**PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT**

**TECHNICAL AND REGULATORY SUPPORT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF CRITERIA FOR
WATER MEDIA (ECOLOGICAL EMPHASIS)**

**1.0 Background**

The Office of Science and Technology (OST) is one of four program
offices within the Office of Water of the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency. The Health and Ecological Criteria Division (HECD) is one of
three divisions within OST. One mission of the United States
Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Water (OW) under the Clean
Water Act is to protect the chemical, physical, and biological integrity
of the nation's waters (e.g., protect them from the adverse impacts of
chemicals, suspended and bedded sediments, microorganisms, and
nutrients; assess and maintain the quality of biological communities;
diagnose the causes of impacts) and address these components in media
such as surface waters, wastewater, biosolids, and sediments.

In fulfillment of this mission, OST carries the broad responsibility of
developing effluent guidelines, ecological criteria, assessment and
diagnostic tools, risk assessment methodologies, limits for pollutants
in various water media, and provides assistance to States and Tribes as
they implement their water quality standards programs.

**2.0 Purpose**

The purpose of this performance work statement (PWS) is to provide
technical and regulatory support services to the Health and Ecological
Criteria Division (HECD) in OST to develop, revise, and implement
ecological criteria for the protection of water quality on a national,
state, and site-specific basis. This technical and regulatory support
requires experience in aquatic toxicology, aquatic chemistry, sediment
toxicology, ecotoxicology, statistics, bioaccumulation, nutrients and
nutrification, biological assessment, biocriteria, aquatic biology,
wildlife toxicology, suspended and bedded sediments, biosolids risk
assessment, fate and effects and transport modeling, geochemical
speciation modeling, aquatic life criteria development, and other
criteria development derivation procedures. This support includes
activities such as:

**Scientific/Technical Support**

-   conducting toxicological reviews

-   conducting national and site-specific ecological hazard assessments

-   conducting national and site-specific ecological risk assessments

-   performing statistical analyses

-   evaluating national and site-specific methods for ecological
    criteria development

-   evaluating national and site-specific ecological impacts of
    pollutants

-   evaluating national and site-specific risk assessment measurement
    endpoints

-   analyzing tissue, surface water, sediment, biosolids, and effluent
    samples for chemicals, microorganisms and nutrients

-   performing population modeling of chemical impacts on aquatic or
    aquatic-dependent species.

-   conducting laboratory toxicity tests and field studies

-   conducting biological assessments and laboratory taxonomic
    identifications

-   conducting toxicity tests in water and sediment

-   developing bioavailability, chemical fate, transport and effect and
    population model development and support

-   developing data bases

-   conducting GIS and other mapping

-   evaluating bioaccumulation potential, trophic transfer, calculating
    and applying bioaccumulation factors

-   sampling ambient waters, effluents, organism tissues, and biosolids
    for chemical analysis

-   conducting literature reviews, reviewing technical data, performing
    analyses and summarizing findings

-   conducting remote sensing

-   investigating, interpreting, and addressing experimental & emerging
    science: genomics, endocrine disruptors, pharmaceuticals and
    personal care products, nanotechnology, immunosupression, etc.

-   implementing knowledge and experience in the use and application of
    EPA national and site-specific guidance methodologies for the
    development of water quality criteria

**Documentation Support**

-   preparing national and site-specific ecological criteria documents
    in standard EPA format

-   preparing national and site-specific technical information documents

-   preparing national and site-specific technical support documents for
    methods, criteria, and regulations

-   preparing the index of references for proposed and final regulations
    and other publications

-   organizing and summarizing comments on proposed regulations and
    other publications

-   preparing presentation materials

-   arranging and conducting workshops

-   preparing public outreach, brochures, fliers, etc

-   performing technical writing

-   providing Water Quality Standard (WQS) Academy instruction and
    technical presentations

-   developing non-technical summaries of documents for the general
    public

-   developing non-technical briefing material for senior managers

-   organizing literature reviews and references in an alphabetized or
    chronological or subject area order

-   peer review

The technical requirements of this procurement are detailed below. All
work required under this contract shall be defined in written work
assignments issued by the Contracting Officer (CO). The EPA Project
Officer (PO) or Work Assignment Manager (WAM) reviews all contractor
analyses and makes final determinations with regard to program
objectives and the content of Agency regulations.

