The US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water (OW) has a continuing requirement for technical assistance and support services for Assessing, Managing, and Communicating the Ecological and Human Health Risks of Contaminants in Water, Fish and Sediments and of Microbial Pathogens in Surface Waters.

The Standards and Health Protection Division (SHPD) is under the Office of Science and Technology (OST) within EPA’s Office of Water (OW). SHPD’s responsibilities under the Clean Water Act of 1987 (CWA) and EPA’s Strategic Plan include directing the national program for adoption of Water Quality Standards (WQS), developing prevention and remediation strategies to reduce the risk to human health and aquatic life resulting from contaminated fish and sediment, conducting a program for beach monitoring and advisories relating to microbial pathogens in surface waters, and preparing outreach and awareness materials, including developing instructional materials and presenting workshops.

Contaminants in surface waters, sediments, and fish tissue pose threats to ecological and human health. Microbial pathogens in surface waters also pose threats to human health through bathing beach exposure. The Fish, Shellfish, Beaches, and Outreach Branch (FSBOB) is developing methods and guidance for EPA’s program offices, state agencies, local governments, and nongovernmental organizations to assess, remediate, or otherwise manage, and communicate the risks associated with exposure to these contaminants and microbial pathogens. FSBOB is also conducting studies to assess the national extent and severity of sediments and fish tissue contamination, as well as water-borne pathogens present at bathing beaches.

The National Water Quality Standards Program provides support for the development, implementation and evaluation of WQS by identifying, assessing, and controlling risks to aquatic ecosystems. This support encompasses a broad range of activities, including the following: regulation, policy, and guidance development; technical support to states/tribes/territories (e.g., modeling, use attainability analyses, and economic and benefits analyses); establishment of national WQS priorities; coordination of WQS reviews and national WQS promulgations; WQS outreach and training; and management of cross-media and multi-Agency policies for attainment of standards and exposure goals.

The contractor shall perform the following tasks:

• Risk-based analyses;
• Economic and statistical analyses;
• Model development and applications;
• Technical guidance, report development, and general program analysis;
• Compilation and analysis of national and international environmental data;
• Development and application of methods;
• Environmental assessments;
• Field sampling;
• Laboratory analysis;
• Workshops, conferences, training, and logistical support;
• Expert/peer review support;
• Public outreach and technology transfer;
• Compilation, categorization, and summarization of comments; and
• Preparation of presentation materials