Attachment_1_SOW_for_Filter_Acceptance_Testing.pdf

Attachment 1

STATEMENT OF WORK

ACCEPTANCE TESTING OF FILTERS

I. BACKGROUND

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina is responsible for procuring, testing, and distributing filters of high purity to the State/local air pollution control agencies. The quartz filters are used with a size selective sampler (SSI) to collect PM-10 (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than or equal to a nominal 10 micrometers) samples. The glass fiber filters are used with a Total Suspended Particulate (TSP) sampler. The Teflon filters are used with a sampler to collect PM2.5 (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than or equal to a nominal 2.5 micrometers) samples. This process assures filters with uniform characteristics and known quality assurance testing for the national particulate networks.

EPA usually obtains filters each year from a contractor and has them shipped to EPA for acceptance testing. If the acceptance testing confirms that the filters meet EPA specifications for physical and chemical properties, the contractor shall ship the filters to the State/local air pollution control agencies.

II. QUALITY ASSURANCE/QUALITY CONTROL

The Contractor shall establish a Quality Assurance (QA) Program with the objective of facilitating suitable ambient air sampling and analysis support for air toxics and ozone precursor programs with a stated level of confidence. The program shall incorporate the organizational and management structure, staffing, procedures, quality control (QC) procedures, and necessary corrective actions, plus all of the documentation of procedures and QC results required during data collection and analysis. It shall also provide the quality assurance measures performed by management to ensure acceptable data reduction and the calculation of uncertainty of the data.

Organizational Competency is defined as the demonstration by the organization (e.g., laboratory) of their qualifications in the fields of analyses that are stated or required in or by the RFP PWS.

As a measure of organizational competency, the Contractor(s) shall submit the following documentation.

A. Quality Management Plan (QMP)

1) The Contractor(s) shall submit a draft QMP in Microsoft Word format, divided by sections as part of their proposal. The Contractor(s) shall incorporate the fundamental principles of a Quality System for environmental measures, and the generation and management of environmental data. EPA Requirements for Quality Management Plans EPA Requirements for Quality Management Plans (EPA QA/R-2) can be found at https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-06/documents/r2-final.pdf

a) Upon award, the EPA will provide comments to the submitted QMP in writing or directly on a digital file. The Contractor shall revise the QMP and resubmit it to the EPA for approval within 20 calendar days. The Revised QMP will be the official

QMP under the contract.

B. Quality Assurance Project Plans (QAPP)

1) Within 30 days of award, the Contractor shall submit a Draft QAPP, in Microsoft Word format, divided by sections to cover the contract. The QAPP shall describe the policies, organization, objectives, functional guidelines, and specific QA and QC activities designed to achieve the data quality requirements of the contract. The QAPP shall provide a level of detail and organization that is consistent with EPA QA/R5, EPA Requirements for Quality Assurance Project Plans. Specific QA/QC-related tasks to be addressed by the QAPP are included in the PWS. These are not necessarily inclusive;

and the Contractor shall include any other tasks or implementable measures that are not mentioned but are necessary to optimize the quality or assess the uncertainty of the data that is produced.

• EPA QA/R-5, EPA Requirements for Quality Assurance Project Plans can be found at https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-06/documents/r5-final_0.pdf

• Guidance for Quality Assurance Project Plans for Modeling EPA QA/G-5M can be found at https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-06/documents/g5m-final.pdf

a) Upon award, the EPA will provide comments to the submitted QAPP in writing or directly on a digital file. The Contractor shall revise the QAPP and resubmit it to the EPA for approval within 20 calendar days. The Revised QAPP will be the official QAPP for the contract

2) Incorporation of SOPs – When addressing the Group B (Measurement and Data Acquisition) elements in the QAPP, detailed copies of QA methods and/or standard operating procedures (SOPs) can be either included directly in the discussion, provided as attachments to the QAPP, or, if easily obtained and readily available to all project participants [e.g., American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) methods], cited within the discussion and included in the reference list. Detailed copies of the methods and/or SOPs must accompany the QAPP either in the text or as attachments.

