RFP_18-807-26.pdf

STATE OF ALASKA – REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS RFP 18-807-26 | NATIONAL AIR TOXICS TRENDS STATION (NATTS) SAMPLE ANALYSIS

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STATE OF ALASKA

REQUEST FOR

PROPOSALS (RFP)

OFFERORS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO RETURN THIS FORM

IMPORTANT NOTICE: If you received this solicitation from the state of Alaska’s “Online Public Notice” website, you must register with the procurement officer listed in this document to receive notification of subsequent amendments. Failure to contact the procurement officer may result in the rejection of your offer.

ISSUED BY:

Department of Environmental Conservation Division of Air Quality

PRIMARY CONTACT:

Bryant Trujillo Procurement Specialist III

DECDASProcurement@alaska.gov +1 (907) 269-7929

NATIONAL AIR TOXICS TRENDS STATION (NATTS) SAMPLE ANALYSIS

RFP 18-807-26

Issued October 8, 2025

The State of Alaska, Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), Division of Air Quality, is soliciting proposals for sample media preparation, recovery, analysis, reporting, and sampler certification for Alaska’s National Ambient Air Toxic Trends Station (NATTS).

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION 1. INTRODUCTION & INSTRUCTIONS

SEC. 1.01 PURPOSE OF THE RFP

SEC. 1.02 BUDGET

SEC. 1.03 DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT OF PROPOSALS

SEC. 1.04 PRIOR EXPERIENCE

SEC. 1.05 REQUIRED REVIEW

SEC. 1.06 QUESTIONS PRIOR TO DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT OF PROPOSALS

SEC. 1.07 RETURN INSTRUCTIONS

SEC. 1.08 ASSISTANCE TO OFFERORS WITH A DISABILITY

SEC. 1.09 AMENDMENTS TO PROPOSALS

SEC. 1.10 AMENDMENTS TO THE RFP

SEC. 1.11 RFP SCHEDULE

SEC. 1.12 PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE

SEC. 1.13 ALTERNATE PROPOSALS

SEC. 1.14 NEWS RELEASES

SECTION 2. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

SEC. 2.01 BACKGROUND INFORMATION

SECTION 3. SCOPE OF WORK & CONTRACT INFORMATION

SEC. 3.01 SCOPE OF WORK

SEC. 3.02 CONTRACT TERM & WORK SCHEDULE

SEC. 3.03 DELIVERABLES

SEC. 3.04 CONTRACT TYPE

SEC. 3.05 PROPOSED PAYMENT PROCEDURES

SEC. 3.06 PROMPT PAYMENT FOR STATE PURCHASES

SEC. 3.07 CONTRACT PAYMENT

SEC. 3.08 CONTRACT PRICE ADJUSTMENTS

SEC. 3.09 LOCATION OF WORK

SEC. 3.10 SUBCONTRACTORS

SEC. 3.11 JOINT VENTURES

SEC. 3.12 RIGHT TO INSPECT PLACE OF BUSINESS

SEC. 3.13 F.O.B. POINT

SEC. 3.14 CONTRACT PERSONNEL

SEC. 3.15 INSPECTION & MODIFICATION - REIMBURSEMENT FOR UNACCEPTABLE DELIVERABLES

SEC. 3.16 CONTRACT CHANGES – UNANTICIPATED AMENDMENTS

SEC. 3.17 NONDISCLOSURE & CONFIDENTIALITY

SEC. 3.18 INDEMNIFICATION

SEC. 3.19 INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

SEC. 3.20 TERMINATION FOR DEFAULT

SECTION 4. PROPOSAL FORMAT & CONTENT

SEC. 4.01 INTRODUCTION

SEC. 4.02 SPECIAL FORMATTING REQUIREMENTS

SEC. 4.03 OFFEROR INFORMATION & CERTIFICATIONS (SUBMITTAL FORM A)

SEC. 4.04 EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS (SUBMITTAL FORM B)

SEC. 4.05 UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROJECT (SUBMITTAL FORM C)

SEC. 4.06 METHODOLOGY USED FOR THE PROJECT (SUBMITTAL FORM D)

SEC. 4.07 MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE PROJECT (SUBMITTAL FORM E)

SEC. 4.08 SUBCONTRACTORS (SUBMITTAL FORM F)

SEC. 4.09 COST PROPOSAL (SUBMITTAL FORM G)

SEC. 4.10 EVALUATION CRITERIA

SECTION 5. EVALUATION CRITERIA & CONTRACTOR SELECTION

SEC. 5.01 SUMMARY OF EVALUATION PROCESS

SEC. 5.02 EVALUATION CRITERIA

SEC. 5.03 SCORING METHOD & CALCULATION

SEC. 5.04 EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS

SEC. 5.05 UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROJECT

SEC. 5.06 METHODOLOGY USED FOR THE PROJECT

SEC. 5.07 MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE PROJECT

SEC. 5.08 CONTRACT COST (COST PROPOSAL)

SEC. 5.09 ALASKA OFFEROR PREFERENCE

SECTION 6. GENERAL PROCESS & LEGAL INFORMATION

SEC. 6.01 INFORMAL DEBRIEFING

SEC. 6.02 ALASKA BUSINESS LICENSE & OTHER REQUIRED LICENSES

SEC. 6.03 SITE INSPECTION

SEC. 6.04 CLARIFICATION OF OFFERS

SEC. 6.05 DISCUSSIONS WITH OFFERORS

SEC. 6.06 EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS

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SEC. 6.07 CONTRACT NEGOTIATION

