Sample Analysis

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) Monitoring Division has issued Request for Bid (RFB) #582-25-017881 for crystalline silica laboratory analysis services in Harris County. The solicitation seeks a NELAP-accredited laboratory to analyze up to 400 filter samples for silica, crystalline quartz, cristobalite, and tridymite using NIOSH Method 7500 across four sample locations over a 12-month period. The selected laboratory must provide pre-weighed 47mm PVC filters with 5-micron pore size, compatible with a Thermo Scientific Partisol 2025i Sequential Air Sampler, and manage two-way shipping logistics with two-day delivery. Key deliverables include monthly filter requests not exceeding 28 filters, delivered one week prior to the first business day of each month, and comprehensive analysis results submitted by the 15th calendar day of the following month in both PDF and XLSX formats. Technical requirements mandate an analysis range of 0.02 to 2 mg silicon dioxide per sample, with specific limits of quantitation for crystalline quartz (0.0050 mg), cristobalite (0.0050 mg), and tridymite (0.020 mg). The bid response is due on January 21, 2025, at 2:00 PM CST, with questions accepted until January 14, 2025, at 12:00 PM CST via email to TCEQebid@tceq.texas.gov.

The RFB includes multiple vendor preference categories under 34 TAC Rule 20.38, offering preferential consideration to Texas bidders, USA-produced materials, and environmentally sensitive materials. Bidders must provide an Employer Identification Number (EIN) and certify non-participation in boycotts of Israel and non-engagement with prohibited entities including Iran, Sudan, or foreign terrorist organizations. The contract term extends up to 30 months from purchase order execution, with TCEQ retaining the right to terminate with two weeks' notice. Laboratory support must be available between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. CST on business days, with a requirement to respond to inquiries within one business day. Delivery of samples and services will be to Science & Research 1, Room 312 in Houston, Texas, specifically to Eugene Velasco. While no specific budget range is explicitly stated, the solicitation covers analysis of up to 400 samples with monthly filter requests not exceeding 28 units. Vendors must comply with TCEQ's standard Terms and Conditions, which include requirements for public liability, property damage insurance, and worker's compensation coverage, as well as adherence to cybersecurity training and state IT security protocols.