RFQ 27PRF77A0128 APPLETREE Environmental Health Assessment bid version updated 6 25 26.docx

Request for Quotes Template for Service Engagements

SMALL BUSINESS PURCHASING PROGRAM: The Massachusetts Small Business Purchasing Program (SBPP) was established pursuant to Executive Order 599 to increase state contracting opportunities with small businesses having their principal place of business within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Pursuant to the SBPP, it is the intention of the issuing department to award this Small Procurement to one or more SBPP participating business as described below. Small Procurements are defined as procurements with an estimated annual value equal to or less than $250,000. While all businesses, no matter the size or principal place of business, may submit responses to this solicitation, should an SBPP participant respond and meet the best value criteria as described in this solicitation, the SBPP participant shall be awarded the contract. The review team will not evaluate submissions from non-SBPP participants unless no SBPP Bidder meets the RFQ’s best value evaluation criteria.

RFQ File Name/Title: APPLETREE Environmental Health Assessment

RFQ File Number: 27PRF77A0128 Object Code: HH2

Bid Number: BD-26-1031-BEH00-BEH01-130330

Purchasing Department: Massachusetts Department of Public Health/ Bureau of Climate and Environmental Health

Engagement Team Leader/ Contact Person: Jessica Burkhamer, APPLETREE Program PI, BCEH/ Division of Environmental Epidemiology

Email: jessica.burkhamer@mass.gov

1. Description Or Purpose of Engagement:

BCEH works to reduce exposure to harmful environmental contaminants and related diseases through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) called APPLETREE (ATSDR’s Partnership to Promote Local Efforts to Reduce Environmental Exposure). APPLETREE’s goals are to identify exposure pathways at waste sites and releases and identify and facilitate public health interventions to reduce exposures.

2. Whether Single Or Multiple Contractors Are Required For Engagement(s)

|X| Single Contractor |_| Multiple Contractors.

3. Indicate Engagement Performance and Business Specifications:

Scope of Service

The awarded vendor for this engagement will support BCEH’s site-specific environmental health assessment activities.

1. Specific technical support is required to draft a scoping document for a health consultation for a Superfund Site in Massachusetts, as well as general technical support on tasks related to evaluating site-related contaminant exposure. The purpose of the scoping document is to outline the approach that will be used for evaluating exposure to site-related contaminants in environmental media for the Superfund Site and to communicate health risks for residents in communities near the Superfund Site.

The responsibilities of the contractor for the draft scoping document will include, but are not limited to, the following:

· Conduct a screening analysis to identify analytes to be evaluated in the health consultation

· Identify relevant exposure pathways that will be evaluated in the health consultation, including contaminants in soil, sediment, and surface water

· Prepare draft scoping document as specified in the attached APPLETREE Information Packet (pgs. 5-6)

· Screening analysis, exposure pathway identification, and scoping document preparation must follow ATSDR guidance, including ATSDR’s Public Health Assessment Guidance Manual (PHAGM) that can be viewed at: https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/pha-guidance/index.html

· Prepare slides and scope of work to present the approach for evaluating exposure for the Superfund Site to ATSDR;

2. Additional support may include technical assistance with exposure and health assessment tasks at this and other federal or state hazardous waste sites. Support may include, but is not limited to, conducting data quality control, summarizing data limitations, evaluating contaminants measured in specific environmental media, and preparing draft letters, reports, and memoranda.

Additional responsibilities the contractor may be assigned include, but are not limited to, the following site-related tasks:

A. Determine if the data are of sufficient quality and quantity to support the evaluation of exposure pathways in a manner consistent with ATSDR guidance. Specific tasks may include, but are not limited to:

· Check that the sampling and analytical methods are appropriate for the media sampled and contaminants analyzed.

· Determine whether field and laboratory quality control/quality assessment procedures were conducted.

· Assess the extent to which the data is qualified.

· Determine whether laboratory detection limits are in line with method detection limits.

· Determine whether laboratory detection limits are low enough to detect contamination at levels at or less than relevant screening values (e.g., regulatory standards, health-based comparison values).

· Evaluate non-detect data, specifically:

· Determine the range of non-detect data for a select group of analytes.

· Compare non-detect data to approved screening values as specified by ATSDR guidance.

· Summarize limitations of the non-detect data.

· Assess whether adequate samples have been collected to understand:

· The spatial extent of contamination;

· How contaminants are distributed; and

· Temporal changes in contaminant concentration.

· Determine whether adequate samples have been collected to support exposure point concentration estimation.