**3.0 Statement or Scope of Work -- General Tasks**

The contractor shall supply all necessary labor, materials, services,
equipment, and facilities in support of EPA as delineated below and as
further directed by specific work assignments, including quick response
work assignments, in accordance with the contract PWS. Each initial
deliverable shall be provided to the PO/WAM in draft form for review and
comment. The draft, with required changes and revisions as noted, will
be returned to the contractor for completion of each final deliverable.
All products shall be submitted, at a minimum, in an electronic format,
as specified in the work assignment, that is compatible with hardware
and software in use by HECD at the time the work is performed.
Electronic formats required may include: html, xml, pdf, wordprocessing,
PowerPoint, database management software, spreadsheet or GIS formats as
specified in the PWS.

3.1 Mathematical Modeling and Statistical Analyses: The contractor shall
perform mathematical modeling, Monte-Carlo analyses, and statistical
analyses in support of criteria development. At a minimum, the
contractor will perform regression analyses, analyses of covariance, and
nonlinear regressions and use and have access to SAS, Sigma Stat, Sigma
Plot, ICP, and TOXSTAT.

3.2 Standard Software: The contractor shall develop documents and data
bases using EPA standard and approved software (e.g., MicroSoft Word and
Excel, and Lotus Notes) unless specifically requested to do otherwise in
a work assignment. Software documentation for all contractor-developed
or non-standard programs and models shall be accessible to the Work
Assignment Manager (WAM) and other persons authorized by the EPA Project
Officer (PO).

3.3 Laboratory Availability: The contractor shall possess or have access
to an appropriately equipped laboratory and staff that can analyze
pollutants such as organics, metals, nutrients, and pathogens, using
appropriate methods (e.g., gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, metals
using atomic absorption) in water media (e.g., wastewater, surface
water, estuarine and saltwater) and other complex media (e.g.,
sediments, biosolids, and tissue).

3.4 Laboratory and Field Studies: The contractor shall possess or have
access to the facilities, equipment, and scientific staff needed to
conduct laboratory and field studies on ecological effects of chemicals,
nutrients, microorganisms, and suspended and bedded sediments, conduct
bioassessments, develop biological indices, and derive biological
criteria. The contractor shall conduct laboratory and field studies to
support the development of water quality criteria, biocriteria, wildlife
criteria, sediment benchmarks, nutrient criteria, suspended and bedded
sediments criteria, other ecological criteria, biosolids pollutant
limits, and other program requirements. This shall include the
capability to perform field and laboratory taxonomic analyses of fish,
invertebrates, plants, algae, diatoms and other biological communities
to varying levels of taxonomic identification (family, genus, species)
and collect bioaccumulation data to support BAF derivation.

3.5 Sample Analysis: The contractor shall collect and analyze samples
(e.g., wastewater, surface water, tissue, sediment, or biosolids) for
pollutants to support development of water quality criteria,
biocriteria, wildlife criteria, sediment benchmarks, nutrient criteria,
other ecological criteria, biosolids pollutant limits, impairment
diagnostics (toxicity and stressor identification evaluations) and other
program requirements.

3.6 Quick and Rapid Response: The contractor shall provide information
that will be used by EPA for quick and rapid responses and analyses of
options, issues, and policy decisions as they relate to the tasks in
this Performance Work Statement (PWS). Quick and rapid responses are
those that require completion in one to seven days or as specified in a
work assignment. EPA will review the results of all contractor analyses,
and make a final decision with regard to program objectives and policy
decisions. Examples of quick and rapid response tasks (related to
ecological risk assessment guidelines and results of ecological risk
assessments) include:

-   Analysis of dose response and infectivity data, exposure data, and
    bioaccumulation data;

-   Technical review of criteria in proposed State and Tribal water
    quality standards;

-   Recommendations, with documented rationale, of approval or revisions
    to standards.

