BOARD MEETING DATE: July 9, 2010
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PROPOSAL:
SYNOPSIS:
COMMITTEE:
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS:
Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env. Background PM2.5 Program NATTS Program Enhanced Particulate Monitoring Program PAMS Program Community-Scale Air Toxics Monitoring Program Proposal PM2.5 Program NATTS Program Enhanced Particulate Monitoring Program PAMS Program Community-Scale Air Toxics Monitoring Program Issue Sole Source Purchase Order for One (1) Ion Chromatograph Under the PM2.5 Program As part of the AQMD PM2.5 speciation program, PM2.5 filters are analyzed for anions such as sulfate and nitrate, which are major contributors to the total PM2.5 mass. This information is critical in formulating PM2.5 control strategies that target both the primary particulate sources and the gaseous precursor sources that lead to the sulfate and nitrate fractions of PM2.5. The current Ion Chromatograph model is fifteen years old and will no longer be supported by the manufacturer next year. A new ion chromatograph is needed to continue this important analytical capability. This proposed purchase will utilize existing auto-sampler, software and control equipment, and thus represents a cost-effective solution. Therefore, staff recommends that the Board authorize the Procurement Manager to issue a sole source purchase order with Dionex Corporation for an amount not to exceed $35,000 for the purchase of one (1) Ion Chromatograph as budgeted in the PM2.5 Monitoring award. Issue Sole Source Purchase Order for One (1) Centrifuge Under the PM2.5 Program The current laboratory capacity for the extraction of PM2.5 Speciation, Lead, NATTS, PM10 and TSP filters is not sufficient for the current number of samples that require analysis. A major bottleneck in the analytical process is the centrifuge step in the extraction. An additional centrifuge will alleviate the situation and reduce backlogs. The unit proposed for purchase is the only unit with the required specifications, will allow for compatibility and consistency with existing units, and is only available from one licensed distributor in the United States. Therefore, staff recommends that the Board authorize the Procurement Manager to issue a sole source purchase order with Global Medical Instrumentation, Inc. for an amount not to exceed $8,000 for the purchase of one (1) centrifuge as budgeted in the PM2.5 Monitoring award. Issue Sole Source Purchase Order for Twenty-Five (25) Digital Data Loggers Under the PM2.5 and PAMS Programs and the General Budget The AQMD Air Monitoring Stations include data loggers to collect and store air quality data. The data is then retrieved by a telemetry system to bring the data into air quality databases at AQMD headquarters. The current data loggers are older models that can only record analog data from the instruments, while the newer instruments in the Network include digital output signals. The digital output formats are much more reliable, are not subject to electronic noise or biasing, and allow for the collection of a wide array of instrument diagnostic information. The new data loggers proposed for purchase will be capable of recording the digital data streams as well as allowing for remote access to the data and diagnostic information. Staff has evaluated and tested several data logging systems for the upcoming deployment of the U.S. EPA NCore Program which requires digital data logging. ESC Agilaire data loggers have already been chosen and acquired for this program. Since it is critical that all stations have the same data logging system for proper telemetry communication protocols, additional ESC Agilaire digital data loggers are proposed for purchase. This will also allow for some cost-effective upgrades of some currently deployed ESC Agilaire analog data logging systems to the digital configuration. Ten digital data loggers are budgeted in the PM2.5 award, nine are budgeted in the 18th year PAMS award, and six are budgted in the FY2010-11 General Budget for Capital Outlays for a total purchase quantity of 25. Therefore, staff recommends that the Board authorize the Procurement Manager to issue a sole source purchase order with ESC Agilaire LLC for an amount not to exceed $175,000 for the purchase of twenty-five (25) Digital Data Loggers as budgeted in the PM2.5 Monitoring award, the 18th year PAMS award, and the FY 2010-11 Budget. Issue Sole Source Purchase Order for One (1) Calibration Gas Dilution System Under the NATTS Monitoring Program As part of the NATTS monitoring program, the air toxic samplers must be certified once per year. The certification procedure involves challenging the samplers with a calibration standard of known concentration, and then subsequent analysis to confirm the results match the expected result. To perform the procedure, the flow of the calibration standard gas must be precisely diluted and controlled. This is accomplished with a specialized Calibration Gas Dilution