Tab 2 SOW EMM Testing and Sampling.pdf

STATEMENT OF WORK

SAMPLING AND TESTING – BULK ELECTROLYTIC

MANGANESE METAL (EMM)

1. OBJECTIVE

Defense Logistics Agency – Strategic Materials (“the Government”), is purchasing bulk

Electrolytic Manganese Metal (EMM) in flake form. To verify the material the

Government purchases meets the chemical and physical property specifications the

Government requires, the Government will require a representative sample of each lot of

EMM tested. Sampling of Government EMM shall take place in processus during the material vendor’s repackaging process, when the EMM is transferred into 55-gallon steel drums. To minimize EMM flake breakage, the contractor shall also perform particle size analysis in processus while they are collecting the sample. Each sample shall be representative of each lot of EMM. Each lot of EMM will be between 75 MT and 95 MT.

The sampling shall take place at the EMM material vendor’s location in Granite City, Illinois. The EMM material vendor anticipates repackaging approximately one lot every three to four days.

The contractor shall perform a chemical analysis of each sample of government EMM it collects in Granite City, Illinois. The contractor shall perform chemical property testing at the contractor’s facility. The contractor shall deliver analytical reports, including both particle size analysis and chemical analysis for each sample, to the Government.

2. SCOPE OF WORK AND REQUIREMENTS

2.1. This contract is for the sampling and testing of approximately 37 lots of EMM, with each lot having an approximate average size of 85 MT.

2.2. The period of performance will be from the date of award until July 31, 2026, or until the contractor has sampled and tested 37 lots of EMM, whichever date occurs first.

2.3. The government will give the contractor no less than ten (10) business days of notice prior to the start of the material vendor’s repackaging operations.

2.4. Repackaging operations will take place at America’s Central Port, 1635 West

First Street, Granite City, Illinois 62040.

2.5. The contractor shall sample each lot of EMM material during the repackaging process. Although the material vendor can ship no more than 600MT of EMM to the government during any single month, the material vendor intends to build up at least one month of deliveries as a buffer to their inventory. As such, the contractor shall expect to sample up to 600MT of EMM within the first three months. After the material vendor has established a buffer of EMM, the contractor shall expect to sample approximately one to two lots per week, each month thereafter.

2.6. If the EMM material vendor determines they require an additional buffer of material, the Government will give the contractor 20 business days’ notice of the increase in production requirement.

2.7. The contractor shall perform a particle size analysis, using sieves, on each lot of

EMM the contractor samples. The specification for particle size is the following:

a) The material shall be in flake form.

b) Its size shall be Plate 2 inches (50 mm) by down with the tolerance of 15% maximum retaining on 2-inch (50 mm) sieve and 10% maximum passing No. 10

(2.0 mm) sieve.

2.8. Sampling Plan: The contractor shall propose to the government a Sampling

Plan for review and approval, prior to the Government’s procurement of the contractor’s services. The Sampling Plan shall address the following:

2.8.1. The contractor shall identify engineering controls for health and safety of the contractor’s personnel and Granite City site personnel, and shall include the following:

c) Identification of required equipment

d) Description of general layout of equipment

e) Description of sampling flow in and out of sampling area

f) Contractor equipment storage requirements at Granite City

g) Sample packaging

2.8.2. The contractor shall identify the number of samples required and provide the basis for that number of samples. At a minimum, the Government requires two equivalent aggregate master samples – a sample for both analytical and laboratory reserve requirements and a government sample.

2.8.3. The contractor shall describe their particle size analysis method. The size requirements for the EMM are Plate 2 inches (50 mm) by down with the tolerance of 15% maximum retaining on 2-inch (50 MM) sieve and 10% maximum passing No.10 (2.0 mm) sieve.

2.8.4. The contractor shall specify their sample size for particle size analysis for each lot.

2.8.5. The contractor shall identify their sample recovery process and the basis for that method (i.e.in-stream collection schedule/stream points of collection).

The sampling plan shall discuss consideration of the repackaging process to satisfy ASTM sampling requirements, as applicable. If no ASTM requirement is applicable, the sampling plan shall consider accepted industry sampling practices for similarly processed materials of similar form and any statistical applications considered in the development of the sampling plan.

2.8.6. The contractor shall identify their plan for preparation of each EMM lot’s aggregate master sample and the contractor’s plan to split the master sample into two equivalent samples – one sample for both analytical and laboratory reserve requirements and one sample for the Government.

2.8.7. The contractor shall identify the size (by mass) of the analytical sample the contractor requires to perform chemical analysis of the EMM.

2.9. The contractor shall complete the particle size analysis during the repackaging operations in Granite City, Illinois. The contractor shall report, to the

Government, the results of the particle size analysis (by mass) for each sample.

2.10. The contractor shall complete chemical analysis of each sample of EMM at the contractor’s facility, or the facility of the contractor’s designated subcontractor.

2.11. The contractor shall report chemical analysis data in values by mass.

2.12. The contractor shall report the results of both the chemical properties and the particle size analysis in an analytical report and within 30 calendar days after the contractor completes their bulk sampling of the EMM for the month.

