FAS_Lab_Performance_Work_Statement_2025_2.pdf

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

Freely Associated States (FAS)

Water Quality Laboratory and Laboratory Technician Certification Program

PURPOSE

This performance work statement (PWS) describes the technical support required for continued implementation the EPA/DOI FAS Water Quality Laboratory and Laboratory Technician

Certification Program. The Freely Associated States consists of the Republic of Palau, the

Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia (Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei, Kosrae). The technical support will be used to maintain and improve technical performance among the regulatory environmental agencies’ water quality laboratories in the FAS. This support will sustain the capacity of the laboratories to protect the island populations from health risks associated with contaminated drinking water, contaminated shellfish, or contact with polluted coastal waters, and to enhance potential for vital economic developments such as tourism and aquaculture ventures.

BACKGROUND

In 2007, US EPA Region IX Pacific Islands Office and the US Pacific Territorial Environmental

Agencies (American Samoa EPA, CNMI DEQ, and Guam EPA) developed the Freely

Associated States (FAS) Water Quality Laboratory and Laboratory Technician Certification

Program modeled on the US EPA Laboratory Certification Program, as provided in the EPA

Manual for Certification of Laboratories Analyzing Drinking Water, current edition. This program initially received initial funding through an Interagency Agreement (IA) between EPA

Pacific Islands and Mexico Border (PIMB) Office and the DOI Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) for the project period 25 October 2007 to 30 December 2011. Funding has been continued with additional IAs between EPA PIMB Office and DOI OIA, with the latest project ending 30

September 2024.

The FAS program is modeled on the US EPA Laboratory Certification Program, which utilizes regular follow-up quality assurance visits and re-certification audits to ensure that laboratories maintain high standards. To qualify for certification under the program, FAS laboratories must meet specific criteria, pass a biennial on-site audit, and have at least one certified technician on staff. To qualify for technician certification, laboratory technicians must pass a written exam and successfully analyze a set of performance evaluation samples. All training and certification audits for this program are performed by US EPA accredited Laboratory Certification Officers.

As a result of the certification program all data produced by the labs is recognized as scientifically valid (of known and acceptable precision and accuracy) and legally defensible.

In addition, all FAS laboratory managers receive training to develop appropriate monitoring plans for drinking water and marine waters, and to produce effective data reports and public notices. Additionally, if there is interest from the local drinking water utility and there is capacity to include their analyst(s) in the technician certification training and testing, they should be included in the program.

The program has been a tremendous success, with all IA performance measures for the program met or exceeded. All six (6) of the FAS labs were certified for drinking water and surface water analysis, and twenty-eight (28) laboratory technicians have been certified. In addition, all six (6) laboratories have continued to meet certification requirements, and have been re-certified at least four (4) times. Re-certification is an important and significant accomplishment because it demonstrates the ability and commitment of each FAS to sustain a high- q u a l i t y laboratory. It also demonstrates that the FAS labs have capitalized on their certification status to request and receive adequate funding levels for day-to-day operations from their respective state, which they did not receive prior to certification.

SCOPE OF WORK

The activities required to support this requirement are detailed in this section.

• Task 1: Certification Program

• Task 2: Lab Equipment and Supplies

• Task 3: Certification and Training Requirements

• Task 4: Reports

• Task 5: Technical Assistance

• Task 6: Optional Task

The Program Manager must be an US EPA- accredited Laboratory Certification Officer and have documented substantial experience working with the Freely Associated States on drinking water laboratory issues. The Program Manager shall perform the Tasks as detailed below:

▪ Task 1: Certification Program Requirements

• Prepare updated Certification manual, study guide/examinations. (FAS

Certification manual guided by the EPA Manual for Certification of Laboratories

Analyzing Drinking Water, current edition.)

▪ Task 2: Lab Equipment and Supplies Requirements

• Purchase laboratory equipment and supplies including shipping to FAS.

▪ Task 3: Certification and Training Requirements

• Conduct Bi-annual re-certification audits for Colilert and Enterolert methods at six (6) labs, provide training for all new analysts. If there is interest and capacity during the recertification event, analyst(s) from local drinking water utility labs shall be included.

▪ Task 4: Reports Requirements

• Prepare and distribute laboratory certification audit reports for each laboratory at time of each certification completion. Annually, and at the end of the contract period, a spreadsheet for all six (6) laboratories, their certification status, analytes for which certification has been obtained and most recent date of certification, and list technicians names and certification levels, at each lab, shall be submitted to the COR.

▪ Task 5: Technical Assistance Requirements

• Provides ongoing technical assistance to six (6) laboratories as required.

▪ Task 6: Optional Task -.

• A. Provide training on the collection and analysis of turbidity, as well as an evaluation of equipment and supplies needed to properly perform the analysis.