3.7 Administrative Acts: The contractor shall comply with the
requirements for studies and rule making records in the Administrative
Procedures Act, the Paperwork Reduction Act, the Clean Water Act, OMB
Circular A-130 for management of Federal Information Resources, the
Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure (Rules 16 and 17, 28 U.S. C. A.),
EPA Docket Policy and Records Management Policy (see Directives 2100 and
2160), and any other appropriate authority.

3.8 Risk Assessment Guidance: The contractor shall perform the specific
tasks in the PWS in accordance with the appropriate EPA risk assessment
guidance and science policy guidance (e.g., ecological risk assessment
guidelines).

3.9 Foreign Language Translation: The contractor shall provide, when
included in a work assignment, a complete and accurate translation of
foreign language articles cited in a criteria document or technical
guidance document. Translations shall be performed by experienced
scientific translators well-versed in chemical, toxicological,
statistical, ecological, nutrient, biological, or microbiological
terminology, as appropriate. No translations shall be made without the
prior written approval of the Project Officer.

3.10 Administrative Record Support: The contractor shall provide data
and documentation to be used by EPA in the analysis of technical issues
and options for proposed and final regulation, draft and final criteria,
and other publications. Deliverables under this task include data
summaries, technical reports, option papers, issue papers, public and
confidential records and files. The contractor shall describe and
document the data gathering activities; display, characterize, and
interpret the data and information collected; obtain copies of any
references used; and describe all methodologies used. Written reports
and corresponding records and files shall be prepared, organized,
indexed, and cross-referenced in an administrative record for a proposed
or final regulation, draft or final criteria, or other publication so
that the analyses and conclusions can be reproduced based on the
information in the administrative record.

3.11 Rulemaking and Technical Publication Support: The contractor shall
index and summarize public and peer review comments on proposed
regulations and technical documents. Using information provided by EPA
(e.g., typically public comments submitted in response to a proposed
regulation, information collection request, or draft technical document
publication), the contractor shall prepare an index of issues in the
information provided by EPA, and cross reference those issues to the
comments. For technical issues assigned by the WAM, the contractor
shall, based on knowledge of the appropriate rulemaking or draft
technical publication, prepare draft technical responses to the issues
in the comments including all relevant citations to the administrative
record. EPA will review the draft technical responses, and prepare the
final responses to the comments. The contractor will compile final
responses into a responsiveness document.

3.12 Preparation of Outreach Materials: The contractor shall develop
outreach materials in support of the tasks in this PWS. Those materials
include brochures, presentation boards, 35 mm and electronic slide
shows, fact sheets, pamphlets, posters, videos, Internet layouts, and
models. The materials shall be developed for use in media events (e.g.,
press releases), training, presentations, and briefings. In addition,
the contractor shall provide materials for distribution at
presentations. All materials shall be provided in accordance with the
limitations set forth in the Section H clause titled "PRINTING (EPAAR
1552.208-70.) The contractor shall provide a draft of all materials for
approval by the WAM, and shall prepare the final materials based on the
WAM's comments on the draft materials. For print products, the
contractor shall provide a camera-ready copy and an electronic copy in a
format that enables the material to be loaded onto the Internet. This
task shall only be done in direct support of the technical requirements
in this PWS.

3.13 Workshop Support: The contractor shall provide support in arranging
workshops, conferences, training sessions, and public meetings, and in
obtaining appropriate technical experts to address subject matter
relative to this PWS. Meeting support shall be limited in scope, and
shall cover only those meetings required to address the requirements in
this PWS. The contractor shall arrange travel only in accordance with
the authority and limitations in the Section H clause titled "APPROVAL
OF CONTRACTOR TRAVEL" (i.e., use of contract funds to reimburse travel
is strictly limited to logistical support for speakers, scientists, and
experts who contribute directly to the requirements in a task in this
PWS). The contractor shall support EPA by: (1) providing information for
meeting agendas, including typing the agendas: (2) preparing drafts of
technical information for use in preparing briefing materials; (3)
identifying and inviting speakers and experts to participate in a
workshop; (4) arranging for meeting space when Government space is not
available; (5) arranging for the appropriate audio-visual equipment; (6)
providing advance announcements, registration support, visual aid
preparation, logistical support, case study preparation, and interactive
and role-playing activity development; and (7) preparing a report of the
meeting, including the meeting results, for approval by the WAM.