2.13. The contractor shall analyze each sample and report elemental analysis in percent by mass, for the following elements: H, C, N, O, Al, Si, P, S, Mn (via direct titration using ASTM E248, modified as appropriate), Fe, Se, Th, and U.

2.14. The contractor shall report their analytical results (chemical and particle size) in a Certificate of Analysis (COA) or Analytical Report. The COA or Analytical

Report shall contain the following information, at a minimum:

a) The laboratory’s name, address, phone number, and contact name,

b) The Government’s lot number and commodity name (i.e., EMM)

c) Values for each element’s content, and other values required pursuant to Section

2,

d) Units, or mass-based percentage, ppm, or ppb, as appropriate

e) Error range for each value reported.

f) Brief description of methodology used to determine each value (ie. ICP-MS, Karl Fischer titration, LECO/combustion, etc.).

g) Any significant assumption made, other than typical assumptions used in methodology.

h) Analyst’s printed name

i) Analyst’s or responsible party’s signature (and printed name if other than analyst)

j) Date(s), or range of dates, for the analysis.

2.15. Analytical Plan The contractor shall propose to the government an Analytical

Plan for review and approval, prior to the Government’s procurement of the contractor’s services. The Analytical Plan shall include, at a minimum, the methods used to generate each value reported in the COA; ASTM, other standards, or a description of a widely accepted standard in industry; error range for each method; and any assumptions other than standard analytical methods assumptions, the contractor used along with a justification for that assumption.

3. PERFORMANCE STANDARDS, REQUIREMENTS, AND

RESPONSIBILITIES

3.1. Qualifications. The contractor shall be ISO/IEC 17025:2005 (General

Requirements for the Competence of Testing and Calibration Laboratories) accredited or be participating in a national accreditation and certification program. The contractor shall have expertise/experience in sampling bulk

EMM material in flake form and in processus during a repackaging process from bulk into 55-gallon drums, resulting in an established reputation for excellence. The contractor shall provide all labor, supplies (other than daily support infrastructure supplied by the site – water, restrooms, electricity, etc.), equipment, contractor personal protective equipment, and materials necessary to perform the sampling activities and to deliver the required sample to the government.

3.2. Quality Control / Quality Assurance

3.2.1. The contractor shall develop and propose a Quality Control Plan detailing the procedures that will be used to ensure efficient, defensible, appropriate, and accurate sampling and testing.

3.2.2. In the Quality Control Plan, the Seller shall address how the Quality Control

(QC)/Quality Assurance (QA) for the sampling operations will be implemented.

3.2.3. A government representative may be present to observe the contractor’s sampling operations and will provide quality assurance oversight with respect to the contractor’s Quality Control Plan.

3.3. Scheduling. The Government will contact the contractor to schedule/coordinate the contractor’s sampling activities.

4. DELIVERABLES

4.1. Samples. After the contractor prepares sample sets (combined analytical and laboratory reserve sample and government sample) for each lot of EMM, the contractor shall package each sample within a sealed plastic bag which has the strength to contain the EMM material sample. The contractor shall label, in a permanent manner and legibly, each sample with the material name (EMM), sample name (‘analytical and reserve” or “government”), the date of the sample’s preparation, and the EMM vendor lot identification number. The contractor shall attach the Government’s sample to one of the drums containing

EMM in the lot corresponding to the sample identification.

4.2. Reports

4.2.1. The contractor shall provide a monthly electronic report to the government, via email, and in PDF format. Each monthly report shall BRIEFLY summarize the contractor’s activities on this contract and shall provide a detailed summary of a situation(s), if any, that significantly impacts the contractor’s ability to perform their sampling services effectively, efficiently, safely, and in a timely manner for the government. The report shall include the contractor’s detailed suggestions to improve effectiveness, efficiency, safety, and timeliness of sampling operations, as applicable.

4.2.2. The contractor shall provide a Certificate of Analysis for each lot of EMM, via email and in PDF format, to the Government.

5. TRAVEL COSTS

5.1. All contractor travel shall be in accordance with the Joint Travel Regulations

(JTR).

5.2. The contractor shall submit written travel requests with a detailed costs estimate (i.e. fares, mileage, toll estimates, lodging per diem and meals and incidental expenses (“M&IE”) per diem rates (in accordance with Government

Services Administration’s published per diem rates Per Diem Rates | GSA), taxes associated with lodging, etc.) to the Government at least ten (10) business days before travel is scheduled to occur.

5.3. Trip reports shall be submitted within five calendar days after travel has occurred. The trip reports must document the travelers, locations, and purpose/outcome of the trip.

5.4. Travel costs are reimbursable based on actual costs, only, and cannot include any overhead, profit, or other costs/fees. Total travel costs shall not exceed

$100,000.00 on this contract.

5.5. The contractor shall limit all travel to travel within the Continental United

States (“CONUS”).

5.6. The contractor shall further limit all travel to travel between the contractor’s location and the EMM material vendor’s location in Granite City, Illinois and any other location the Government may request.

https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates