Sources_Sought.docx

Sources Sought for U.S. EPA’s Operation of a Center for Community Air Quality Modeling and Analysis (CMAS)

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Research and Development National Exposure Research Laboratory (EPA ORD NERL) has a requirement to continue operations of a Center for Community Air Quality Modeling and Analysis (CMAS). This is a sources sought notice only and not a solicitation for proposals; The EPA Office of Acquisition Management (OAM), on behalf of ORD, is interested in determining what potential small business vendors can provide the services required in the draft PWS attached.

The anticipated procurement for ORD NERL provides support to the community of users of complex four-dimensional EPA air quality simulation models and associated input and analysis software tools. The models produce simulations of air-quality related processes that are too large or too complex to duplicate in the real world. To support a large user community consisting of federal, state, and local governments, industry, academia, and many international users, a continued concentrated effort is needed to transfer the technical capabilities in advanced modeling components, resolve user needs and questions, and address any model software issues, or bugs. In addition, specialized support for the ongoing development and testing of existing and new EPA scientific simulation modeling components of portions of regional grid and dispersion air quality models is needed. A primary goal of CMAS is to support the air quality modeling community in their mutual efforts to develop and use sound regional, state, and local policies to protect the health of humans and ecosystems, and to advance the science leading to more reliable modeling tools for community environmental problem solving focusing on air quality that address research issues that are too large or too complex to duplicate in the real world. Variables include land-surface characteristics, hourly emissions to the air, hourly simulated three-dimensional meteorology, and chemical reactions in the atmosphere. Spatial scales of simulations range from urban neighborhoods to global. Time scales of simulations range from days to several decades. Examples include atmospheric urban, regional, and continental modeling of the interactions and transport of chemical species and compounds affecting air quality, human health, and global climate change. Research under this PWS requires advanced research capabilities addressing the physical and chemical processes in the atmosphere; and is computationally intensive and relies on distributed or centralized high end computing.

This work is currently being done under contract EP-W-09-023, with the University of North Carolina, Institute for the Environment, which will expire 5/31/16. The maximum potential value of the current contract is approximately $5.7M over seven years. The current contract was not awarded under the 8(a) program or as a small business set-aside. It was the result of a full and open competition with one response, following pre-solicitation advertisement to small businesses, advertisement in related fora, and direct notification of potential offerers. The current contract capacity is not meeting program office needs for use. In addition, ORD NERL plans to develop a new generation air quality model following on the current products.

The purpose of this sources sought is to conduct market research to help determine if these services can be provided by vendors and/or vendor teams within the small business community. Vendors are highly encouraged to respond to this notice by describing their approach and experience in the tasks listed in the attached PWS. ORD is looking to understand the capabilities and experience of the small business vendor community. Vendors are highly encouraged to review the draft PWS attached and then determine if they can meet the requirements. Vendors that are interested in responding to this sources sought shall respond with an information package that enables EPA to gather preliminary information about the experience, capability, and other factors to enable EPA to guide a potential acquisition. Information packages should not exceed 10 pages in length and should be responsive to each of the areas described below. Brochures may be provided beyond the 10 page limit to supplement the information provided. Additionally, EPA welcomes all comments/questions/feedback on the draft PWS. Please include any comments pertaining to the PWS in the submitted information packages; the comment section is not included in the 10 page limitation.

Information packages in response to this sources sought shall be submitted to U.S. EPA Contracting Officer, Sini Jacob at jacob.sini@epa.gov on or before 5pm ET Monday, July 27th, 2015.

Please note that responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. This sources sought is issued solely for information and planning purposes and does not constitute a solicitation or obligation on the part of the government. Neither unsolicited proposals nor any other kind of offers will be considered in response to this sources sought. No reimbursement will be made for any costs associated with providing information in response to this announcement and/or any follow-up information requests. Interested parties may mark any response to be treated as business confidential information.