SEC. 6.08 FAILURE TO NEGOTIATE

SEC. 6.09 OFFEROR NOTIFICATION OF SELECTION

SEC. 6.10 PROTEST

SEC. 6.11 APPLICATION OF PREFERENCES

SEC. 6.12 ALASKA BIDDER PREFERENCE

SEC. 6.13 ALASKA VETERAN PREFERENCE

SEC. 6.14 ALASKA MILITARY SKILLS PROGRAM PREFERENCE

SEC. 6.15 STANDARD CONTRACT PROVISIONS

SEC. 6.16 QUALIFIED OFFERORS

SEC. 6.17 PROPOSAL AS PART OF THE CONTRACT

SEC. 6.18 ADDITIONAL TERMS & CONDITIONS

SEC. 6.19 HUMAN TRAFFICKING

SEC. 6.20 RIGHT OF REJECTION

SEC. 6.21 STATE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR PREPARATION COSTS

SEC. 6.22 DISCLOSURE OF PROPOSAL CONTENTS

SEC. 6.23 ASSIGNMENT

SEC. 6.24 FORCE MAJEURE (IMPOSSIBILITY TO PERFORM)

SEC. 6.25 DISPUTES

SEC. 6.26 SEVERABILITY

SEC. 6.27 SUPPLEMENTAL TERMS & CONDITIONS

SEC. 6.28 SOLICITATION ADVERTISING

SEC. 6.29 FEDERALLY IMPOSED TARIFFS

SECTION 7. ATTACHMENTS

SEC. 7.01 ATTACHMENTS

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SECTION 1. INTRODUCTION & INSTRUCTIONS

SEC. 1.01 PURPOSE OF THE RFP

The State of Alaska, Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), Division of Air Quality, is soliciting proposals for sample media preparation, recovery, analysis, reporting, and sampler certification for Alaska’s National Ambient Air Toxic Trends Station (NATTS).

Deadline for receipt of proposals: No later than 1:00 p.m. prevailing Alaska Daylight Time (AKDT) on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, as indicated by email time stamp. Late proposals will not be considered.

The length of the contract: From the date of award, approximately the week of November 10, 2025, for seven (7) months until completion on June 30, 2026, with three (3) one-year renewal options to be executed at the State’s discretion.

SEC. 1.02 BUDGET

The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), Division of Air Quality, estimates a budget of between $70,000.00 and $155,000.00 for the completion of this project per fiscal year, beginning on July 1, 202X, and ending on June 30, 202X. Proposals priced at more than $155,000.00 per fiscal year will be considered non-responsive to this solicitation.

Payment for the contract is subject to funds already appropriated and identified.

SEC. 1.03 DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT OF PROPOSALS

Proposals must be received no later than 1:00 p.m. prevailing Alaska Daylight Time (AKDT) on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, as indicated by email timestamp, and late proposals will not be considered.

SEC. 1.04 PRIOR EXPERIENCE

In order for offers to be considered responsive, offerors must meet these minimum prior experience requirements:

• MINIMUM REQUIREMENT 1: For the purposes of this RFP, the offeror shall have a minimum of ten (10) years of experience performing air toxics analysis equal to or exceeding that required for work performed for the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Hazardous Air Pollutants program and National Air Toxics Trends Network.

• MINIMUM REQUIREMENT 2: For the purposes of this RFP, the offeror’s experience must include methods TO-15/15A, TO-13A, TO-11, IO-3.5, as well as positive and negative bias tests for VOC sampler certification and positive bias tests for carbonyl sampler certification.

• MINIMUM REQUIREMENT 3: For the purposes of this RFP, an offeror must describe its experience working with state and local air monitoring stations and EPA’s national monitoring networks, determining hazardous pollutants, including volatile, semi-volatile, ozone precursor, metals, and carbonyl in ambient air samples. The offeror should demonstrate experience with

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EPA’s quality assurance requirements and operate under or be capable of constructing and operating under an “EPA Category 1 Quality Assurance Program Plan” and uploading collected sample data to EPA’s Air Quality System (AQS) or Unified Platform.

An offeror's failure to meet these minimum prior experience requirements may cause their proposal to be considered non-responsive and rejected.

SEC. 1.05 REQUIRED REVIEW

Offerors should carefully review this solicitation for defects and questionable or objectionable material. Comments concerning defects and questionable or objectionable material should be made in writing and received by the procurement officer at least ten days before the deadline for receipt of proposals. This will allow time for the issuance of any necessary amendments. It will also help prevent the opening of a defective proposal and exposure of offeror’s proposals upon which award could not be made.

SEC. 1.06 QUESTIONS PRIOR TO DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT OF PROPOSALS

All questions must be in writing and directed to the procurement officer. The interested party must confirm telephone conversations in writing.

Two (2) types of questions generally arise. One may be answered by directing the questioner to a specific section of the RFP. These questions may be answered over the telephone. Other questions may be more complex and may require a written amendment to the RFP. The procurement officer will make that decision.

• Bryant Trujillo, Procurement Specialist III Department of Environmental Conservation Division of Administrative Services 555 Cordova Street Anchorage, Alaska 99501 Email: DECDASProcurement@alaska.gov

SEC. 1.07 RETURN INSTRUCTIONS

Do not hand deliver or use U.S. mail or any delivery service to return your technical and cost proposals.

Oral proposals or faxed proposals are not acceptable. Please send the proposal package(s) via email. The technical proposal and cost proposal must be saved as separate PDF documents and emailed to DECDASPROCUREMENT@ALASKA.GOV as separate, clearly labeled attachments, such as “Vendor A – Technical Proposal.pdf” and “Vendor A – Cost Proposal.pdf.” The email must contain the RFP number in the subject line.

