Economic Analysis and Control Strategy Development for Air Pollution Control Regulations The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) intends to negotiate on a sole source basis, under the authority of FAR 6.302-1 with Research Triangle Institute (RTI), to provide support services to the EPA, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS) under contract titled Economic Analysis and Control Strategy Development for Air Pollution Control Regulations, EP-W-11-029, for an additional 2000 level of effort labor hours to be utilized to extend the contract, which expires May 31, 2020, by six (6) months, until November 30, 2020. The EPA Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards requires the contractor to provide the level of effort to include development of methods and analyses in support of regulatory and policy development, or proposed congressional legislation. These may include National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), New Source Performance Standards (NSPS), standards for air toxics, National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP), Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) rules, New Source Review (NSR), Regional Haze, Federal Operating Permit and Implementation Plan Rules, components of reports to Congress, and other regulatory standards to control air pollution (i.e., mobile source programs, regional body policy actions, and cross-media programs). Overall an economic analysis/cost/risk benefits contract, support includes the following: (1) Preparation of economic profiles of affected entities; (2) control strategy analysis; (3) economic/benefit analysis; (4) information collection analyses; (5) regulatory impact analyses; (6) development of analysis methods and tools; (7) cost/benefit analyses; (8) control strategy analysis; (9) regulatory impact analyses; (10) sensitivity analysis; (11) surveys/focus group sessions; (12) data base support; (13) development of computer modeling; (14) Graphical Information Systems (GIS) support; (15) training to provide support for modeling and software development; (16) review of data inputs and technical support documents; (17) preparation of docket materials/reference documents; (18) support for responses to public comments; (19) revise analyses and related documentation; (20) review and revision of the Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS) Economic Analysis Resource Manual; (21) review and revision of the EPA Air Pollution Control Cost Manual; and (22) technical and administrative support for workshops, seminars, meetings, public hearings, and peer review panels. The aforementioned support includes a litany of tasks and requires a diverse amalgamation of skills and competencies. Many of these tasks require personnel with highly specialized knowledge, skills, abilities, and educational backgrounds that are not readily available and/or are peculiar to a few companies within this particular niche industry. EPA believes that RTI International, with its experience and support provided in many ongoing work assignments possesses the institutional knowledge, processes and tools that are not readily transferable to a new contractor. Several of the current work assignments performed by RTI support key initiatives that impact the missions of other divisions within the EPA and/or external stakeholders such as other State and Federal Agencies. The OAQPS relies on this contract to provide support for economic/benefit cost analysis on multiple critical projects. Any interruption in this support poses a significant risk of missing statutory and court-ordered deadlines. THIS NOTICE IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS. However, any firm believing itself capable of meeting the aforementioned requirement must submit technical documentation to establish its assertion. This documentation must be submitted to Natalia Fisher-Jackson (
[email protected]) within 15 days of the electronic posting of this notice. Telephone requests will not be honored. A determination not to compete the proposed requirement based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the EPA. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement or to proceed on a sole source basis. The anticipated award date for this modification to the existing contract is June 30, 2020.