Phytoplankton and Zooplankton - water sample analysis

Notice of Intent to award noncompetitive procurement for Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity contract for phytoplankton and zooplankton water sample analysis.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) Oregon Water Science Center (OWS) has a requirement for analysis and documentation of water samples collected from Upper Klamath Lake. The Government intends to negotiate on a noncompetitive basis with Phycotech, Inc. of St. Joseph, Michigan.

The analysis will be used for the purpose of calibrating a phycocyanin sensor and correlating the occurrence of microcystis with algal toxin concentrations. Additional applications include: determining zooplankton species, the role in water quality, and the effects on the native fish populations. USGS is responsible for providing samples for analysis. The analysis of the USGS provided samples must be consistent with the previously analyzed samples collected from Upper Klamath Lake by both the USGS and the Klamath Tribes (KT).

The Klamath Tribes (KT) has been collecting species enumeration and biovolume data in Upper Klamath Lake since 1990. It is critical that the analysis derived from USGS provided samples be performed consistently with historical datasets developed by PhycoTech Inc, from the KT samples. Consistency and accuracy are required to provide useful and reliable information to accurately calibrate a phycocyanin sensor and correlate the occurrence of microcystis with algal toxin concentrations, and to determine zooplankton species and populations in Upper Klamath Lake.

PhycoTech Inc, has performed all the analysis on the KT supplied samples for many years and laboratory continuity is essential and of the utmost importance to the mission. Methodology is less standardized for this type of sample (see item number 2) than it is for chemical constituents, therefore if datasets are to be compared, the choice of laboratory is more critical than it is for many chemical constituents (nutrients, for example). This is recognized in the National Field Manual (Chapter 7.5, Cyanobacteria in lakes and reservoirs: toxin and taste-and-odor sampling guidelines) where it is stated in the Quality Control section (7.5.5E) that ¿use of a single laboratory throughout the study is recommended¿ for phytoplankton analyses because taxonomic identification and enumeration are often inconsistent among laboratories. A similar concept is assumed for zooplankton analysis.

NAICS - 541690. Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services. Size Standard $15.0.

PSC - B533. Special Studies/Analysis - Water Quality.