CSC is operating under contract to U.S. EPA and has been tasked with assisting U.S. EPA in implementing the Great Lakes Fish Monitoring and Surveillance Program (GLFMSP). As part of its support to U.S. EPA, CSC is seeking the services of a laboratory that can receive, store, prepare, process, homogenize, and composite fish samples collected from the Great Lakes. A statement of work (SOW) that describes the required services is attached. Briefly, these activities include: · receive fish from field sampling teams and store (frozen) the fish appropriately, · inspect the fish for any abnormalities, · scan and retrieve (when applicable) coded wire tags from each fish (coded wire tag wand will be provided), · remove and maintain fish fin clips and otoliths (when applicable), · record physical measurements of each fish, · determine the gender, age, and maturation stage (when applicable) of each fish, · remove and maintain fish scales of each fish for archival purposes (when applicable), · generate and tag fish composites with a GLFMSP composite ID (when applicable), · generate and tag each fish with an individual fish ID (when applicable), · identify stomach contents (when applicable), · composite and homogenize fish samples, · create and prepare mega-composites, · aliquot homogenized samples into various containers of appropriate size and material for each recipient, · store frozen sample aliquots until the aliquots are scheduled to be shipped to designated recipients, · ensure the sample homogenization and process for creating aliquots does not introduce contamination for the target analytes listed in Attachment 1 of the enclosed SOW, and · prepare and provide data reports and deliverables. Interested laboratories must be able to perform these activities, as described in the attached SOW, demonstrate their proficiency in performing these activities, and be willing and able to abide by the requirements of this SOW, including the anticipated study schedule. Interested bidders must already possess the equipment and materials needed to perform the activities in the attached SOW, and must have the standard operating procedures (SOPs) and the required analytical instrumentation needed to fulfill the objectives. To ensure these criteria are met and to obtain additional information necessary for study implementation, interested labs must submit a Qualification Package as part of their bid submission. This qualification package must include: 1) Information that demonstrates the laboratory is capable of performing the SOW activities without introducing contaminants into fish samples (e.g., equipment rinsate blank data for the target analytes of interest). Such information should include: (1) historical data that demonstrates the effectiveness of its proposed contamination monitoring approach, (2) a brief description or summary of the historical data and the contamination control and monitoring approach used to generate this data. If the bidder anticipates modifying the procedures used to generate the historical data in order to meet the GLFMSP objectives described in this SOW, the bidder also must describe these anticipated modifications. 2) SOPs the laboratory will use to implement the SOW activities. In lieu of submitting detailed SOPs for each of these activities during the bidding process, the laboratory may submit a summary of their proposed approach to implementing these activities. Such a summary must include a description of their proposed approach and order for performing the sample processing activities prior to sample homogenization and creating aliquots which are listed in Section 3.1 of the attached SOW. If summary information is provided in lieu of SOPs during the bidding process, the awarded laboratory must submit complete, detailed SOPs for all SOW activities prior to commencing work under this SOW. Bids must be submitted on the enclosed Bid Response Sheets (Attachment B) and must be accompanied by the qualification package described above. Enclosed, you will find a bid solicitation package comprised of: · Attachment A, Bid Sheet Instructions · Attachment B, Bid Response Sheet for Great Lakes Fish Monitoring and Surveillance Program Fish Homogenization Services · Attachment C, Statement of Work for Great Lakes Fish Monitoring and Surveillance Program Fish Homogenization Services Please review the solicitation package documents at your earliest convenience and follow the instructions in Attachment A when completing the bid sheets. Bidders may submit questions to Molly Middlebrook Amos (mmiddlebrook at csc.com), via e-mail no later than 5 p.m. Eastern Time Tuesday, August 23, 2011. CSC will compile all bidder questions, respond to the questions, and provide all questions with responses to each and every bidder by Thursday, August 25, 2011 via e-mail. CSC will award the contract on the basis of “best value” to U.S. EPA, not simply based on lowest price. If you are interested in bidding on this project, your signed Bid Response Sheets and Lab Qualification Package must be received electronically no later than the close of business (COB) on August 30, 2011. CSC anticipates that a purchase order for this project will be awarded on or about October 17, 2011. CSC will task the laboratory to perform specific activities under this SOW through written authorization. The Sample Prep Lab may not proceed with activities specified in this SOW until receipt of written authorization to begin the work to be performed has been received. If you have any comments or questions regarding this solicitation or the study, please contact Molly Middlebrook Amos at (703) 496-7167or mmiddlebrook at csc.com. Sincerely, Molly Middlebrook Amos Environmental Analyst Leader CSC 6101 Stevenson Avenue, Alexandria, Virginia 22304 Science and Engineering Mission Support | p: 703.496.7167 | f: 703.461.8056 | mmiddlebrook at csc.com | www.csc.com Enclosures Attachment A: Bid Sheet Instructions Attachment B: Bid Response Sheet Attachment C: Statement of Work This is a PRIVATE message. If you are not the intended recipient, please delete without copying and kindly advise us by e-mail of the mistake in delivery. NOTE: Regardless of content, this e-mail shall not operate to bind CSC to any order or other contract unless pursuant to explicit written agreement or government initiative expressly permitting the use of e-mail for such purpose. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... 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