PFAS- SURFACE WATER SAMPLES

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) issued an Invitation for Bid (IFB) solicitation for PFAS surface water sampling and analysis services, specifically targeting Richland County and 47 other priority watersheds across the state's major river basins. The procurement seeks to establish a contract with a commercial laboratory capable of processing and analyzing surface water samples for 40 PFAS compounds using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) consistent with EPA Method 1633. The contract will support long-term trend monitoring of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, with an estimated 220 surface water samples to be analyzed annually, including up to 50 field samples and 5 field blanks per quarter. The laboratory must provide a guaranteed 30-day turnaround for sample analysis and result transmittal, deliver sample kits and PFAS-free deionized water quarterly, and be certified for EPA Method 1633 by DHEC's Environmental Laboratory Certification office. The original submission deadline was October 31, 2023, at 2:30 PM EST, with award notification initially scheduled for November 7, 2023; however, the solicitation was ultimately cancelled and will be re-solicited at a later date.

The solicitation did not specify explicit set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises. The previous 2022-2023 PFAS testing contract was held by GEL Laboratories, LLC at a rate of $175.00 per test for the PFAS suite in surface water samples. Bidders were required to register as a South Carolina vendor and could claim applicable in-state preferences if maintaining an in-state office. The contract was structured for an initial one-year term with four potential one-year renewals, creating a maximum contract period of five years from November 15, 2023, through November 14, 2028. Vendors were instructed to provide a single, all-inclusive unit price covering collection supplies, freight, and shipping charges. While no specific budget range was disclosed, the contract would reimburse the laboratory for return shipping costs and invoice monthly based on actual sample analysis. The award was to be made to the lowest responsible and responsive bidder, with all offers required to remain open for a minimum of thirty calendar days after the opening date.