The maximum size of a single email, including all text and attachments, the state can receive is 20 megabytes. If the email containing the proposal exceeds this size, the proposal must be sent in mailto:DECDASProcurement@alaska.gov

STATE OF ALASKA – REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS RFP 18-807-26 | NATIONAL AIR TOXICS TRENDS STATION (NATTS) SAMPLE ANALYSIS

RFP 18-807-26 | Page 6 of 40 multiple emails that are each less than 20 megabytes, and each email must comply with the requirements described above.

Please note that email transmission is not instantaneous. Similar to sending a hard copy proposal, if you are emailing your proposal, the state recommends sending it ahead of time to ensure the email is delivered by the deadline for receipt of proposals.

It is the offeror’s responsibility to contact the issuing agency via email at DECDASPROCUREMENT@ALASKA.GOV to confirm that the proposal has been received. The state is not responsible for unreadable, corrupt, or missing attachments.

SEC. 1.08 ASSISTANCE TO OFFERORS WITH A DISABILITY

Offerors with a disability may receive accommodation regarding the means of communicating this RFP or participating in the procurement process. For more information, contact the procurement officer no later than ten days prior to the deadline for receipt of proposals.

SEC. 1.09 AMENDMENTS TO PROPOSALS

Amendments to or withdrawals of proposals will only be allowed if acceptable requests are received prior to the deadline that is set for receipt of proposals. No amendments or withdrawals will be accepted after the deadline unless they are in response to the state's request in accordance with 2 AAC 12.290.

SEC. 1.10 AMENDMENTS TO THE RFP

If an amendment is issued before the deadline for receipt of proposals, the amendment will be posted on the State of Alaska Online Public Notice (OPN) website. The link to the posting of the amendment will be provided to all who were notified of the RFP and to those who have registered with the procurement officer after receiving the RFP from the OPN.

After receipt of proposals, if there is a need for any substantial clarification or material change in the RFP, an amendment will be issued. The amendment will incorporate the clarification or change, and a new date and time established for new or amended proposals. Evaluations may be adjusted as a result of receiving new or amended proposals.

SEC. 1.11 RFP SCHEDULE

The RFP schedule set out herein represents the state’s best estimate of the schedule that will be followed. If a component of this schedule, such as the deadline for receipt of proposals, is delayed, the rest of the schedule may be shifted accordingly. All times are Alaska Daylight Time (AKDT).

ACTIVITY TIME DATE

Issue Date / RFP Released October 8, 2025

Deadline for Receipt of Proposals / Proposal Due Date 1:00 p.m. October 29, 2025

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Proposal Evaluations Complete Approximately the week of November 3, 2025

Notice of Intent to Award (NOIA) Approximately the week of November 3, 2025

Contract Issued Approximately the week of November 10, 2025

This RFP does not, by itself, obligate the state. The state's obligation will commence when the contract is approved by the Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation or the Commissioner's designee. Upon written notice to the contractor, the state may set a different starting date for the contract. The state will not be responsible for any work done by the contractor, even work done in good faith, if it occurs prior to the contract start date set by the state.

SEC. 1.12 PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE

This section is not applicable as a pre-proposal conference/teleconference will not be held.

SEC. 1.13 ALTERNATE PROPOSALS

Offerors may only submit one proposal for evaluation. In accordance with 2 AAC 12.830 alternate proposals (proposals that offer something different than what is asked for) will be rejected.

SEC. 1.14 NEWS RELEASES

News releases related to this RFP will not be made without prior approval of the project director.

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SECTION 2. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

SEC. 2.01 BACKGROUND INFORMATION

There are currently 187 hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), also known as air toxics, regulated under the Clean Air Act (CAA) that have been linked to a wide range of adverse health effects, including cancer and neurological disorders. These air toxics are emitted from multiple sources, including major stationary, area, and mobile sources, resulting in population exposure to these pollutants.

The National Air Toxics Trends Station (NATTS) program was developed to fulfill the need for long-term HAP monitoring data of consistent quality. These sites are part of a 26-site national network of air toxics monitoring stations. The primary purpose of the NATTS network is to track trends in ambient air toxic levels, facilitating the measurement of progress toward emission and risk reduction goals. The monitoring network is designed to detect a 15% difference between successive 3-year annual mean concentrations within acceptable levels of decision error over a multi-year period.

EPA also implements the National Air Toxics Assessment (NATA) to help characterize the air toxics problem. Principal NATA activities include identification of areas of concern, characterizing risks, and tracking progress. These objectives may be partially met through the measurement of technically consistent ambient concentrations of air toxics at trend monitoring sites nationwide.

They are also met through the National-Scale Air Toxics Assessment (NATA), a screening tool based on air quality modeling. Data from NATTS are used to evaluate the modeled concentrations from this assessment.

The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is currently planning its first National Air Toxics Trends Station site. The site will be constructed and operated using funding made available by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 and would support a site installation in the Fairbanks North Star Borough (FNSB) nonattainment area.

DEC seeks to identify air toxics primarily present in wood smoke generated from home heating and wildfires, in order to effectively assess risks to area residents. Much has been learned about the impacts of air toxics from wildfire smoke in other areas regarding volatiles and metals, but little is known about air toxics in the Arctic or the potential health impacts from air toxics in the Fairbanks non-attainment area.

