Opportunity: MERCURY ANALYSIS; NOTICE OF INTENT

MERCURY ANALYSIS NOTICE OF INTENT This is a notice of intent to solicit from a single source. The US Geological Survey (USGS) intends to award a Purchase Order to the University of California, Merced for Mercury Analysis. Mercury is a neurotoxin that can bioaccumulate in organisms to levels that adversely affect the health of fish, wildlife, and people. Methods to prevent the formation and transport of methyl mercury from wetlands to other bodies of water in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta are needed prior to the initiation of large-scale wetlands restoration plans. The USGS requires element characterization of solid-phase samples, development of site-specific mercury methylation incubation protocols, utilizing these protocols for samples at several time points, and providing reports to the USGS. Award will be made in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 13.106-1(b) and the procedures at FAR Part 12 entitled, Acquisition of Commercial Items and FAR Part 13 entitled, Simplified Acquisition Procedures. UC Merced has established incubation methodologies and provided element characterization sample analysis for other portions of this over-all project. Variations in incubation equipment, reagents, and methodologies among different laboratories can bias statistical analyses of the results and yield erroneous conclusions. In order to keep continuity of data for the project¿s publication, by keeping the methodologies internally consistent throughout the interrelated project components, the USGS intends to use UC Merced to conduct the incubations and analyze these samples. The purpose of this notice is to satisfy the requirements of FAR Subpart 5.2. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive quotes. However, all responsible parties may submit a quotation which shall be considered by the agency. No solicitation will be issued. A determination not to compete this action based upon responses received is in the sole discretion of the Government. The NAICS code for this action is 541380, Testing Laboratories, and the PSC is B533, Special Studies/Analysis - Water Quality. Responses or inquiries shall only be accepted through electronic mail addressed to capplegate@usgs.gov and must be uploaded and received in their entirety no later than 09/09/2020 1700 PT. Responses submitted by hardcopy or the FedConnect web portal or the FedConnect Message Center shall not be accepted or considered.