B--Study on Ensiling Process and Nitrogen Compounds

In accordance with FAR Part 13 Simplified Acquisition Procedures, the U.S. EPA Office of Research and Development in coordination with Region 9 requires a contractor to determine what mechanisms in the ensiling process could produce nitrogen containing air emissions, and to determine how mechanisms that could be creating NOx could be suppressed, so as to answer the following questions: 1. What mechanism(s) in the ensiling process create nitrogen containing air pollutant emissions, particularly NOx? 2. What are the potential ways of suppressing those mechanisms? 3. Are there management practices that could simultaneously both reduce VOC and NOx emissions from the ensiling process? Background info: The San Joaquin Valley (SJV) is designated as an extreme non-attainment area for the 8-hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) and non-attainment for the annual and 24-hour PM 2.5 NAAQS. Doing research related to control strategies that may improve air quality in the Valley is one of the Region 9 highest science priorities. Improving air quality in the Valley is also in line with the Administrators priority for working for environmental justice since many of the communities in the Valley are environmental justice communities. Reductions in ozone and PM 2.5 precursors such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) are needed for SJV to attain the 8-hour ozone and PM 2.5 NAAQS. Recent research indicates that emissions from dairy silage are a significant source of VOC (Alanis et al., 2008; Krauter et al, 2009; Montes et al., 2009; Howard et al., 2010). The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District (SJVAPCD) estimates that of the about 106 tons per day of VOCs emitted by dairies in 2012, 57 tons per day can be attributed to silage piles or total mixed rations (dairy feed that contains silage). Based on the best available science at the time, SJVAPCD included controls for reducing VOC emissions from silage in their October 2010 version of Rule 4570, Confined Animal Facilities. There are some articles that indicate nitrogen containing compounds from silage may also be a concern, but there is no California based peer reviewed research about the magnitude or source of these emissions, and little is understood about the processes that could be creating these emissions. Getting NOx reductions in particular is an important part of California and the San Joaquin Valley Air District strategy for reducing emissions. The District believes that reducing NOx emissions is a more effective way of reducing formation of ground level ozone than reducing VOC. Moreover, NOx reductions are also key for the District strategy for attaining the PM 2.5 NAAQS. The EPA National Risk Management Research Laboratory, Air Pollution Control and Prevention Division has been awarded a Regional Applied Research Effort (RARE) project to determine what mechanisms in the ensiling process could produce nitrogen containing compounds, and to determine how those mechanisms could be suppressed. This NAICS code is 541620 with a small business size standard of $14 million. Award will be made using "Best Value" evaluation criteria. The complete solicitation package will be posted approximately July 19, 2012 on the World Wide Web (www.epa.gov). The direct link URL for the solicitation when issued is http://www.epa.gov/oam/cinn_cmd/. It is the responsibility of the offerors to monitor the EPA website for changes or updates. No hard copies will be available. All responsible sources may submit a proposal which shall be considered. Questions regarding this solicitation should be submitted in writing to Scott Tharp via email [email protected].