Attachment 15 Questions and Answers.pdf

RFQ-W912PF25QA018

Questions & Answers/Clarifications as of 12 February 2025

Laboratory Sampling and Analysis of Potable Waters, Wastewaters and Unknown Waste Material, DMC, Italy

Questions (Q) and Answers (A):

1. Q: Is subcontracting permitted for some specific laboratory analyses? Does the subcontract have to be declared at the offer stage?

A: Yes. Yes.

2. Q: For the analysis "drinking water" for "Test Type 5B (TT5B)", is the indicated list of PESTICIDES mandatory or can each Laboratory propose its own list of recognized parameters?

A: The list is mandatory since it is prescribed by IFGS (Italian Final Governing Standards).

3. Q: Agar colony count at 22°C: For this analysis, the required receiving timeline of 72 hours is not achievable because the method requires 72 hours of incubation. Does the 72-hour time limit only apply to agar colony count at 36°C (where the time limit should be achievable by the method?

A: 72 hours is for agar colony count at 36°C, agar colony count at 22°C results can be provided within 96 hours.

4. Q: Fecal streptococci [Enterococci]: in case of a positive result, the method requires a confirmatory step and the whole analysis takes 4 days. Does the requirement of timeline 72h only apply to the negative sample?

A: 72 hours apply to negative samples as well as draft results of positive samples.

Confirmatory step will follow and call back samples will be required.

5. Q: Specifically, at the "attachment #5 TEST TYPES - TEST TYPE 5B (TT5 B)" reference is made to "Total Pesticides": in order to verify whether we have the required accreditation, the "pesticides" are the sum of the requested singles or are they the sum of these regulated by the Legislative Decree 18/23?

A: Accreditation is required for each single parameter listed in TT5B. Legislative Decree 18/23 does not apply to this contract

6. Q: Furthermore, you are asked to specify what you mean for " 9. Activated Sludge Concentration" at the "TEST TYPE 10 - (WW2) - (Oxidization) - Monthly" and at the "TEST TYPE 11 - (WW3) - (Denitrificazione) - Monthly".

A: It means the concentration of active sludge, usually is considered a percentage of the total sludge as define by regulation.

7. Q: Test Type 10/11 (WW2/WW3): Activated Sludge Concentration - what type of analysis or method is required?

A: IFGS doesn’t specify a method. It should be to standard used for municipality Wastewater System.

8. Q: Unknown LIQUID Substances and Contaminated Water: Percent Oil After Centrifuge - what type of analysis or method is required?

A: Deleted from parameters list.

9. Q: Should all the technical documentation to be provided during the execution of the activity be in English? Or is it necessary to present it in both English and Italian?

A: Italian

10. Q: During the solicitation phase, should the documentation and financial offer be submitted via email to your addresses? Or should it be uploaded to a specific portal?

A: All documents must be provided through e-mail as indicated in the Addendum to FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors – Commercial Products and Services

11. Q: Is it possible to have a map showing the locations of the various sampling points (both drinking water and wastewater)?

A: General Maps are provided as Attachments (Attachment 9 – Attachment 10 - Attachment 11). Maps with specific locations are not available.

12. Q: Would it be possible to know which company held the previous monitoring contract?

A: Yes, previous incumbent was Company Biochemie Lab, Campi Bisenzio (FI)

13. Q: Are QA/QC samples required? If yes, how many and for which Test Types (TT) A: Not Required

14. Q: The paragraph asks for the contractor to provide safety documentation listed at chapter 1.20. However, chapter 1.20 does not refer to safety. Please confirm that the chapter should be 1.26 instead.

A: The Paragraph is 1.26 as reported in the deliverable A006 too.

15. Q: Please confirm that:

a) TARP training is required and how long (hours) it will be.

b) the training will be held in person at DMC.

c) the COR will coordinate training dates and provide dates to the contractor A: TARP training is not required for Contractors, and it has been deleted from the

PWS

16. Q: Would it be possible to have the latest set of analytical results to have an idea of how many call back samples had been requested?

A: Call backs are not part of the previous Contract.

17. Q: The NOTE asks for call back sampling for up to 10 samples per year. Please clarify if the 10 samples is a grand total or it is 10 samples per TT group.

A: 10 samples is a grand total.

18: Q: Please confirm that all the samples are grab (i.e., instantaneous) samples A: Grab samples for Drinking Water and Lift Stations. Other samples for Wastewater are 3-hous composite samples.

19. Q: Please confirm that all sampling points are easily accessible, and samples can be collected with relative ease.

A: Some samples require DPW Personnel to grant access to the points, specifically for Wastewater. Yes, the sampling points are easily accessible.

20. Q: The text indicates the WW Discharge permit #DDRT8764 dated 16 June 2020 as provided with the RFQ. However, such permit is not present in the solicitation documents. Please provide a copy of the WW discharge permit.

A: It is provided as Attachment 12.

21. Q: The number of unknown and emergency sampling are quantified in the table in Attachment 1 (CLINs 18 through 22). Would it be possible to receive the actual number of unknown and emergency sampling conducted during the previous contract?

A: 1 October 2019 – 30 September 2024 the total number is 58.

22. Q: The table calls for analyses for Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). Please specify which POPs should be considered. Only PFAS/PFOAS? If yes, which PFAS/PFOAS, as there are thousands of compounds A: NO PFAS Analysis is required.