· Identify critical data gaps and develop recommendations to address gaps.

B. Summarize site contaminant data measured in environmental media, including fish, and assess human health risks (e.g., compare to screening values) in a manner consistent with ATSDR guidance. Specific tasks may include, but are not limited to:

· Determine if there is a completed exposure pathway(s), where exposure may occur, what population(s) are potentially exposed, and define exposure units.

· Summarize contaminants detected, range of concentrations, central tendency value, and locations and dates of maximum concentrations.

· Compare contaminant concentrations to screening values and summarize frequency and locations of samples above screening values.

· Complete a screening analysis to identify contaminants that require further evaluation.

· Calculate exposure point concentrations, exposure doses, hazard quotients, and cancer risk estimates for contaminants needing further evaluation.

· Support in-depth toxicological analyses by summarizing studies used to develop health guidelines, comparing site-specific doses to study effect levels, assess study applicability and uncertainty, and describe potential harmful effects in exposed populations.

C. Prepare draft letters, reports, and memoranda as well as fact sheets or other public-facing documents to summarize potential exposures, possible associated health effects, conclusions, recommendations, public health actions, and limitations regarding site-specific evaluations.

Evaluation Criteria

The successful bidder will demonstrate experience and expertise in environmental health, risk assessment, statistical data analysis software (such as R or SAS), and familiarity with ATSDR federal guidance for evaluating human exposure from contaminated sites. Bid responses will be evaluated and rated based on the following criteria:

1. Educational background in public health or environmental/occupational health;

2. Demonstrated ability to assess the relationship between environmental exposure and disease outcomes;

3. Demonstrated ability to assess potential pathways of exposure to environmental contamination in soil, sediment, surface water, groundwater, drinking water, and fish.

4. The vendor should have a strong background in environmental health, risk assessment, and statistical data analysis software (such as R or SAS);

5. Demonstrated experience with and ability to follow ATSDR guidance, including the Public Health Assessment Guidance Manual, for evaluating human exposure pathways at contaminated sites;

6. Demonstrated ability to complete the project on time and within the budget;

7. Must demonstrate ability to maintain confidentiality of all work-related products, and must agree to contract terms that the Commonwealth owns all data, deliverables, and any intellectual property rights developed pursuant to the contract;

8. Submission of key resumes of key personnel including documentation of skills relevant to this specific RFQ;

9. Submission of a budget that demonstrates a task-cost correlation, including costs for outreach and sampling events delineated on a per-event basis.

Small Business Purchasing Program: The department will award a contract to a Massachusetts based Small Business if a response from an eligible SBPP participant is received and meets the department’s best value criteria.

Performance Requirements and Engagement Monitoring

As a result of this RFQ, an engagement will be executed with the awarded vendor and will be planned to commence immediately. Deliverables and deadlines will be clearly defined for the completion of all activities outlined in the scope of service.

To ensure performance monitoring, selected vendor will be required to update BCEH on progress toward the goals of the engagement with monthly communication, which can be by email, telephone, or virtual or in-person meetings.

· Vendor will meet deliverables in workplan.

· Vendor will attend all scheduled meetings and calls, as needed.

The Department of Public Health is endeavoring to deliver the Best Value to facilitate our needs. However, it is important to measure the Contractor’s performance to ensure the Engagement is in compliance with what has been requested and what the Contractor has offered in this RFQ. The following performance areas will be subject to measurement:

1. Timely Delivery (Commodities, Services, Reports, Billing, etc.)

2. Responsiveness to Departmental Inquiries

3. Quality of Deliverables (Commodities, Services, Reports, etc.)

4. Performance Targets/Benchmarks (Quantities, Outcomes, etc.)

5. Attendance at scheduled meetings

Payment through Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) is required for any engagement awarded through this solicitation.

4. Expected Duration of Engagement

Anticipated Initial Duration up to: _7__months; __1__ year(s)

Anticipated Renewal Options: __1__ options to renew for __1__ year(s) each option

Final End Date of this Engagement: __March 31, 2028____ (equals the initial duration plus all renewal options)

5. Anticipated Expenditures, Funding Or Compensation For Expected Duration

Dollar Amount

Estimated annualized amount $ 175,500 (*see below for details)

*The anticipated budget for the initial 1-year 7 months engagement period through 3/31/2027 is estimated at $181,000. If additional funding is identified and becomes available to execute the renewal option, the estimated budget for the subsequent year will be $170,000.

The maximum total engagement amount shall not exceed $351,000.

Will Federal Funds be used to fund any part of Engagement(s)?

Sub-Recipient: Providers receiving federal grant funds will be considered sub-recipients for federal grant purposes and will be required to comply with applicable federal requirements, including but not limited to sub-recipient audit requirements under OMB Circular A-133.

Unique Entity Identifier: On April 4, 2022, the unique entity identifier used across the federal government changed from the DUNS Number to the Unique Entity ID also known as UEI or SAMS number. Any entity that wants to apply for federal contracts or wants to receive federal funds must register with SAM. Entities that use SAM include for profit businesses, nonprofits, government contractors or subcontractors, as well as state and local governments.

Registering with SAM.gov is free and is required for your organization to receive federal funds. Your organization can submit an application to this RFR without being registered on SAM, however if awarded your organization will need to have an active SAM account prior to contract execution.

Unspent Funds: Any funds from Capital, Trust and/or Federal Accounts designated in the budget that are unspent in any fiscal year will not be available for expenditure in the subsequent fiscal year.

6. Confidentiality Agreement: will be required at time of engagement.

|X| Yes |_| No

If yes is checked, a copy of the confidentiality agreement is posted in attachments for informational purposes only. You do not need to sign and return it with your response.

7. Estimated Procurement Calendar

Times are Eastern Standard/Daylight Savings (US), as displayed on the COMMBUYS system clock. Bidders are responsible for checking the Bid record, including Q&A for Procurement Calendar updates.

RFQ Release Date Monday, June 8, 2026

Deadline for Submission of RFQ Q&A.1

Thursday, June 18, 2026

12:00 pm lilia.laitouti2@mass.gov

Deadline for Submission of Responses Also known as the BID Opening Date in COMMBUYS

Anticipated Engagement Start Date

Wednesday, July 15, 2026

1All Questions must be received in writing. Questions can be sent by email no later than the date and time indicated in the Procurement Calendar. All questions should be sent to the email listed in the calendar and should include the RFQ title and number in the subject of the email. All Questions with answers will be posted on the COMMBUYS Attachment section for this procurement.

8. Instructions for Submission of Responses:

Responding bidders should submit a response that includes a description of related past experience. A timeline for execution of deliverables should be included in the narrative response. The response should include separate tasks for focus groups and key informant interviews, and the cost should be presented on a per event basis for each. Bidders are expected to submit a detailed budget with justification for time, materials, and labor.

Responses should also adhere to the following:

1. Proposal Narrative: Bidders must submit a narrative which includes a summary of the proposal to address the Scope of Service. Response should include related experience, describing previous project(s) successfully undertaken including description of experience working with state agencies and/or federal government agencies, e.g. DPH, ATSDR, and CDC. Vendor response should describe execution of similar tasks that were successfully completed. Include relevant resumes of key personnel including subject matter experts relevant to the activities described in this RFQ. Narrative should address the vendor’s willingness to comply with OSD Guidelines for PRF77 vendors and all applicable EHS Accessibility Requirement. Narrative should also address the vendor’s willingness to comply with all applicable ATSDR policies, requirements, and terms and conditions, which are available for review at https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/index.html

2. Timeline: Provide a workplan and timeline describing the tasks, due dates and responsible staff for completing the scope of service ensuring the completion of all work activities.

3. Project Management: Bidder should account for 1 hour per week of phone calls with DPH project management staff. The phone call should be preceded by the receipt of a detailed update for DPH staff on completed tasks, planned tasks, and issues requiring resolution.

4. Budget and Budget Justification: Provide a detailed line-item budget for the term of the project, and that will demonstrate task-cost correlation.

5. Proposals should not exceed 15 pages including budget and timeline. Resumes and references should be attached and do not count toward the page limit.

Additional Response Requirements/Information:

All responses are to be submitted electronically using the online submission tools available to Vendors registered in COMMBUYS. There is no charge to register in COMMBUYS. To Register go to www.COMMBUYS.com and click on the “Register” link on the front page. COMMBUYS Vendor Registration Job Aide is also available.

All Quotes must be received by the Department of Public Health before the specified date, month, year and time of the Bid Opening Date displayed on COMMBUYS. Times are Eastern Standard/Daylight Savings (US), as applicable.

All Bidders are advised to allow adequate time for submission by considering potential online submission impediments like Internet traffic, Internet connection speed, file size, and file volume. DPH is not responsible for delays encountered by Bidders or their agents, or for a Bidder’s local hardware failures, such as computers or related networks, associated with bid compilation or submission. Bids submitted via COMMBUYS are time stamped by the COMMBUYS system clock which is considered the official time of record.

Bidders are encouraged to upload attachments well in advance of the Bid Opening Date. This will help to reduce disqualified submissions that can occur if upload is not fully completed or if an attachment is missing at the deadline. Prior to the Bid Opening Date listed in the Procurement Calendar above, documents can easily be deleted and revised versions can be uploaded. If you wish to revise or delete a quote after submission, you may do so prior to the bid opening date. Please review the Withdraw, Reopen, and Resubmit a Quote in COMMBUYS Job Aide for additional instructions.

No Bid in COMMBUYS Quote If you plan to submit a quote to this RFQ “No Bid” should not be checked anywhere in your quote in COMMBUYS. This includes on the General Screen and the Items tab. Checking No Bid sends your quote to a different location in COMMBUYS than the rest of the quotes for that Bid and you run the risk of the Department not receiving your response. The department will not guarantee that a bid received with a “No Bid” checked will be reviewed.

COMMBUYS Electronic Signatures Quotes submitted via COMMBUYS must be signed electronically by the Bidder or the Bidder’s Agent by accepting the terms and conditions of the bid on the “Terms & Conditions” tab in COMMBUYS. Bidders do this by selecting “Save & Continue” on the “Terms and Conditions” tab after accepting the terms and conditions of the bid. By agreeing to this the submitter attests that s/he is an agent of the Bidder with authority to sign on the Bidder’s behalf, and that s/he has read and assented to each document’s terms.

File Format Scanned documents will be accepted and must be scanned in such a way that they can be read on a computer monitor and printed on 81/2” x 11” paper, unless otherwise specified. Attachments must be uploaded individually and cannot be combined in a zipped file.

File Size Limits COMMBUYS will not accept files that approach or exceed 10 MB. If a large file fails to upload, the Bidder must save the contents as multiple files.

9. COMMBUYS Support

A link to a job aid on How to Submit a Quote on COMMBUYS COMMBUYS Resource Information at www.mass.gov/osd/commbuys Email: Send inquiries to the COMMBUYS OSD Help Desk at OSDHelpDesk@mass.gov Telephone: Call the COMMBUYS Help Desk at 1-888-627-8283 or 617-720-3197. The Help Desk is staffed from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday Eastern Standard or Daylight time, as applicable, except on federal and state holidays.

Technical assistance is available during the procurement process. Every effort is made to respond to inquiries within one business day.

Bidders are advised that COMMBUYS will be unavailable during regularly scheduled maintenance hours of which all users will be notified.

Other Requirements Pertaining to this RFQ

Amendments to BID MDPH reserves the right to make amendments to the RFQ after the initial publication. It is each Bidder’s responsibility to check COMMBUYS for any amendments, addenda or modifications to this Bid and any Bid Q&A records related to this Bid. MDPH and the Commonwealth accept no responsibility and will provide no accommodation to Bidders who submit a quote based on an out-of-date Bid or on information received from a source other than COMMBUYS.

CORI Requirements: In accordance with EOHHS policy, an individual's background, including any CORI and other relevant information, must be carefully considered so that the vulnerable populations served by EOHHS are protected. It is also EOHHS policy that qualified rehabilitated offenders are given a fair opportunity to be employed and successfully reintegrated into the workforce. In accordance with this policy, prior to any work engagement, the awarded Contractor shall obtain a Standard (Employer) Access Massachusetts Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) check on any and all individual employees who are to enter public offices of the Commonwealth or provide services to any Hiring Entity of the Commonwealth. The awarded Contractor must 1) utilize the Internet-Accessible CORI (iCORI) system maintained by the Department of Criminal Justice Information Services (DCJIS) to request and receive CORI in accordance with 801 CMR 2.00 et seq. and 2) comply with the EOHHS CORI check regulations, 101 CMR 15.00 et seq. in reviewing CORI and in documenting its hiring determination as set forth in 101 CMR 15.09. Any associated costs are the responsibility of the awarded Contractor.

Fraud Risk Management and Reporting Requirements: Fraud is defined as any intentional illegal act characterized by deceit, concealment, or violation of trust, committed by an individual or organization to obtain money, property, or services; to avoid payment or loss of property or services; or to secure personal or business advantage.

DPH requires that all providers have a zero-tolerance policy for fraud. All DPH providers must maintain internal fraud risk management policies and procedures that include regular risk assessments, internal controls, and a process for reporting and investigating incidents of suspected fraud. Such policies and procedures shall be made available to DPH for review upon written request.

