The US Geological Survey (USGS) is seeking the acid precipitation monitoring services for monitoring site CA45 in the National Atmospheric Deposition Program, National Trends Network (NADP-NTN) located in Mendocino County near Hopland, California. The land is owned by the University of California. This will allow for operation of a NADP-NTN wet atmospheric monitoring station. Operation requires weekly site visits to the site to collect, process, and ship the precipitation sample, collect, process and transmit associated data with the site including the precipitation gage record and perform routine instrument checks, maintenance and repairs as needed. Period of Performance will be Date of award through 1/31/2017 with 4 One year options as follows: Option Year One: 02/01/2017-01/31/2018 Option Year Two: 02/01/2018-01/31/2019 Option Year Three: 02/01/2019-01/31/2020 Option Year Four: 02/01/2020-01/31/2021 The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Water Mission Area, Office of Water Quality requires the operation of these sites in order to support the NADP-NTN. The USGS is the designated lead agency for the monitoring of atmospheric deposition and NADP is the operational organization through which the USGS and other participating organizations accomplish this national-scale monitoring in the most efficient and cost-effective manner. The USGS is aware of no other source that can provide the above. Therefore, it intends to make an award to the University of California, unless it is contacted by any who believes they have obtained similar technical expertise and can provide the same service. Vendors are invited to contact the Contract Specialist, Andres Castro via email at
[email protected] no later than 2:00 PM EST, Tuesday, February 2, 2016 with an affirmative answer. SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION STATES THE FOLLOWING PART: The following information is provided to demonstrate the proposed contractor's unique qualifications: The University of California, Agricultural and Natural Resources Division, currently operates this site and is uniquely qualified to complete the requirement. Faculty and staff members have the experience, knowledge, and expertise to complete the requirements without training or time spent in learning how to operate the equipment. The Agricultural and Natural Resources Division has owned operated the Hopland site since 1979. Their technicians are familiar with all aspects of site operation and can seamlessly switch to a new contract option year extension without loss of data because of this knowledge, skill and ability in CA45 site operation. The additional and immediate cost to the USGS to train new site operators other than those from the Agricultural and Natural Resources Division would be approximately $XXXX for travel and training. It is essential that this requirement be accomplished without loss of continuity as well as incurring delays. The analytical laboratory is located in a University building. The monitoring site is located on University property, and the analytical equipment is located in a University building. All field and laboratory equipment is owned by the University and the secure site is not open to the public or for access by other contractors. The NADP is a public, nonprofit, unincorporated, interstate association of parties interested in atmospheric deposition and its effects. It is structured as a cooperative program that represents coordinated efforts of many federal, state, academic, and private organizations and individuals to operate monitoring sites, report data, and oversee research activities related to atmospheric deposition. Membership in NADP is open to individuals and institutions interested in participating in any aspect of atmospheric deposition monitoring and/or research stemming from NADP data. This organizational structure is consistent with State Agricultural Experiment Station (SAES) Guidelines for Multi-state Research Activities. The contracts the USGS seeks to award represent partnerships to support sites in the most efficient manner with organizations and individuals that own and control the local site locations. Under the interagency National Acidic Precipitation Assessment Program established in 1981, the USGS is the designated lead agency for the monitoring of atmospheric deposition and NADP is the operational organization through which the USGS and other participating organizations accomplish this national-scale monitoring in the most efficient and cost-effective manner.