Purchase of equipment and supplies, as approved by COR. If task 6 A is exercised, this information regarding these activities shall be included in the laboratory certification audit reports as referred to in Task 4.

• B. Initially the Program Manager completes an evaluation of potential expanded parameter(s) to identify those that are most useful for the protection of public health and appropriate for FAS laboratories, as well as equipment required for proposed parameters. The evaluation should also include a determination if analytes can reasonably be performed in the each of the six (6) local laboratories and if the laboratories could reasonably obtain EPA certification for those analytes or if the sample should be collected and shipped to an off-site approved laboratory, and equipment and supplies needed to perform each collection or analysis. The Program Manager shall also identify off-site laboratories that can be used for analysis, if needed. This evaluation shall be submitted to the EPA

COR for approval, prior to implementing expanded training or certification.

• C. The Program Manager provides purchase of equipment and supplies, supplemental training and/or certification for the collection, shipping and/or analysis of the proposed expanded parameter(s), as approved by the COR, for up to four (4) labs. This optional task can be exercised at any time during the contract and may be exercised more than once, as approved by the CO.

PROJECT DELIVERABLES

Timeline and Major Milestones:

Task Activity Description Deliverables Completion

Date

1 Certification

Program

Requirements

Prepare updated certification manual, study guide and examinations

Updated certification materials

10/31/2025

2 Lab Equipment

& Supplies

Purchase laboratory equipment and supplies including shipping to FAS

Six (6) labs remain fully equipped and supplied to meet certification requirements

Contract

Expiration

3 Certification

& Training

Conduct bi-annual re-certification audits for Colilert and Enterolert methods at six (6)

Six (6) labs re-certified

(biennial) for analysis of drinking water and surface waters (including marine water), any deviations

Contract

Expiration labs; provide training for all new analysts corrected, and all new analysts trained and certified

4 Reports Prepare and distribute laboratory certification audit reports

Final certification audit reports distributed for each laboratory. Spreadsheet, including all 6 laboratories and their certification status, analytes for which certification has been obtained and most recent date of certification, list of technicians and certification level, shall be submitted annually, and at the end of the contract.

Contract

Expiration

5 Technical

Assistance

Provide ongoing technical assistance to laboratories as required

Six (6) fully functioning laboratories

Contract

Expiration

6 Optional Task Supplemental

Training for

Turbidity and

Expanded Parameter

Sample Collection.

A. Turbidity training and equipment status report included in laboratory certification audit reports.

B. Evaluation report of proposed expanded parameters, identified labs where applicable, and equipment and supplies needed.

C. Training and certification (where appropriate) of expanded parameter(s) that are proposed and approved by the COR. For parameters that are not to be analyzed in the local lab, training for proper sample collection and shipping, shall be completed. Equipment and supplies purchase for expanded parameters as approved by the COR.

Contract

Expiration

Tasks 1-5: Deliverables required as listed in table above. The FAS Program Manager must be an US EPA- accredited Laboratory Certification Officer and have substantial experience working with the Freely Associated States on drinking water laboratory issues.

Optional Task 6: Deliverables/Outcomes as listed in the table above. Initially an evaluation of proposed expanded parameter certification shall be performed to identify parameters that are most useful for the protection of public health and appropriate for FAS laboratories, as well as equipment required for proposed parameters, for up to four (4) labs. This evaluation shall be submitted to the EPA COR for approval. EPA Laboratory Certification for Turbidity shall be completed for up to four (4) labs. Additional training for sample collection and analysis where appropriate for chosen parameters, as approved by the COR, for up to four (4) labs.

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: Base plus four (4), one (1)-year option.

ANTICIPATED TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

All non-local travel shall be approved in advance by the COR and shall be in accordance with the

Contract and Federal Travel Regulations.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Other Direct Costs (ODCs) for travel, copying, postage/courier, supplies, are allowed.

Upon issuance of written technical direction, the contractor shall submit for inspection of all work in progress at any under this work assignment. The contractor shall develop and maintain files supporting each task.

The contractor shall contact the EPA COR by telephone to discuss any problems that may adversely affect the work on this Work Assignment. Within five (5) calendar days, the contractor shall follow the phone call with a brief written explanation of the problem, including any actions already taken, and/or recommended solutions to correct the problem. Written explanation shall be made available to the EPA COR.

CONTRACT IDENTIFICATION

To avoid any perception that contractor personnel are EPA employees, the contractor shall assure that contractor personnel are clearly identified as independent contractors of EPA when attending meeting with outside parties or visiting filed sites.

CONTRACTING OFFICER REPRESENTATIVE (COR)

Primary COR: Angela Sandoval

Email: sandoval.angela@epa.gov

Phone: 415-972-3831 (O)

415-314-9825 (M)

Alternate COR: TBD

Email:

Phone:

mailto:sandoval.angela@epa.gov