System similar to those used in the AQMD Monitoring Network for daily and weekly zero, span and precision checks. The system proposed for purchase will have the added feature of humidification which is required under the NATTS protocols. It is important that the same model system currently being used in the Network is used for this purpose given the interchangeability of parts and consistency of procedures. Therefore, staff recommends that the Board authorize the Procurement Manager to issue a sole source purchase order with Environics, Inc. for an amount not to exceed $21,000 for the purchase of one (1) Calibration Gas Dilution System as budgeted in the NATTS award. Issue Purchase Order for Two (2) Zero Air Generators Under the NATTS and PAMS Programs As part of the NATTS monitoring program, the air toxic samplers must be certified once per year. The certification procedure includes challenging the samplers with clean (zero) air and then subsequent analysis to confirm the results match the expected result. The zero air is also used for dilution of the calibration standards. To perform these procedures, a Zero Air Generator is used to produce the clean air for the challenge and calibration. In addition, there is a need for another Zero Air Generator in the Quality Assurance group to independently calibrate and certify auditing equipment. Such auditing functions are integral to the PAMS Program and this additional purchase is proposed under the proposed PAMS Budget. The vendor and purchase price for the Zero Air Generators is based on RFQ #Q2010-1 released in June 2009. In October 2009, the Board authorized a purchase order based on the proposal evaluation results. The selected vendor, Teledyne Advanced Pollution Instrumentation, Inc., has agreed to honor the pricing in their previous bid. Therefore, staff recommends that the Board authorize the Procurement Manager to issue a purchase order with Teledyne Advanced Pollution Instrumentation, Inc. for an amount not to exceed $16,000 for the purchase of two (2) Zero Air Generators as budgeted in the NATTS award and the 18th year PAMS award. Issue Purchase Order for One (1) Microwave Digestion System Under the NATTS Program Quartz fiber filters used to sample ambient air for the analysis of toxic metals under the NATTS Program are extracted by digestion in a Microwave oven prior to analysis by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). A uniform and complete digestion process is an essential step in the analytical process. A larger number of air toxic metal samples and a currently non-functioning and non-repairable older microwave is creating a backlog of analyses. An informal bid process was initiated for the purchase of a new Microwave Digestion System. Two informal quotes were received after requests were made to the three largest manufacturers of these systems, which between them account for 90% of the Microwave Digestion Systems sold. Of the two quotes received, the MARSXpress® model from CEM was the lowest cost option that meets the needs of the laboratory. The informal bid results are given in the following table.
Therefore, staff recommends that the Board authorize the Procurement Manager to issue a purchase order with CEM Corporation for an amount not to exceed $24,875 for the purchase of one (1) Microwave Digestion System as budgeted in the NATTS award. Issue Sole Source Purchase Order for One (1) Karl Fischer Water Titrator The AQMD Laboratory continues to expand its VOC product compliance program for paint, solvents, and lubricants. As part of the required analysis, the water content of these products must be determined using a Karl Fischer Water Titrator. The current Titrator used in the laboratory is aging, unreliable and in need of replacement. The most cost-effective solution is to purchase a new unit from the manufacturer of the current unit which will allow for the continued use of existing accessories and parts. Therefore, staff recommends that the Board authorize the Procurement Manager to issue a sole source purchase order with Metrohm USA, Inc. for an amount not to exceed $15,000 for the purchase of one (1) Karl Fischer Water Titrator as budgeted in the FY 2010-11 Budget. Amend an Existing Contract to Conduct Performance Audits Under the PM2.5 Program U.S. EPA air monitoring requirements require independent performance audits of PM2.5 monitoring equipment. In April 2009, RFP #P2009-19 was released to solicit proposals from qualified independent contractors to conduct a PM sampler performance evaluation program for the AQMD monitoring. In June 2009, the Board authorized a one-year contract with Technical & Business Systems, Inc. based on the proposal evaluation results. The original Technical & Business Systems, Inc. proposal included a bid for a two-year contract. To allow the successful audit program to continue, there is a need to amend and extend the current contract with Technical & Business Systems, Inc. for an additional year. The cost of the additional year of audit services