3.14 Third-Party Data Review: The contractor will evaluate the quality
of third- party data (journals, grey literature, non-EPA databases,
etc.), contacting authors, if required in a work assignment, to obtain
additional quality information. Quality will be compared to EPA and
programmatic guidance for acceptability.

**4.0 Statement or Scope of Work -- Specific Tasks**

For the following specific tasks, the EPA PO or WAM will review the
information in draft form for technical soundness and adherence to
Agency policy.

**4.1 Aquatic Life Criteria and Protection**

**4.1.A. Chemical Criteria Document Development**

The contractor shall prepare, evaluate, and revise aquatic life criteria
documents in accordance with the Aquatic Life Criteria Guidelines or
modifications and updates to that methodology. These documents provide
information on the effects to aquatic life (including aquatic plants and
aquatic dependent wildlife) from exposure to chemicals in water media.
The contractor shall document the methodology, assumptions, and
rationales used for this task.

An aquatic life criteria document shall address:

-   Acute and chronic toxicity to aquatic animals and plants and/or
    subchronic and indirect effects;

-   Bioaccumulation (and a statement of the potential impact to aquatic
    dependent wildlife if deemed necessary);

-   Chemical toxicity and other relationships as appropriate to the
    given chemical (e.g. immunosupression, endocrine disruption,
    multiple stressors, sublethal effects, etc);

-   Uncertainty analysis and steps or studies that could resolve it;

-   Applicability and implementation of criteria;

-   Impact of the criteria on Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) or
    designated use attainment;

-   Other areas set forth in a work assignment and those needed to
    address the Agency Information Quality Guidelines.

Technical support services the contractor shall provide during
development of an aquatic life criteria document include:

-   Conduct literature reviews (using ECOTOX, STORET, and other
    databases as required in a work assignment) to augment or develop a
    file of references;

-   Evaluate literature against HECD's data requirements worksheet;

-   Conduct toxicity tests, laboratory, or field studies as designated
    in a work assignment;

-   Develop data tables;

-   Conduct statistical analyses;

-   Provide toxicological, chemical, and biological expertise to the EPA
    in developing the supporting science and criteria document;

-   Provide support to categorize and summarize public and peer review
    comments;

-   Prepare draft responses or options papers for technical comments;

-   Compile responses into responsiveness documents.

**4.1.B. Chemical Criteria Methodologies and Models**

The contractor shall provide technical support and expertise during the
evaluation, revision, and preparation of risk assessment and risk
characterization techniques or methodologies for aquatic life protection
(e.g. modifications to the aquatic life guidelines, development of the
biotic ligand model for metals).

Technical support services the contractor shall provide include:

-   Provide expertise and perspective on the existing methodologies;

-   Evaluate both traditional (e.g., mortality, growth, reproduction)
    and emerging risk assessment measurement endpoints (e.g., endocrine
    disruption, immunosupression, multiple stressors);

-   Provide expertise in fate, transport, and effects modeling; mode of
    action, aquatic system recovery, and water quality variability;

-   Document the methodology, assumptions, and rationales used;

-   Categorize and summarize public and peer review comments;

-   Prepare draft responses or options papers for technical comments;

-   Compile responses into responsiveness documents.

**4.1.C. Selecting Pollutants-of-Concern**

The contractor shall provide technical support during the preparation,
evaluation, or revision of procedures for selecting
pollutants-of-concern in water media for which ecological criteria may
be developed.

Technical support services the contractor shall provide include:

-   Develop procedures for establishing the priority of the
    pollutants-of-concern;

-   Technical support and expertise during the evaluation of those
    pollutants;

-   Document the methodology, assumptions, and rationales.

**4.1.D. Contaminated Sediment Assessment**

The contractor shall provide expertise and experience to EPA and its
stakeholders in the derivation and application of Equilibrium
Partitioning Sediment Benchmarks.