Additionally, in connection with their work for DPH, providers are required to comply with the following obligations related to incidents of suspected fraud:

· Notification to DPH. Written notification of any incident of suspected fraud must be made as soon as possible, but no less than 5 business days, following discovery to your DPH program contract manager.

· Responsibility for Personnel. Providers are solely responsible for the actions of any individuals or entities it employs, contracts with, or otherwise uses in connection with the provision of the work under this RFQ to DPH, including, without limitation, any actions by such personnel that may result in an incident of suspected fraud and/or the misuse and/or abuse of Commonwealth funds.

· Cooperation. Irrespective of any actions taken by the provider, providers are expected to cooperate fully in any investigation, litigation, or other action deemed necessary by the Commonwealth in connection with an incident of suspected fraud.

· Corrective Measures. Immediately upon becoming aware of an incident of suspected fraud, the provider shall, at its own expense, take all reasonable and appropriate action necessary to mitigate, to the extent practicable, any harmful effect of the incident. Upon request, the provider, at its own expense, shall take such further actions as the Commonwealth may reasonably request, or shall take such additional action to assist the Commonwealth to further mitigate any harmful effect of the incident and prevent recurrence, including, without limitation, strengthening internal controls.

Failure to report incidents of suspected fraud in a timely manner may result in adverse consequences, including, but not limited to, any of the following: recoupment of funds, suspension of payments, required corrective action plans, suspension/termination of program participation and/or any contract with DPH, or civil or criminal penalties.

MDPH use of DocuSign for Execution of Contracts: Contracts and Engagements for the Department are sent through DocuSign. Vendors will be able to use DocuSign to electronically sign and return all applicable contract forms to DPH. A web browser and valid email are all that are needed to access the documents through DocuSign. A DocuSign account is not required. Contracted vendors will be expected to keep their contract contact information updated through the life of their contract with the Department. The Job Aide “How to Sign MDPH Contracts and Engagements” is available in the attachment section for this RFQ on COMMBUYS.

MBTA Communities Compliance Grant Policy: The receipt of grant funds is contingent upon the grantee being able to certify that it will comply with the Massachusetts General Laws, including G.L. c. 40A, § 3A, the MBTA Communities Act. Compliance with the MBTA Communities Act is determined by the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities.”

Public Records: All information, documents, and attachments submitted as a response to this RFQ are considered a public document subject to the Massachusetts Public Records Law, M.G.L., c. 66, s. 10, and to c. 4, s. 7, ss. 26. Please be aware that checking the “confidential” box in COMMBUYS does not bar these documents from being released as a public record pursuant to these statutes once the procurement is awarded, unless statutorily exempt from disclosure.

Small Business Purchasing Program (SBPP) Award Preference: The Massachusetts Small Business Purchasing Program (SBPP) was established pursuant to Executive Order 599 to increase state contracting opportunities with small businesses having their principal place of business within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Pursuant to the SBPP, it is the intention of the issuing department to award this Small Procurement to one or more SBPP participating business(es) as described below.

· SBPP Award Preference: While all businesses, no matter the size or principal place of business, may submit responses to this solicitation, should an SBPP participant respond and meet the best value criteria as described in this solicitation, the SBPP participant shall be awarded the contract. The SST will not evaluate submissions from non-SBPP participants unless no SBPP Bidder meets the SST’s best value evaluation criteria.

· SBPP Participation Eligibility: To be eligible to participate in this procurement as an SBPP participant, an entity must meet the following criteria, and be marked as an SBPP registered business in COMMBUYS:

1. Have its principal place of business in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts;

1. Been in business for at least one year;

1. Employ a combined total of 50 or fewer full-time equivalent employees in all locations, or employees work less than a combined total of 26,000 hours per quarter; and

1. Have gross revenues, as reported on appropriate tax forms, of $15 million or less, based on a three-year average.

Non-profit firms must additionally be registered as a non-profit or charitable organization with the MA Attorney General’s Office and be up to date with all filings required by that office and by tax exempt under Section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code.

· SBPP Compliance Requirements: It is the responsibility of the Bidder to ensure that their SBPP status is current at the time of submitting a response and throughout the life of any resulting contract. Misrepresentation of SBPP status by Bidders and Contractors will result in disqualification from consideration, and could result in debarment, contract termination, and other actions. To learn more about SBPP, including how to apply, visit the SBPP Webpage.

· Program Resources and Assistance: Bidders and Contractors seeking assistance regarding SBPP may visit the SBPP webpage, http://www.mass.gov/sbpp, or contact the SBPP Help Desk at sbpp@mass.gov.

RFQ Standard Template 1-2026