audit are assigned).

The deployment-by-deployment basis is more likely with a site-by-site only happening on a rare/emergency case.

19.

Attachment 5 -

The example audit form indicates “Zero Air Source should match SITE source”.

Can you please elaborate on this?

According to the EPA Ozone TAD (January 2023) Section 6.11, top of printed page 36, “The same zero-air source must be used for each component and for both the candidate transfer standard and the standard of higher authority during a verification.” This is for the verification procedures of NIST-traceable ozone transfer standards used for the calibrations of ozone analyzers.

Here’s the link to EPA’s Ozone TAD (January 2023):

https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2023- 11/o3_tad_508_20230906_final.pdf

20. 1.2 Attachment

84-96

The RFP states that the network includes “more than 180 monitors…”. Please confirm the number of monitors.

The total network includes more than 180 monitors (i.e. gaseous, PM, lead, etc.).

There are about 100 gaseous monitors (including trace-level) in the network.

21.

4.4 24

Please confirm that no other equipment is required beyond what is listed in Section 4.4.

Confirmed. If so, Florida DEP will provide other equipment, if needed.

– Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank – https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2023-11/o3_tad_508_20230906_final.pdf https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2023-11/o3_tad_508_20230906_final.pdf