Technical support services the contractor shall provide include:

-   Use of the Equilibrium Partitioning Sediment Benchmarks methodology
    to conduct site assessments;

-   Evaluate and analyze data;

-   Prepare issue, options, and white papers;

-   Apply the theory to new pollutants, including bioaccumulatives;

-   Provide technical support in assessing the applicability and
    implementation of the benchmarks;

-   Provide technical support in assessing the impact of the benchmarks
    on TMDLs or "designated use attainment".

**4.1.E. Bioaccumulation**

The contractor shall conduct bioaccumulation and bioconcentration
assessments of nonionic organic, ionic organic, and inorganic and
organometallic chemicals.

Technical support services the contractor shall provide include:

-   Evaluate a chemical\'s environmental fate, its bioavailability to
    aquatic organisms, and its potential for being metabolized;

-   Develop national bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) according to the
    guidance presented in the 2000 EPA Human Health Methodology
    (http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/criteria/humanhealth/method/);

-   Provide support in the development of guidance documents for
    conducting field studies of bioaccumulation.

**4.2 Biological Assessment and Criteria**

**4.2.A. Biological Assessment and Criteria Development**

The contractor shall conduct biological assessments, derive biological
criteria and quantify biotic response to anthropogenic stressors,
including predictive landscape methods.

Technical support services the contractor shall provide include:

-   Perform biological surveys and bioassessments in wadeable streams,
    small rivers, estuaries, lakes, wetlands, coral reefs, the Great
    Lakes and large rivers;

-   Classify water bodies for similar biological conditions;

-   Determine proper reference sites;

-   Derive useful reference conditions for a comparative analysis of
    test sites;

-   Predict impacts of global climate change on aquatic systems,
    including potentially altered pathways and mechanisms of
    anthropogenic stressors impacting these systems;

-   Conduct statistical analyses needed to conduct classification and
    reference condition analyses, including the multi-metric and
    multi-variate approaches;

-   Use of RIVPACS and other modeling tools;

-   Identify various taxonomy of freshwater invertebrates, plants and
    fish, and marine invertebrates, plants and fish.

**4.2.B. State/Tribal Support Capability**

The contractor shall assist States and Tribes in their development and
implementation of biological assessments and criteria, including use of
bioassessment information to refine designated aquatic life uses in
State and Tribal Water Quality Protection Programs, including water
quality standards.

Technical support services the contractor shall provide include:

-   Support in understanding the status and evolution of each State's or
    Tribe's program, the current issues they face and the different
    options and solutions;

-   Oversee or perform biological assessments in States or Tribal
    nations;

-   Conduct on-site bioassessments, taxonomic evaluations, data
    analyses, report preparation, results presentations, data storage
    and technical program evaluations;

-   Adjust the bioassessment methods to be compatible with the State's
    or Tribe's methods and to be compatible with the ecoregion or water
    body type that is being tested.

**4.2.C. Outreach, Training and Communication Capability**

The contractor shall provide training to State, Tribal, and EPA
personnel and other groups on aspects of bioassessment and criteria
development and implementation as described in section 4.2.

Technical support services the contractor shall provide include:

-   Produce necessary training information and materials to support
    training efforts;

-   Produce biological assessment and criteria materials and information
    for public outreach and public information (both printed paper media
    and electronic, web-based media);

-   Translate complex scientific information into simplified, accurate
    public information;

-   Produce informational brochures, fact sheets, briefing information,
    flyers, etc;

-   Conduct mass mailings and mass e-mails to biocriteria experts who
    work with the States, Tribes, EPA, industry and public interest
    groups.

**4.2.D. Data Support Systems Capability**

The contractor shall provide technical support regarding database
management systems used by EPA, States, and Tribes for the storage and
analysis of biological assessment data.

Technical support services the contractor shall provide include:

-   Operate and apply the Ecological Data Analysis System (EDAS)
    currently used by State and Tribal agencies;

-   Provide training and instruction on the use of EDAS for States and
    Tribes;

-   Use of other bioassessment data analysis systems and application;

-   Use of STORET and the interface between STORET and EDAS;

-   Identify issues associated with relating bioassessment data from one
    system to the other and be capable of resolution.