SPECIFIC PROGRAM GOALS & STRATEGIC TARGETS

• Establishing a new NATTS site in the North Pole PM2.5 nonattainment area,

• Collecting three (3) years of air toxics data,

• Reporting HAP data to AQS following the reporting schedule,

• Determining the impact of pollution levels from a significant source or sources, and

• Communicating findings to the affected community.

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SECTION 3. SCOPE OF WORK & CONTRACT INFORMATION

SEC. 3.01 SCOPE OF WORK

DEC’s Division of Air Quality is soliciting proposals for air toxic laboratory analysis services.

The Department requires assistance with shipping DEC-prepared sample media, receiving sampled media, extracting, analyzing, and reporting the results to DEC and EPA’s Air Quality System (AQS). Volatile organic carbon (VOC) and carbonyl samplers will need to be analyzed and certified for bias.

The selected vendor should be familiar with the requirements of the National Air Toxics Trends Station (NATTS) Technical Assistance Document (TAD). All activities performed will follow those guidelines and their Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) under the guidance of EPA’s Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS) and Alaska’s Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).

Each fiscal year, beginning on July 1, 202X, and ending on June 30, 202X, certify two (2) VOC samplers for positive and negative bias, and two (2) carbonyl samplers for positive bias, and return them to DEC’s office at 610 University Avenue, Fairbanks, Alaska 99709.

Prepare sample media per the requirements of the NATTS TAD for VOC (TO-15/15A), carbonyl (TO- 11A), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) (TO-13A), and ship samples in reusable packaging designed for return under any necessary temperature control restrictions, and a return shipping label included.

Extract and analyze the samples after collection and return to the laboratory, including Metals (IO- 3.5) samples collected using DEC-supplied low-flow filter media.

The bidder agrees to measure the complete list of analytes specified in “Table 1.2-1 Analytes of Principal Interest for the NATTS Program” from the NATTS TAD, as listed below.

Figure 1. NATTS’ Analytes of Principal Interest to be Monitored

VOC VOC (continued) Metals acrolein 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane nickel tetrachloroethylene toluene arsenic benzene 1,1,2-trichloroethane cadmium carbon tetrachloride 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene manganese chloroform m&p-xylenes beryllium trichloroethylene o-xylene lead

1,3-butadiene antimony vinyl chloride chromium

STATE OF ALASKA – REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS RFP 18-807-26 | NATIONAL AIR TOXICS TRENDS STATION (NATTS) SAMPLE ANALYSIS

RFP 18-807-26 | Page 10 of 40 acetonitrile Carbonyl cobalt acrylonitrile acetaldehyde selenium bromoform formaldehyde PAHs carbon disulfide naphthalene chlorobenzene benzo(a)pyrene chloroprene acenaphthene p-dichlorobenzene acenaphthylene cis-1,3-dichloropropene anthracene trans-1,3-dichloropropene benz(a)anthracene ethyl acrylate benzo(b)fluoranthene ethyl benzene benzo(e)pyrene ethylene oxide benzo(k)fluoranthene hexachloro-1,3-butadiene chrysene methyl ethyl ketone dibenz(a,h)anthracene methyl isobutyl ketone fluoranthene methyl methacrylate fluorene methyl tert-butyl ether indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene methylene chloride phenanthrene styrene pyrene

SAMPLING METHODS & MINIMUM DETECTION LIMITS

The selected bidder will ensure that the minimum detection limits (MDLs) meet the requirements of the current or updated NATTS TAD, as outlined in “Section 4.1, Method Detection Limits.” A table is included below with the cancer/non-cancer health risks and MDL measurement quality objectives (MQO).

Figure 2. NATTS’ Parameter Health Risks & MDLs

Pollutant Cancer Risk 10-6

(µg/m3) as per

NATTS TAD 4

Non-cancer at HQ =

0.1 (µg/m3) as per

NATTS TAD 4

Required MDL (µg/m3)

Acrolein -- 0.00200 0.09000

Benzene 0.13 3.00000 0.13000

Butadiene, 1,3- 0.03 0.20000 0.10000

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Carbon tetrachloride 0.17 10.00000 0.17000

Chloroform -- 9.80000 0.50000

Ethylene oxide2 0.0002 -- 0.05400

Tetrachloroethylene 3.8462 4.00000 0.17000

Trichloroethylene 0.2083 0.2000 0.20000

Vinyl Chloride 0.11 10.00000 0.11000

Acetaldehyde 0.45 0.90000 0.45000

Formaldehyde 0.08 0.98 0.08000

Benzo(a)pyrene 0.00057 -- 0.00091

Naphthalene 0.0294 0.4 0.02900

Arsenic compounds (PM10) 0.00023 0.0015 0.00023

Beryllium compounds 0.00042 0.00200 0.00042

Cadmium compounds 0.00056 0.001 0.00056

Lead compounds (PM10) -- 0.01500 0.01500

Manganese compounds -- 0.03 0.00500

Nickel compounds (PM10) 0.0021 0.00900 0.00210

During the following periods of performance, sampler certifications, sample collection, and analysis are as follows, using a 1/6 EPA Sample Schedule:

TASK I – ALASKA FISCAL YEAR 2026 (FY26), JULY 1, 2025, TO JUNE 30, 2026

• (30) VOC samples – 30 samples, with no field blanks,

• (36) Carbonyls samples – 30 samples and six (6) field blanks,

• (36) PAH samples – 30 samples and six (6) field blanks,

• (36) Metals samples – 30 samples and six (6) field blanks,

• (2) VOC Sampler Certifications (November/December 2025), and

• (2) Carbonyl Sampler Certifications (November/December 2025).