will not exceed $40,000. Therefore, staff recommends that the Board authorize the Procurement Manager to amend an existing contract with Technical & Business Systems, Inc. for an additional amount not to exceed $40,000 to conduct a performance audit program of PM samplers as budgeted in the PM2.5 Monitoring award. Issue RFQ for One (1) Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometer/Flame Ionization Detector A Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometer with a Flame Ionization Detector is the primary instrument used by the AQMD Laboratory for the analysis of paint solvents, and lubricants as part of the VOC Product Compliance Program. The phasing in of new AQMD VOC rules with lower VOC limits is leading to an expansion of the compliance program and the need for more analytical equipment with greater sensitivity and capacity to accommodate the increased throughput of samples for analysis. Therefore, staff is requesting the Board to release RFQ #Q2011-02 (Attachment 8) for one (1) Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometer/Flame Ionization Detector at a cost not to exceed $130,000 as budgeted in the FY 2010-11 Budget. Sole Source Justifications A sole source award is authorized under Sections IV.B. of the Procurement Policy and Procedure when a purchase does not lend itself to substitution. Section VIII.B.2 of the Procurement Policy and Procedure identifies four major provisions under which a sole source award may be justified. The requests for sole source purchase of the Ion Chromatograph, the Digital Data Loggers, the Calibration Gas Dilution Systems, and the Karl Fischer Water Titrator are made under Section VIII.B.2.d (6) of the Procurement Policy and Procedure; the items require compatibility with existing specialized equipment. The Ion Chromatograph is one component of a system that includes an auto-sampler, software and control hardware. To utilize the existing equipment, and thus realize considerable cost-savings, the purchase must be made from the same manufacturer to ensure compatibility. The new Digital Data Loggers must be the same type as the existing Digital Data Loggers in order for the telemetry-based air quality data retrieval system to operate effectively. One set of data formats and one set of retrieval protocols are needed across the Network, and this is difficult to achieve with multiple Data Logger manufacturers. Thus, the new Digital Data Loggers require compatibility with the existing Data Loggers and telemetry system. The Gas Calibration Dilution System must also be compatible with the existing protocols, part inventories, and maintenance procedures of existing Gas Calibration Dilution System currently deployed in the AQMD Monitoring Network. These systems must be interchangeable on short notice, and a different system would require a different protocol, thus leading to inconsistencies in procedures compromising quality control. The Karl Fischer Water Titrator should also be compatible with an existing supply of parts, consumables, and accessories. To utilize the existing supplies, and thus realize considerable cost-savings, the purchase must be made from the same manufacturer as the existing unit. The request for sole source purchase of the centrifuge is made under Section VI.A.4.a of the Procurement Policy and Procedure; the items are available from only one source. A recent investigation by staff identified only one centrifuge on the market that meets the needs of the laboratory. The proposed unit is the only low-cost centrifuge with sixteen positions that accepts 50 milliliter tubes. It will also be the third such model in the laboratory allowing for part interchangeability while ensuring performance consistency. There is only one licensed distributor of this unit in the United States. Resource Impacts U.S. EPA Section 103 Grant funding will support the continuation of the PM2.5, NATTS, and Community-Scale Air Monitoring Programs, including equipment, contracts, temporary services, and supplies necessary to meet the objectives of the program. U.S. DHS funding will fully support the Enhanced Particulate Monitoring Program. U.S. EPA Section 105 Grant funding supports the 18th year operation of the PAMS Program, including equipment, contracts, temporary services, and supplies necessary to meet the objectives of the program. Other purchases and the RFQ are budgeted fixed assets included in the FY 2010-11 Budget. Attachments (DOC, 715k) 1 – Proposed PM2.5 Program Expenditures FY 2010-11 2 – Proposed NATTS Expenditures FY 2010-11 3 – Proposed DHS Enhanced Particulate Monitoring Program Expenditures FY 2010-11 4 – PAMS 18th Year Budget and Estimated Remaining Balance as of 6/30/2010 5 – Proposed PAMS 18th Year Carryover Budget to FY 2010-11 6 – Community Scale Air Toxics Budget and Estimated Remaining Balance as of 6/30/2010 7 – Proposed Community Scale Air Toxics Carryover Budget to FY 2010-11 8 – RFQ #Q2011-02 for one Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometer/Flame
Ionization Detector |