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Request for Proposals for the Determination of Hydrophobic Organic Contaminants in the Water Column of Lake MichiganClosing date - February 21, 2003 The United States Environmental Protection Agency(USEPA)’s Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO) is issuing this request for proposals (RFP) to determine concentrations of hydrophobic organic contaminants (HOCs) in the water of Lake Michigan. We are seeking sampling and analysis for persistent bioaccumulative substances including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), halogenated pesticides which have historical significance, and other current and “emerging” persistent and non-persistent bioaccumulative contaminants which may require further investigation: these could include dioxins, mercury, brominated flame retardants, chlorinated naphthalenes, etc. These contaminants may be at “ultra trace” levels. See Table 1 for core chemicals to be analyzed. This list could be altered based on the selected laboratory’s capabilities and GLNPO’s requirements, particularly in future years. The proposed study should be designed to quantify levels of HOCs in water in a manner that is complementary to environmental data generated by GLNPO’s long-term fish and air monitoring programs to help determine the fate and transport of HOCs in Lake Michigan. Existing GLNPO HOC data from Lake Michigan for 1994 to 1995 and HOC data generated for all five lakes for 1993 and 1996-1997 are available for review to optimize the analytical methodology. The Principal Investigator (PI) is responsible for coordination of the sample collection schedule with the GLNPO project officer; review and optimization of field methods; field sampling aboard the R/V Lake Guardian; development, implementation, and revision of the Quality Management Plan (QMP), associated Quality Assurance Project Plans (QAPP), and field and analytical Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs); sample analysis; data management, reporting, and interpretation; analytical methods development and optimization; and field and analytical intercomparison studies. Frequent and effective communication is required between the PI and the GLNPO Project Officer to resolve problems, discuss status of sampling and results, etc. Venues for data reporting will include government reports, journal articles, conference presentations, and postings on the Internet. The PI will be required to provide interpretative reporting of the data in conjunction with GLNPO’s overall Open Lake Monitoring program. Due to safety and waste chemical disposal concerns, the Goulden liquid-liquid extraction method, used historically for this work (1993, 1996, 1997), cannot be used for lakewater HOC sampling. However, applicants should provide evidence that proposed methods will generate comparable results to this method. The principal investigator (PI) will work directly with a GLNPO Project Officer throughout this study and will have use of the R/V Lake Guardian for sampling activities at sampling locations (Figure 1) in conjunction with GLNPO’s spring (late March to early April) and summer (early August) water quality surveys in Lake Michigan. It is hoped that sample collection will be initiated during the summer of 2003. Additional sampling locations which support the Integrated Atmospheric Deposition Network, GLNPO’s long-term fish monitoring program, and monitoring of Green Bay and other Areas of Concern will be negotiated. We anticipate collection and analysis of approximately twenty samples per year in a base program scenario, with the possibility of up to 40 samples collected in an expanded program if GLNPO resources allow. Future options include sampling a subset of Lake Michigan Mass Balance Study stations, last sampled in 1995. GLNPO will provide ship time including food and lodging for personnel necessary to conduct this study. The R/V Lake Guardian is 180 feet long and contains enough cabins for approximately 30 people including USEPA scientists and the Captain’s crew. The PI will be required to submit all data in the Great Lakes Environmental Database (GLENDA) approved electronic format. These data reporting standards can be viewed at: http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/monitoring/data_proj/glenda/rptstds/index.html. The GLNPO Project Officer will also supply examples of data in the reporting standard. Electronic data submissions and annual data summary and interpretive reports are the minimum requirements for data reporting. Field and analytical data must be available to the GLNPO Project Officer within 12 months of receipt of samples in the laboratory. The cooperative agreement/interagency agreement will have an initial budget period of one year, with two additional years’ funding conditional on GLNPO’s requirements and budget. We anticipate awarding one cooperative agreement for this project, with a funding amount of between $50,000 and $150,000. Applicants should prepare separate budgets for a 20-sample program and a 40-sample program. All projects that collect environmental data must have an approved Quality System documented through a Quality Management Plan. The Quality Management Plan must be submitted within 90 days of the grant award AND 30 days prior to commencement of any environmental data collection. The Recipient will adjust its implementation schedule accordingly. Costs associated with data collection are not allowable costs until applicable Quality System Documentation is approved by the GLNPO QA Manager and the Project Officer. Overall guidance for development of Quality Assurance documentation, including the document “QA/R-2 EPA Requirements for Quality Management Plans” and "QA/R-5: EPA Requirements for Quality Assurance Project Plans," can be found at the EPA QA Division's website: <http://www.epa.gov/quality/qa_docs.html >. GLNPO scientists will review proposals in-house. A panel of three scientists will evaluate all proposals using the criteria listed below. The five proposals with the highest scores will be further evaluated by the panel, and a selection made. The final decision will be made by the EPA Approval Official based on the final proposal submitted with the federal application forms. The award will be made within 30 days of the application deadline. The U.S. EPA reserves the right to reject all proposals or applications and make no awards. Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:(35%) Qualifications of the principal investigator(s) and staff. This will stress demonstrated expertise of the PI in the proposed area of research, including ability to perform trace level contaminant analyses and experience in interpretation and reporting of environmental data. (20%) Soundness of scientific approach and experimental design for the proposed research. (15%) Availability of adequate facilities, equipment, and personnel. (15%) Reasonable budgetary justification for the project. (5%) Evidence of previous coordination and collaboration with other scientists and/or research programs. (10%) Reasonable work schedule, timetables and deliverables. Eligibility:Academic institutions, state pollution control agencies, organizations (other than “for profit” organizations), and individuals are eligible to apply. “For profit” organizations are not eligible. A minimum cost match of 5% of total project costs, which may include in-kind work, is expected. Additional Considerations:The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance identifies this assistance as: 66.469, Great Lakes Program. Assistance through either a cooperative agreement or interagency agreement is available pursuant to the Clean Water Act, Section (§)104(b)(3) for activities in the Great Lakes Basin and in support of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. In case of dispute of an award, a dispute resolution process in accordance with 40 CFR 30.63 and Part 31, subpart F will be implemented. The successful applicant will be required to adhere to the Federal grants requirements, particularly those found in applicable OMB circulars on Cost Principles (A-21, A-87, or A-122), Administrative Requirements (A-102 or 110), and Audit Requirements (A-133) available from <http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/>. Please use the following categories when providing budget information: Personnel/Salaries, Fringe Benefits, Travel, Equipment, Supplies, Contract Costs, Other Costs, and Indirect Costs. Applicants should clearly mark information they consider confidential, and EPA will make final confidentiality decisions in accordance with Agency regulations at 40 CFR. Part 2, Subpart B. However, we discourage submission of any confidential material.
Proposals (five copies) should be submitted to the attention of:
Elias Avalos Proposals are due at the above address by close of business, February 21, 2003.Proposals should not exceed ten pages in length and will be evaluated against the above criteria. Curriculum vitae of principal investigators and other personnel critical to the proposed work should be included as appendices and will not count as proposal pages. Applicants seeking pre-application assistance or additional information relating to this project may contact Melissa Hulting at (312)886-2265, hulting.melissa@epa.gov or Glenn Warren at (312)886-2405, warren.glenn@epa.gov, or facsimile: (312) 353-2018.
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