TASK II – ALASKA FISCAL YEAR 2027 (FY27), JULY 1, 2026, TO JUNE 30, 2027

• (61) VOC samples – 61 samples, with no field blanks,

• (73) Carbonyls samples – 61 samples and 12 field blanks,

• (73) PAH samples – 61 samples and 12 field blanks,

• (73) Metals samples – 61 samples and 12 field blanks,

• (2) VOC Sampler Certifications (November 2026), and

• (2) Carbonyl Sampler Certifications (November 2026).

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TASK III – ALASKA FISCAL YEAR 2028 (FY28), JULY 1, 2027, TO JUNE 30, 2028 (OPTIONAL)

• (61) VOC samples – 61 samples, with no field blanks,

• (73) Carbonyls samples – 61 samples and 12 field blanks,

• (73) PAH samples – 61samples and 12 field blanks,

• (73) Metals samples – 61 samples and 12 field blanks,

• (2) VOC Sampler Certifications (November 2027), and

• (2) Carbonyl Sampler Certifications (November 2027).

Note: Task III may or may not be awarded, or may be awarded at a later date, at DEC’s discretion.

The cost of optional tasks will not be included in the evaluated portion of an offeror’s cost proposal.

DEC reserves the right to award each of these tasks either individually or in any combination and at a time determined to be in the State’s best interest. The amounts for the Tasks shall be as proposed in the cost proposal in accordance with SEC. 4.09 COST PROPOSAL (SUBMITTAL FORM G) requirements and Cost Proposal – Submittal Form G (Attachment 2). All tasks awarded after the initial contract award will be awarded via an executed written amendment to the contract.

During the performance of the contract, if it is determined that the original work to be completed becomes more involved than anticipated and is within the approved scope of work, DEC reserves the right to adjust the time, scope, or cost of the contract. This must be agreed upon between DEC and the contractor through a written amendment and must be conducted within the contract term.

TASK IV – ALASKA FISCAL YEAR 2029 (FY29), JULY 1, 2028, TO DECEMBER 31, 2028 (OPTIONAL)

• (30) VOC samples – 30 samples, with no field blanks,

• (36) Carbonyls samples – 30 samples and six (6) field blanks,

• (36) PAH samples – 30 samples and six (6) field blanks,

• (36) Metals samples – 30 samples and six (6) field blanks,

• (2) VOC Sampler Certifications (November 2028), and

• (2) Carbonyl Sampler Certifications (November 2028).

Note: Task IV may or may not be awarded, or may be awarded at a later date, at DEC’s discretion.

The cost of optional tasks will not be included in the evaluated portion of an offeror’s cost proposal.

DEC reserves the right to award each of these tasks either individually or in any combination and at a time determined to be in the State’s best interest. The amounts for the Tasks shall be as proposed in the cost proposal in accordance with SEC. 4.09 COST PROPOSAL (SUBMITTAL FORM G) requirements and Cost Proposal – Submittal Form G (Attachment 2). All tasks awarded after the initial contract award will be awarded via an executed written amendment to the contract.

During the performance of the contract, if it is determined that the original work to be completed becomes more involved than anticipated and is within the approved scope of work, DEC reserves the right to adjust the time, scope, or cost of the contract. This must be agreed upon between DEC and the contractor through a written amendment and must be conducted within the contract term.

The successful bidder will create monthly data reports, which will be provided to DEC within 45 days after the end of each month. The laboratory and DEC will ensure that data are appropriately

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RFP 18-807-26 | Page 13 of 40 validated and flagged per the NATTS and QAPP Method Quality Objectives and Data Quality Objectives prior to uploading to AQS. Resulting validated data will be uploaded to AQS at least quarterly, and within 180 days from the end of each calendar quarter in which samples were collected, as specified in the NATTS TAD.

The successful bidder should demonstrate:

• Clear organizational structure and defined roles for project execution;

• Ability to coordinate effectively with the State of Alaska and the NATTS program;

• Internal quality assurance procedures, such as but not limited to a Quality Management Plan

(QMP) and Quality Assurance Project Plans (QAPPs), aligned with EPA guidance and the NATTS program as appropriate;

• Risk mitigation strategies for equipment failure, data loss, and remote deployment; and

• Familiarity with communication and reporting protocols for internal and external stakeholders.

The offeror must demonstrate the ability to staff and sustain operations throughout the contract period, including:

• Key personnel with experience in NATTS operations and air toxics monitoring;

• A minimum of ten (10) years of experience providing consistent staffing and laboratory operations focused specifically on-air toxics analysis equal to that which the NATTS network requires; and

• Appropriate training plans in place to ensure procedures are performed and documented correctly.

INSTRUMENT CERTIFICATION

The Offeror must describe their expertise in certifying field samplers used for the collection of VOCs and carbonyl compounds. The offeror should be prepared to certify two of each per year, depending on operational needs. This includes demonstrating familiarity with EPA certification protocols and documentation standards for field instrumentation. Alaska’s DEC will supply carbonyl and VOC instruments to be certified.

The offeror should be familiar with the previously referenced documents, some of which are listed below, and these additional materials:

• Technical Assistance Document for the National Air Toxics Trends Stations Program Revision 4, July 2022 (and future revisions);

• Quality Assurance Guidance Document - Model Quality Assurance Project Plan for the National Air Toxics Trends Stations EPA-454/B-07-004 December 2007 (and subsequent updates);

• DEC’s NATTS workplan (Attachment 9); and

• Other program familiarity and quality assurance documents found at the EPA’s NATTS website:

https://www3.epa.gov/ttnamti1/natts.html.

https://www3.epa.gov/ttnamti1/natts.html

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The goal of this project is to receive, sample, and analyze air toxics in Alaska and adequately identify air toxics compounds in the Fairbanks non-attainment area for the assessment of health risks in the community, and compare air toxics in Alaska to other trends networks in other states.