**4.2.E. Taxonomic Capability**

The contractor shall conduct the taxonomic analyses of bioassessment
sample taken in any water body type as described in section 4.2.

Technical support services the contractor shall provide include:

-   Correct identification of organisms in bioassessment samples to any
    level (order, family, genus, species, sub-species, tribe, etc.);

-   Develop and conduct all necessary QA/QC programs to ensure accurate
    identification of aquatic organisms;

-   Train others in taxonomic evaluations and QA/QC.

**4.3 Nutrient Assessment and Criteria**

**4.3.A. Nutrient Criteria Development**

The contractor shall provide support in development of criteria for
nutrient -biological relationships.

Technical support services the contractor shall provide include:

-   Support and expertise in waterbody specific Nutrient Technical
    Guidance and Ecoregional Nutrient Criteria that have been developed
    to date and their approaches;

-   Expertise in nutrient scientific principles;

-   Support EPA in development of nutrient criteria in wetland,
    estuarine, big rivers, and coastal systems.

**4.3.B. State/Tribal Support Capacity**

The contractor shall assist States and Tribes in their development and
implementation of State/Tribal Nutrient Plans.

Technical support services the contractor shall provide include:

-   Access nutrient databases;

-   Assess and analyze nutrient data, both historical and current;

-   Nutrient modeling;

-   Work with State and Tribal scientists and water quality standards
    personnel to forge consensus.

**4.3.C. Outreach, Training and Communication**

The contractor shall train States, Tribes, and other interested parties
in the scientific principles and approaches of eco-regional nutrient
criteria development.

Technical support services the contractor shall provide include:

-   Explain the details and approaches outlined in the EPA Technical
    Nutrient Guidance for specific waterbody types - lakes/reservoirs,
    rivers/streams, estuaries/coastal waters, big rivers, coral reef
    systems, reservoir embayments, and wetlands;

-   Teach the material to the targeted audience at their respective
    scientific/policy level.

**4.3.D. Implementation Guidance**

The contractor shall assist in development of implementation guidance
for monitoring of nutrients, and setting permit limits and TMDLs for
nutrients. Technical support services the contractor shall provide
include: Develop several specific implementation guidance memos or
documents to assist States and Tribes in the development and
implementation of nutrient criteria and standards.

**4.3.E. Data Support/Literature Searches**

The contractor shall collect nutrient (and nutrient response) data from
estuarine, coastal, big river, reservoir embayments, coral reef and
wetland systems from various sources, including National, State, and
Tribal databases and published literature. The contractor shall quickly
sift through datasets and determine data quality.

**4.4 Suspended and Bedded Sediments**

**4.4.A. Suspended and Bedded Sediment Assessment and Criteria
Development**

The contractor shall conduct suspended and bedded sediment assessments
and develop potential methods for deriving criteria.

Technical support services the contractor shall provide include:

-   Perform and analyze turbidity, suspended solids concentration, total
    suspended solids, settleable solids, embedded sediments and other
    bedload measurements in streams, small rivers, estuaries, lakes,
    wetlands, the Great Lakes and large rivers;

-   Classify water bodies for the purpose of determining natural
    reference or background concentrations of sediment in different
    water body types.

**4.4.B. State/Tribal Support Capability**

The contractor shall assist States and Tribes in their development and
implementation of suspended and bedded sediment criteria.

Technical support services the contractor shall provide include:

-   Evaluate the status and evolution of each State's or Tribe's
    program, issues and different options and solutions;

-   Oversee or perform sediment sampling and analysis in States or
    Tribal nation;

-   Evaluate States and other key countries (such as Canada) programs
    for managing and controlling suspended and bedded sediment,
    including TMDLs, monitoring, standards implementation and criteria
    development.

**4.4.C. Outreach, Training and Communication Capability**

The contractor shall provide training to EPA, State, and Tribal
personnel, or other groups, on suspended and bedded sediment criteria
development and implementation.

Technical support services the contractor shall provide include:

-   Produce necessary training information and materials;

-   Produce materials and information for public outreach and
    communication (including both printed paper media and electronic,
    web-based media);

-   Translate complex scientific information into simplified, accurate
    public information.

