Sfcn periphyton sample analysis

SFCN PERIPHYTON SAMPLE ANALYSIS

The National Park Service, Contracting Operations (ConOps) East, intends to award a Firm Fixed price, Base and four option periods contract for the processing of 60 periphyton samples per year preserved in a 3% buffered formalin solution. Diatom counts will be performed for each periphyton sample following USGS NAWQA and/or US EPA protocols and will consist of 500- to 600-valve counts per sample. This requirement is being procured in accordance with FAR Part 6.302-1, only one responsible source. The determination to select Robert Jan Stevenson for the services is based on control for diatomist variation in the processing of samples. Since 2008, the NPS has been collecting periphyton (diatoms) in Big Cypress National Preserve to monitor water quality issues. During the development of this monitoring program through this year’s most recent annual sampling, NPS has collected and processed 651 samples. These samples have been processed either directly by Dr. Jan Stevenson or under his supervision in his laboratory. The identification of diatom samples to the species level requires a unique set of skills and knowledge. There can be differences between diatomists and/or diatomist labs who do this work, especially when dealing with morphospecies (morphospecies are specimens that are in the process of being described or have yet to be described).

For the last 5 years (using 313 samples), the SFCN - NPS monitoring program has been developing the Big Cypress periphyton indicator species status. During this development it has been important to control for diatomist variation in the processing of samples. This helps to remove variability and increases the precision in the monitoring data set. NPS controls diatomist variation by having the same person process all the samples. All of the recent 313 samples have been processed by Dr. Jan Stevenson under a previous 5-year award. In addition, Dr. Jan Stevenson is considered a world-renowned expert, who developed the national periphyton monitoring program for the EPA stream monitoring program and has over 180 publications on the diatom topic. Additionally, it is in the best interest of the Government to utilize this contractor to decrease potential costs on the overall project by saving on unnecessary manpower for re-accomplishing research or risking error in data computation that was already accomplished with the research.

NAICS Code: 541620, Environmental Consulting Services, Standard business size is $19M. The National Park Service is presently using SAM/FBO to issue synopsis for Notice of Intent to Award Sole Source Justifications and Sources Sought. The synopsis may be viewed online at: https://beta.sam.gov. FBO will be the only means of obtaining the amendments and will be able to receive electronic notification of solicitations and awards. CAUTION: This synopsis will be issued electronically as will any amendments. The Government is under no obligation to maintain a bidder's list. It is incumbent for any interested parties to obtain any amendments which may be issued. All questions pertaining to the synopsis can be directed to celinda_hicks@nps.gov or by calling (470) 819-0814.

This is a sources sought for interested vendors for this project. A solicitation will not be released for this requirement if no vendors are interested. If NPS does not receive interest from the industry, this will be a notice of intent to award on a sole source basis to Robert Jan Stevenson.