SEC. 3.02 CONTRACT TERM & WORK SCHEDULE

The length of the contract will be from the date of award, approximately the week of November 10, 2025, for approximately seven (7) months until completion on June 30, 2026, with three (3) one-year renewal options to be executed at the State’s discretion.

Unless otherwise provided in this RFP, the State and the successful offeror/contractor agree that

1. any extension of the contract, excluding any exercised renewal options, will be considered as a month-to-month extension, and all other terms and conditions shall remain in full force and effect; and

2. the procurement officer will provide notice to the contractor of the intent to cancel such month-to-month extension at least 30 days before the desired date of cancellation. A month-to-month extension may only be executed by the procurement officer via a written contract amendment.

SEC. 3.03 DELIVERABLES

The contractor will be required to provide the following deliverables:

• Creation and/or maintenance of the required quality assurance documentation throughout the contract’s term;

• Certify two (2) carbonyl and VOC samplers per the State of Alaska’s fiscal year;

• Supply prepared sample media for VOC, carbonyl, and PAH samples as described in this solicitation document, including appropriate packaging and shipping for samples in both directions, for an EPA 1-in-6 sample schedule at the quantities noted in the scope of work.

• Recovery and analysis of sampled media sent as above, as well as DEC-provided low-volume PM10 metals sample.

• Analysis of all samples to be performed as outlined in this document and the NATTS TAD; and

• Ensure data undergoes required QA/QC for all lab operations, data is reported monthly to DEC and the EPA AQS database per the NATTS TAD.

SEC. 3.04 CONTRACT TYPE

The contract resulting from this solicitation will be a Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) contract.

SEC. 3.05 PROPOSED PAYMENT PROCEDURES

The state will make payments based on a negotiated payment schedule. Each billing must consist of an invoice and a progress report. No payment will be made until the progress report and the invoice have been approved by the project director.

SEC. 3.06 PROMPT PAYMENT FOR STATE PURCHASES

This section is not applicable as the state will not be pursuant of a prompt payment discount.

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SEC. 3.07 CONTRACT PAYMENT

No payment will be made until the contract is approved by the Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation or the Commissioner’s designee. Under no conditions will the state be liable for the payment of any interest charges associated with the cost of the contract. The state is not responsible for and will not pay local, state, or federal taxes. All costs associated with the contract must be stated in U.S. currency.

Payment for agreements under $500,000 for the undisputed purchase of goods or services provided to a state agency will be made within 30 days of the receipt of a proper billing or the delivery of the goods or services to the location(s) specified in the agreement, whichever is later. A late payment is subject to 1.5% interest per month on the unpaid balance. Interest will not be paid if there is a dispute or if there is an agreement that establishes a lower interest rate or precludes the charging of interest.

Any single contract payment of $1,000,000 or higher must be accepted by the contractor via Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT).

SEC. 3.08 CONTRACT PRICE ADJUSTMENTS

The Contractor or State may request price adjustments – no sooner than 12 months from the contract execution date – and no more than once per contract year. Contractors must submit a request to the State at least thirty (30) days prior to the end of the current term. All Requests must be in writing and must be received thirty (30) days prior to the contract renewal date.

a. If the Contractor or State fails to request a CPI price adjustment thirty (30) days prior to the Contract renewal date, the adjustment will be effective thirty (30) days after the State or Contractor receives their written request.

b. Price adjustments will be made in accordance with the percentage change in the U.S.

Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor and Statistics, Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) for All Urban Consumers, All Items, Urban Alaska.

c. The price adjustment rate will be determined by comparing the percentage difference between the CPI in effect for the base year reported HALF1 (January through June 202X) (depending on the timing, it may be HALF2 for July through December); and each HALF1 (or HALF2) thereafter.

The percentage difference between those two CPI issues will be the price adjustment rate. No retroactive contract price adjustments will be allowed. All price adjustments must be approved by the Procurement Officer prior to the implementation of the adjusted pricing. Approval shall be in the form of a Contract Amendment issued by the Procurement Officer.

d. Approval for all price increases is dependent upon full compliance with the terms of the Contract, including reporting requirements.

SEC. 3.09 LOCATION OF WORK

The location(s) where the work is to be performed, completed, and managed will be at the offeror’s laboratory and/or primary place of business.

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The state will not provide workspace for the contractor. The contractor must provide its own workspace.

By signature on their proposal, the offeror certifies that all services provided under this contract by the contractor and all subcontractors shall be performed in the United States.

If the offeror cannot certify that all work will be performed in the United States, the offeror must contact the procurement officer in writing to request a waiver at least ten (10) days prior to the deadline for receipt of proposals.

The request must include a detailed description of the portion of work that will be performed outside the United States, the location(s), by whom, and the reason the waiver is necessary.

Failure to comply with these requirements may cause the state to reject the proposal as non-responsive or cancel the contract.

SEC. 3.10 SUBCONTRACTORS

Subcontractors may be used to perform work under this contract. If an offeror intends to use subcontractors, the offeror must complete the Submittal Form identified in Section 4.02 of this

RFP.

An offeror’s failure to provide this information with their proposal may cause the state to consider their proposal non-responsive and reject it.

Subcontractor experience shall not be considered in determining whether the offeror meets the requirements set forth in SEC. 1.04 PRIOR EXPERIENCE.

If a proposal with subcontractors is selected, the offeror must provide the following information concerning each prospective subcontractor within five working days from the date of the state’s request:

• complete name of the subcontractor;

• complete address of the subcontractor;

• type of work the subcontractor will be performing;

• percentage of work the subcontractor will be providing; and

• evidence that the subcontractor holds a valid Alaska business license.

If a subcontractor on the list will be performing work within Alaska and does not have a valid Alaska business license at the close of the RFP, the Offeror may not use the subcontractor in the performance of the contract and shall replace the subcontractor with a subcontractor who had a valid Alaska business license at the close of the RFP.

• a written statement, signed by each proposed subcontractor, that clearly verifies that the subcontractor is committed to rendering the services required by the contract.

An offeror’s failure to provide this information within the time set will cause the state to consider their proposal non-responsive and reject it. The substitution of one subcontractor for another that

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Note that if the subcontractor will not be performing work within Alaska, they will not be required to hold an Alaska business license.

SEC. 3.11 JOINT VENTURES

Joint ventures are acceptable. If submitting a proposal as a joint venture, the offeror must submit a copy of the joint venture agreement, which identifies the principals involved and their rights and responsibilities regarding performance and payment.

SEC. 3.12 RIGHT TO INSPECT PLACE OF BUSINESS

At reasonable times, the state may inspect those areas of the contractor's place of business that are related to the performance of a contract. If the state makes such an inspection, the contractor must provide reasonable assistance.

SEC. 3.13 F.O.B. POINT

All goods purchased through this contract will be free on board (F.O.B.) final destination. Unless specifically stated otherwise, all prices offered must include the delivery costs to any location within the State of Alaska.

SEC. 3.14 CONTRACT PERSONNEL

Any change of the project team members or subcontractors named in the proposal must be approved in advance and in writing by the project director and the procurement officer. Changes that are not approved by the state may be grounds for the state to terminate the contract.

SEC. 3.15 INSPECTION & MODIFICATION - REIMBURSEMENT FOR

UNACCEPTABLE DELIVERABLES

The contractor is responsible for the completion of all work set out in the contract. All work is subject to inspection, evaluation, and approval by the project director. The state may employ all reasonable means to ensure that the work is progressing and being performed in compliance with the contract. The project director or procurement officer may instruct the contractor to make corrections or modifications if needed in order to accomplish the contract’s intent. The contractor will not unreasonably withhold such changes.

Substantial failure of the contractor to perform the contract may cause the state to terminate the contract. In this event, the state may require the contractor to reimburse monies paid (based on the identified portion of unacceptable work received) and may seek associated damages.

SEC. 3.16 CONTRACT CHANGES – UNANTICIPATED AMENDMENTS

During the course of this contract, the contractor may be required to perform additional work. That work will be within the general scope of the initial contract. When additional work is required, the project director will provide the contractor with a written description of the additional work and

STATE OF ALASKA – REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS RFP 18-807-26 | NATIONAL AIR TOXICS TRENDS STATION (NATTS) SAMPLE ANALYSIS

RFP 18-807-26 | Page 18 of 40 request the contractor to submit a firm time schedule for accomplishing the additional work and a firm price for the additional work. Cost and pricing data must be provided to justify the cost of such amendments per AS 36.30.400.

The contractor will not commence additional work until the procurement officer has secured any required state approvals necessary for the amendment and issued a written contract amendment, approved by the Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation or the Commissioner’s designee.

SEC. 3.17 NONDISCLOSURE & CONFIDENTIALITY

The contractor agrees that all confidential information shall be used only for the purposes of providing the deliverables and performing the services specified herein and shall not disseminate or allow the dissemination of confidential information except as provided in this section. The contractor shall hold as confidential and will use reasonable care (including both facility physical security and electronic security) to prevent unauthorized access by, storage, disclosure, publication, dissemination to, and/or use by third parties of confidential information. “Reasonable care” means compliance by the contractor with all applicable federal and state laws, including the Social Security Act and HIPAA. The contractor must promptly notify the state in writing if it becomes aware of any storage, disclosure, loss, unauthorized access to, or use of confidential information.

Confidential information, as used herein, means any data, files, software, information, or materials (whether prepared by the state or its agents or advisors) in oral, electronic, tangible, or intangible form and however stored, compiled, or memorialized that is classified confidential as defined by State of Alaska classification and categorization guidelines provided by the state to the contractor or a contractor agent or otherwise made available to the contractor or a contractor agent in connection with this contract, or acquired, obtained or learned by the contractor or a contractor agent in the performance of this contract. Examples of confidential information include, but are not limited to, technology infrastructure, architecture, financial data, trade secrets, equipment specifications, user lists, passwords, research data, and technology data (infrastructure, architecture, operating systems, security tools, IP addresses, etc.).

If confidential information is requested to be disclosed by the contractor pursuant to a request received by a third party and such disclosure of the confidential information is required under applicable state or federal law, regulation, governmental or regulatory authority, the contractor may disclose the confidential information after providing the state with written notice of the requested disclosure ( to the extent such notice to the state is permitted by applicable law) and giving the state opportunity to review the request. If the contractor receives no objection from the state, it may release the confidential information within 30 days. Notice of the requested disclosure of confidential information by the contractor must be provided to the state within a reasonable time after the contractor’s receipt of notice of the requested disclosure and, upon request of the state, shall seek to obtain legal protection from the release of the confidential information.

