B--Aggregation, Transport, Interaction with Biomacromolecules and Toxicity of Nanos

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Research and Development(ORD), National Risk Management Research Laboratory(NRMRL) located at 68 W. Martin Luther King Dr., Cincinnati, Oh intends to negotiate, on a sole source basis, under the authority of FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), with the University of Cincinnati to assist the EPA in conducting in-house research studying the fate of transport of nanoparticles in aquatic and soil systems. This project is intended to study the fate and transport of nanoparticles in aquatic and soil systems. The primary difference between ambient and engineered nanoparticles is that the former have widely varying shapes, sizes, and compositions, whereas the latter are single, uniform compounds. We are using silica as a model for naturally occurring nanomaterials, whereas titanium oxide, cerium oxide and zinc oxide for engineered particles having varying reactive properties. The research focuses on comparing nanoparticles that occur naturally with engineered ones based on their mobility in soil systems, aggregation and dissolution to increase the understanding on the fate of nanoparticles. The mobility of nanoparticles through porous media and their tendency to aggregate or agglomerate to form larger macro-scale particles will be experimentally evaluated under different conditions. Mobility of nanoparticle could affect the effectiveness of water treatment technology such filtration and physical interactions between the particles themselves and the environment. The influence of these accumulated nanomaterials on contaminants mobility and soil remediation technologies such as encapsulation techniques will also be investigated. Understanding physical and chemical interactions nanoparticles with contaminants and natural organic matter such as humic acid would help us assess the fate of nanoparticles in the environment. This could also lead to the use of nanomaterials for in-situ soil treatment technolo gies for dissolved phase plume treatment. The contractor will be required to provide state of the art facilities and equipment necessary to perform the study of the fate and transport of nanoparticles in aquatic and soil systems for use by EPA researchers and post docs within a 30 mile radius of the EPA AWBERC facility, located at 26 W. Martin Luther King Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45268. The North American Industry Classification Code (NAICS) is 541620. The size standard for this code is $7 million. THIS NOTICE OF INTENT is not a request for competitive proposals. No solicitation document is available. However, interested parties may identify their interest and capability of meeting EPA requirements by submitting technical documentation to Garry A. Plear, Contract Specialist, at the office identified above, by e-mail [email protected]. The technical documentation must establish that the instrument to be provided meets all requirements. Anticipated award date will be in May 2011. Documentation must be submitted to Garry A. Plear by 3:00 PM, May 16, 2011 in order to be considered by EPA. A determination not to compete the proposed requirement based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. 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. Point of Contact for this requirement is Garry A. Plear, Contract Specialist, at (513) 487-2054, or via e-mail at [email protected]. Questions must be submitted in writing to Mr. Garry A. Plear via e-mail. Telephone queries will not be honored.