All SOPs referenced in each activity performed by the Contractor shall be submitted as part of the QAPP. The SOPs should be written to be consistent with EPA QA/G-6 titled Guidance for Preparing Standard Operating procedures (SOPs). EPA QA/G-6 can be found at https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-06/documents/g6-final.pdf

3) QMP, QAPP and SOP Amendments – During the term of the contract, the Contractor shall revise and maintain on file, with all previous revisions, amended QMP, QAPP(s) and SOPs within 30 days of the following circumstances:

a. The Agency modifies the contract;

b. The Agency notifies the Contractor of deficiencies in the

QMP/QAPP/SOP/ deliverables document resulting from the Agency's review of the Contractor's performance;

https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-06/documents/r5-final_0.pdf https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-06/documents/r5-final_0.pdf https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-06/documents/g5m-final.pdf https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-06/documents/g5m-final.pdf https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-06/documents/g6-final.pdf https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-06/documents/g6-final.pdf

c. The Contractor identifies deficiencies resulting from their internal review of a QMP/QAPP/SOP document;

d. The Contractor's organization, personnel, facility, equipment, policies, or procedures change; or

e. The Contractor identifies deficiencies resulting from the internal review of their organization personnel, facility, equipment, policies or procedures.

4) Document Control – During the life of the Contract, any changes in the QMP, QAPP or SOPs (to include methods of analyses), shall be submitted to the EPA Contracting Officer Representative for approval before implementation.

5) QMP, QAPP and SOP Archival - The Contractor shall maintain a master QMP and QAPP which incorporates the original QMP or QAPP and all subsequent amendments.

The Contractor shall provide a copy of the master QMP or QAPP (including the SOPs) and any of its attachments to the designated recipients within 14 days of a request.

6) Competency Demonstration – The Contractor shall demonstrate its competency/qualifications for performing environmental analysis for the Agency in the fields of analysis identified in this PWS. Competency may be demonstrated through the following documentation:

a) Accreditation/certification by an appropriate recognized accreditation program;

b) Reports of technical and quality system assessments of the organization conducted by external organizations;

c) Quality documentation, such as laboratory quality manuals, QMPs, which describe the organization’s quality practices and detailed standard operating procedures (SOPs); and

d) Descriptions of applicable instrumentation, sampling, equipment, method sensitivities, reporting practices, capacity, experience, staffing (e.g., education, job experience, training).

e) Provide at least two references / past clients who can attest to the organization’s past performance.

III. TASKS

The following procedures, references, and standards apply to the testing of filters. The contractor shall test a certain number of filters from the batch of Teflon, Glass, and Quartz filters provided by the manufacturer. A batch is defined as filters to be used in one calendar year. The contractor shall use a random number generator to select filters from the total delivery. All selected filters shall be subjected to the visual inspection tests and then a certain quantity (specified in charts below) shall be subjected to the other tests as described below. Only filters that pass the visual and physical testing shall be used for subsequent testing.

The contractor shall use the following test methods to check the filters.

A. Glass and Quartz Filters

ASTM D645-97 (reapproved 2010) – Thickness of Paper and Paperboard.

Brittleness Test for Hi-Volume Glass Fiber Filters ASTM 828-16 - Tensile Properties of Paper and Paperboard Retention - ASTM Method D2986-99 ASTM D828-93 Visual Inspection Test for Filters Reference Method for the Determination of Lead in Suspended Particulate Matter

Collected from Ambient Air (40 CFR, Part 50, Appendix G), or equivalent.

Glass Fiber Filters

1. Physical Properties

The number of filters to be tested and the physical properties to be measured are given below:

All Filters Must Meet the Following Dimensions

Characterist ic

No. of Filters

Test/Analysis Method (Reference Number)

Maximum

Minimum

Length, Width

Ruler, Graduated to 1/16" divisions, or suitable template

8"+1/16" 10"+1/16"

8"-1/16" 10"-1/16"

Thickness

ASTM D645-97 (reapproved 2010)

0.60 mm

0.30 mm

Brittleness

Brittleness Test for Fiber Filters

No crack larger than one inch

Tensile Strength

50 ASTM 828-16

None

500 gf/20mm

Flow Rate

EPA Flow Rate Acceptance Test

1.80 m3/min

1.34 m3/min

Retention

ASTM Method D2986-99

99.95%

Visual

All filters selected

ASTM D828-93 visual Inspection Test Procedure

a. Defect Filters

b. Reject Filters

20% 5%

2. Chemical Properties:

Lead Content. No filter from a total of 50 filters tested shall lose more than 15 micrograms

(ug) of lead per filter when analyzed per the EPA Federal Reference (40 CFR part 50) or an Equivalent Test Method for Lead.