-   Produce informational brochures, fact sheets, briefing information,
    flyers, etc.

-   Conduct mass mailings, mass e-mails to suspended and bedded experts
    who work with the States, Tribes, EPA, industry and public interest
    groups.

    5.  **Biosolids**

The contractor shall communicate complex technical material to the
public using 'risk communication' techniques.

Technical support services the contractor shall provide include:

-   Analyze current research literature in biosolids;

-   Analyze the specific information needs of decision makers facing
    biosolids decisions;

-   Assist EPA to engage in a purposeful process of skillful interacting
    with stakeholders supported by appropriate information;

-   Empirical evaluation of communication impacts.

    5.  **Global Climate Change**

The contractor shall provide technical support in global climate changes
issues and prepare work products as specified in detailed work
assignments, in particular, the on the effects of climate change on
water resources and water quality standards programs.

**5.0 EPA Office of Water - Environmental Justice Language for OST=s
Acquisition**

Executive Order 12898 (Environmental Justice) directs Federal agencies
to focus on minority and low-income populations in implementing their
programs, policies and activities. Consistent with the Agency=s
continuing commitment to environmental justice and fair treatment of all
people, the contractor shall notify the EPA Project Offficer of minority
and low-income population, as well as populations with different
patterns of subsistence consumption of fish and wildlife, likely to be
affected by a program, policy or activity associated with work done
under the contract and, when requested by EPA, shall identify any
disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental
effects of the program, policy or activity of concern on theses
populations.

**[EPA Office of Water (OW) - Contract Activity Information Technology
Requirements Attachment]{.underline}**

All work performed under this contract shall adhere to clause EPAAR
1552.211-79 "Compliance with EPA Policies for Information Resources
Management", which requires the adherence to all Agency directives for
performance of any IRM related work.

IRM Policies, Standards and Procedures \[http://www.epa.gov/irmpoli8/\].
The 2100 Series (2100-2199) of the Agency\'s Directive System contains
the majority of the Agency\'s IRM policies, standards and procedures.

Information Technology Architecture Road Map (ITARM)

\[[http://basin.epa.gov/ntsd/itroadmap.nsf/6af30de19d977d0685256675005479f3/6d6da5a8d66e1ceb85256e0d007487e7?OpenDocument]{.underline}\].
For development/enhancement of information resources, contractor must
adhere to all technical specifications listed in the ITARM.

[]{.mark}

Environmental Information Management System (EIMS)
\[http://www.epa.gov/eims\]. A contractor developing or enhancing an
information resource shall first conduct a thorough search of existing
information resources, through means such as EIMS, to ensure
development/enhancement of information resources does not duplicate
existing information resources. If duplication is determined, the
contractor shall consult with the EPA project officer to ensure that
existing information resources are optimally utilized in conjunction
with information resource being developed/enhanced by the contractor.
For any development/enhancement of information resources/, the
contractor shall work with the EPA on inserting/updating resource
description information in EIMS.

[]{.mark}

Data Standards and Environmental Data Registry (EDR)
\[http://www.epa.gov/edr\]. Any development/enhancement of information
resources[^1], as well as any data products flowing to or from EPA
information resources, must adhere to data standards detailed in the
EDR.

Monitoring information in STORET \[http://www.epa.gov/storet\]. Any
ambient water quality, chemical, physical, biological, sediment, tissue
and ecological monitoring data collected as part of a contract or grant
or cooperative agreement activities must be entered into STORET or made
available to the EPA in a STORET compatible format.

National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) Indexing
\[http://www.epa.gov/waters\]. Data related to OW programs that is
required to meet the EPA Latitude/Longitude Standard shall also be
indexed to the NHD, using EPA OW standard formats available on the
WATERS website. Exceptions include groundwater data and data that is
related to points greater than two miles from the United States
coastline. The WATERS website describes EPA tools and training that are
available for NHD indexing.

[^1]: ^?^ Information Resources for this process include systems,
    databases, and models/web applications that utilize information in
    OW systems and databases.