Technical and administrative program support for the water permits division (WP

TECHNICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROGRAM SUPPORT FOR THE WATER PERMITS DIVISION (WPD)

The EPA has a need for support to the Office of Water (OW), Office of Wastewater Management (OWM), Water Permits Division (WPD) in developing, and implementing National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits, programs and regulations under the Clean Water Act (CWA) and other statutes and regulations.

Any interested offeror must demonstrate it is able to provide the necessary personnel and services to support the effort draft Performance Work Statement (PWS). Important components of the activities to be performed to support OW's objectives are the capability to provide technical support to assist OW in a wide range of engineering, analytical, editorial, technical, outreach, and logistical support services to meet statutory and Executive Order (EO) requirements including the implementation of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program, for both municipal and industrial, including discharges from storm water, sewer system overflows, construction, pesticide applications, aquaculture operations and animal feeding operations. This also includes support services the National Pretreatment Program (industrial discharges to municipally owned treatment works, and the municipalities, States and the EPA who regulate the indirect discharges), and the biosolids program. This PWS requires the technical support services including (1) National Program Development, (2) Program Oversight, (3) Program Authority, (4) Rulemaking, (5) Technical Support, (6) NPDES Permit Support, (7) Pretreatment Program, (8) Pollution Prevention & Water Reuse, (9) Administrative Support, (10) Information and Data Management, and (11) Outreach, Education and Partnerships.

A draft PWS is attached. It is anticipated that the contract will be a single award indefinite delivery indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract with a five-year ordering period with one additional year for task completion. The anticipated contract will also include an option to extend services for up to six months. Task Order contract type will be either Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee or Firm Fixed Price. The total level of effort of approximately 298,000 hours is anticipated over the five-year period of the contract. The applicable NAICS code is 541620 with a size standard of $16.5 million.

The contractor must be capable of performing these required services in an unbiased and objective manner. Because of the nature of the PWS requirements, the EPA contends that significant COI would exist if the award were made to entities with business or financial relationships within the following groups:

- Entities within the regulated community that discharge processed water or which provide treatment of wastewater or drinking water.
- Entities that develop/manufacture/sell/import water treatment chemicals and/or equipment, to include entities that develop/manufacture/sell/import point-of-use or point-of-entry treatment devices.
- Entities that provide advisory and/or technical services relating to waste minimization, waste management, and wastewater treatment and control for regulated industries.
- Entities that act in a consulting, advisory, or legal capacity with, or for, entities trying to overturn or avoid application of effluent guidelines or regulations within the scope of this work could manipulate data outcomes to affect a particular determination in favor of their clients.
- Entities that own, operate, or construct either community or commercial water systems.
- Entities that are developers, suppliers, or manufacturers of pesticides, agricultural chemicals, or products indigenous to animal feed lot operations, regardless of size.
- Entities that own, operate, or construct facilities or products which use water as a coolant for the absorption of heat, regardless of source or purpose, where those waters are not part of a closed system or reduced to steam; rather, once used, these waters are released, discharged, or otherwise returned to aquifers, ground water, or source waters.
- Entities that have current or previous contracts with states or tribes to provide legal, technical, or consulting services related to wastewater management, NPDES permitting, water infrastructure development, or resource planning.

A Request for Proposal (RFP) will is be issued no later than May 24, 2021.