Quartz Fiber Filters

All Filters Must Meet the Following Dimensions

Characteristic

No. of

Method (Reference Number)

Length, Width

Ruler, Graduated to 1/16" divisions, or suitable template

8"+1/16" 10"+1/16"

8"-1/16" 10"-1/16"

Thickness

ASTM D645-97 (reapproved 2010)

0.60 mm

0.30 mm

Brittleness

Brittleness Test for Fiber

No crack larger than one inch

Tensile Strength

ASTM 828-16

200 g

Flow Rate

EPA Flow Rate Acceptance Test

(EMSL/RTP)

1.80 m3/min

1.34 m3/min

Retention

ASTM Method D2986-99

99.95% selected

ASTM D828-93 Visual Inspection Test Procedure

20% 5%

2. Chemical Properties:

Lead Content. No filter from a total of 50 filters tested shall lose more than 15 micrograms (ug) of lead per filter when analyzed per the EPA Federal Reference (40 CFR part 50) or an Equivalent Test Method for Lead.

B. Teflon Filters The contractor shall use the AREAL Visual test method listed above, to test the filters.

• ASTM Method D2986-71 (Standard Practice for Evaluation of Air Assay Media by the Monodisperse DOP (Dioctyl Phthalate Smoke Test)

All Filters Must Meet the Following Dimensions

Characteristic

No. of Method (Reference No.)

Reinforcing Ring, outside diameter

Micrometer or Template

46.45 mm (millimeters)

45.95 mm

Reinforcing Ring, width

Micrometer or Template

3.68 mm

3.17 mm

Reinforcing Ring, thickness

Micrometer

0.42 mm

0.34 mm

ΔP at 16.7 L/min (Pressure Drop)

ASTM D2986a-99

30 cm H2O

Retention of Particles 0.3Φm in diameter

ASTM D2986a-99

99.7%

Numbering of Filter Container

All containers selected for test/analysis

No defect permitted

Calendar Year

All containers encountered during sampling or use

No defect permitted selected for test/analysis (525 filters)

AREAL Visual Inspection Test Procedure

a. 10%

b. 5%

a. NONE

b. NONE

1a. Additional Tests As required by 40CFR, Part 50, Appendix L, Tests shall be performed on 50 filters.

(1) Maximum moisture pickup: Not more than 10μg weight increase after 24-hour exposure to air of 40 percent relative humidity, relative to weight after 24-hour exposure to air of 35 percent relative humidity.

(2) Collection efficiency: Greater than 99.7 percent, as measured by the DOP test (ASTM D 2986-71) with 0.3μm particles at the sampler's operating face velocity.

(3) Filter weight stability: Filter weight loss shall be less than 20μg, as measured in each of the following two tests specified in 6.9.1 and 6.9.2 of Appendix L. The following conditions apply to both of these tests: Filter weight loss shall be the average difference between the initial and the final filter weights of a random sample of 50 test filters. The filters shall be weighed under laboratory conditions and shall have had no air sample passed through them (i.e., filter blanks). Each test procedure must include initial conditioning and weighing, the test, and final conditioning and weighing. Conditioning and weighing shall be in accordance with Part 50, Appendix L, and general guidance provided in the following reference:

REFERENCE

Quality Assurance Guidance Document 2.12, which can be found at https://www.epa.gov/amtic/amtic-pm25-monitoring-network

(4) Test for loose, surface particle contamination: After the initial weighing, install each test filter, in turn, in a filter cassette (Figure numbers L-27, L-28, and L-29 from Appendix L) and drop the cassette from a height of 25 cm to a flat hard surface, such as a particle-free wood bench. Repeat two times, for a total of three drop tests for each test filter. Remove the test filter from the cassette and weigh the filter. The average change in weight must be less than 20μg.

(5) Test for temperature stability: After weighing each filter, place the test filters in a drying oven set at 40 ΕC ∀2ΕC for not less than 48 hours. Remove, condition, and reweigh each test filter. The average change in weight must be less than 20μg.

(6) Alkalinity: Less than 25 microequivalents/gram of filter, as measured by the procedure given in the above reference.

1b. Trace Metal Analyses The contractor shall analyze 50 filters for the trace elements listed below. The acceptance criteria is 90 percent (or 45 of the 50 filters) shall meet the following criteria. The average concentrations for the trace metals in 90 percent of the filters shall be less than the stated concentrations (which is twice the minimum detectable concentrations). The EPA shall reject the filters if any trace metal is ten times the minimum detectable concentration (or five times the concentrations stated below).

Maximum Concentration (ng/cm2) for Teflon Filters for XRF Analysis

ELEMENT CONCENTRATION

(ng/cm2)

ELEMENT CONCENTRATION

(ng/cm2) https://www.epa.gov/amtic/amtic-pm25-monitoring-network

Al 94.4 Se 1.6 Si 32.8 Ce 70.8 P 22.6 Mg 15.2 S 13.4 Br 2.0 Cl 9.4 Rb 2.0 K 5.6 Sr 2.2 Ca 8.2 Zr 13.2 Ti 13.8 Ag 9.6 V 4.8 Cd 10.8 Cr 2.2 Sn 15.2 Mn 2.2 Sb 14.4 Fe 5.8 Cs 25.0 Co 4.0 Ba 32.2 Ni 3.0 Pb 4.8 Cu 2.8 In 27.0 Zn 2.2 Na 44.7 As 2.8

2. Visual Inspection for Acceptance The maximum number of rejects allowed for all physical characteristics combined is 6 percent.

No defect is permitted for filter identification, and the maximum number allowed for the visual is 10 percent for defective filters and 5 percent for rejected filters.

The following descriptions of visual defects shall to be used in the acceptance inspection of the filters. Each filter is inspected, using a light screen or table or by viewing over a black surface, for the following defects:

(a) Pinhole - a small hole appearing (1) as a distinct and obvious bright point of light when examined over a light table or screen, or (2) as a dark spot when viewed over a black surface. Such a filter is considered a reject or unusable filter.

(b) Separation of ring - any separation or lack of seal between the filter and reinforcing ring. Such a filter is considered a reject filter.

(c) Chaff or flashing - any extra attached residual material on the ring or heat seal area which would prevent obtaining an airtight seal when the ring is placed under compression. Such a filter is considered a reject filter.

(d) Loose material - any extra loose material or dirt particles on the filter which would require removal by brushing prior to weighing. A filter with such a defect is considered a defective filter. Defective filters are considered usable.

(e) Discoloration - any obvious visible discoloration which might be evidence of a contaminant. Such a filter is considered a reject filter.

(f) Filter non-uniformity - any obvious visible non-uniformity in the appearance of the filter when viewed over a light table or black surface which might indicate graduation in porosity across the face of the filter or if the filter does not lay flat (e.g., laying in the petri dish). A filter with any such defect is considered defective.

(g) Other - a filter with any imperfections not described above, such as irregular surfaces or other results of poor workmanship, may be considered defective.

C. Distribution The contractor shall distribute filters, provided by EPA, to the State/local air pollution control agencies as soon as the testing has been completed and the filters are determined to be acceptable by EPA. The contractor shall transfer the appropriate number of filter boxes from the manufacture’s shipping cases to boxes provided by the contractor for distribution of the filters to the State/local air pollution control agencies nationwide. The contractor shall never ship a partial filter box. EPA will provide the contractor a master letter describing the intent of the shipment and a containing a summary of the acceptance testing results. Any testing anomalies will be discussed in this letter. The contractor shall make copies of this letter and include one copy in each shipment to the agencies.

After the filters are distributed, it is anticipated there will be remaining boxes of filters (a box measuring approximately 16”x 20”x 14”). The contractor shall store the remaining filters until the PO notifies the contractor, in writing, to either a) distribute to state/local agencies who have estimated need incorrectly and are short their required number or b) send to state/local agencies whose filters were damaged in shipment or c) to dispose of them. If a State/local agency receives the filters from the Contractor in a condition where contamination is suspected due to a shipping mishap and the Contractor is notified, the Contractor shall immediately notify EPA to get written consent to ship another set of filters to the participant.

If shipments are delivered to the wrong organization, the contractor will, at the direction of EPA, work with the agency to correct the issue. This may include a) shipping new filters or b) facilitating the return of the incorrect delivery of filters or c) a combination of both. The contractor will cover all shipping costs associated with the problem resolution.

IV. DELIVERABLES

A. The contractor shall complete testing and submit a report containing all test results to the EPA within 75 days after receipt of the filters.

B. The contractor will inform EPA via phone call and email of any failed tests within 24-hours of their discovery for further direction.

C. The contractor shall ship the filters to the designated State/local agencies within 5 days after notification by the EPA Contract Officer Representative.

D. The contractor shall store the remaining filters for up to 24 months.

Payment Terms: Invoices must be submitted in EPA’s Invoice Processing Platform (IPP).