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The following information shall not be considered confidential information: information is previously known to be public information when received from the other party; information freely available to the general public; information which now is or hereafter becomes publicly known by other than a breach of confidentiality hereof; or information which is disclosed by a party pursuant to a subpoena or other legal process and which as a result becomes lawfully obtainable by the general public.

SEC. 3.18 INDEMNIFICATION

The contractor shall indemnify, hold harmless, and defend the contracting agency from and against any claim of or liability for error, omission, or negligent act of the contractor under this agreement.

The contractor shall not be required to indemnify the contracting agency for a claim of, or liability for, the independent negligence of the contracting agency. If there is a claim of, or liability for, the joint negligent error or omission of the contractor and the independent negligence of the contracting agency, the indemnification and hold harmless obligation shall be apportioned on a comparative fault basis. “Contractor” and “contracting agency,” as used within this and the following article, include the employees, agents, and other contractors who are directly responsible, respectively, to each. The term “independent negligence” is negligence other than in the contracting agency’s selection, administration, monitoring, or controlling of the contractor and in approving or accepting the contractor’s work.

SEC. 3.19 INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

Without limiting the contractor’s indemnification, it is agreed that the contractor shall purchase at its own expense and maintain in force at all times during the performance of services under this agreement the following policies of insurance. Where specific limits are shown, it is understood that they shall be the minimum acceptable limits. If the contractor's policy contains higher limits, the state shall be entitled to coverage to the extent of such higher limits.

Certificates of Insurance must be furnished to the procurement officer prior to beginning work and must provide for a notice of cancellation, non-renewal, or material change of conditions in accordance with policy provisions. Failure to furnish satisfactory evidence of insurance or lapse of the policy is a material breach of this contract and shall be grounds for termination of the contractor's services. All insurance policies shall comply with and be issued by insurers licensed to transact the business of insurance under AS 21.

• Workers’ Compensation Insurance: The contractor shall provide and maintain, for all employees engaged in work under this contract, coverage as required by AS 23.30.045 and, where applicable, any other statutory obligations, including but not limited to Federal U.S.L. & H. and Jones Act requirements. The policy must waive subrogation against the State.

• Commercial General Liability Insurance: covering all business premises and operations used by the Contractor in the performance of services under this agreement with minimum coverage limits of $300,000 combined single limit per claim.

• Commercial Automobile Liability Insurance: covering all vehicles used by the contractor in the performance of services under this agreement with minimum coverage limits of $300,000 combined single limit per claim.

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• Professional Liability Insurance: covering all errors, omissions, or negligent acts in the performance of professional services under this agreement. Limits required per the following schedule:

Contract Amount Minimum Required Limits $100,000 to $499,000 $500,000 per Claim/Annual Aggregate

SEC. 3.20 TERMINATION FOR DEFAULT

a. If the Project Director or Procurement Officer determines that the contractor has refused to perform the work or has failed to perform the work with such diligence as to ensure its timely and accurate completion, the state may, by providing written notice to the contractor, terminate the contractor's right to proceed with part or all the remaining work.

b. The Procurement Officer may also, by written notice, terminate this contract under Administrative Order 352 if the contractor supports or participates in a boycott of the State of Israel.

This clause does not restrict the state's termination rights under the contract provisions of Appendix A, attached in SECTION 7. ATTACHMENTS.

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SECTION 4. PROPOSAL FORMAT & CONTENT

SEC. 4.01 INTRODUCTION

This RFP contains Submittal Forms, which the offeror must complete and submit as part of their proposal. Offerors must provide Submittal Forms B, C, D, E, and F (if applicable) on their own documents, in .pdf format, with company letterhead.

Unless otherwise specified in this RFP, the Submittal Forms shall be the offeror’s entire proposal.

Do not include any marketing information in the proposal. The offeror shall not disclose their costs in Submittal Forms A, B, C, D, E, and F (if applicable). Submission forms shall not exceed the page limit.

Any proposal that does not follow these requirements may be deemed non-responsive.

SEC. 4.02 SPECIAL FORMATTING REQUIREMENTS

The offeror must ensure their proposal meets all special formatting requirements in this section.

Documents and Text: All attachment documents must be written in English, single-sided, and single-spaced with a minimum font size of ten (10). Pictures or graphics may be used if the offeror feels they are necessary to communicate their information; however, be aware of the page limits below.

Page Limits: Some Submittal Forms listed below have maximum page limit requirements. Offerors may present Submittal Forms B and C on their own documents, in PDF format, with a company letterhead. Offerors must not exceed the maximum page limits. Note that the page limit applies to the front side of a page only (for example, ‘1 Page’ implies that the offeror can only provide a response on one side of a piece of paper). Any pages exceeding the maximum page limit will be discarded and will not be included in the evaluations. For example, if the maximum page limit is three (3) pages, but the Offeror submits five (5) pages for that submittal form, only pages one (1) through three (3) will be evaluated. The Procurement Officer would discard pages four (4) and five

(5) before sending them to the proposal evaluation committee for evaluation. Resumes will not be included in the page count under Experience and Qualifications.

Submittal Form Maximum Page Limits

Submittal Form A – Offeror Information and Certifications Submittal Form B – Experience and Qualifications 5 Submittal Form C – Understanding of the Project 5 Submittal Form D – Methodology Used for the Project 5 Submittal Form E – Management Plan for the Project 5 Submittal Form F – Subcontractors Submittal Form G – Cost Proposal

Any Submittal Form submitted as part of a proposal that is not compliant with the…