Analysis of Priority Chemicals in Canadian Aquatic Biota

Background

Environment and Climate Change Canada’s (ECCC) Freshwater Quality Monitoring and Surveillance Division monitors and reports on the long-term status and trends of contaminants in aquatic biota, primarily fish, from water bodies across Canada. ECCC has a requirement for trace analyses of organic contaminants of concern in ambient aquatic biota samples from Canada, primarily consisting of homogenized fish tissues. This Contract will cover the analyses for one or more chemical classes of concern to support the activities of the program requirements of Canada’s Chemicals Management Plan and to meet Canada’s objectives in the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement between Canada and the United States.

Objective

The Contractor must analyze and report ultra-trace results for fish tissue samples to ECCC, for samples collected and submitted by ECCC, as and when requested during the period of the Contract. To be clear, “tissue” within this document refers to fish tissue specifically.

Scope

All analyses will be performed on whole body homogenates of fish or other aquatic biota samples as and when requested, for the target analytes in one or more chemical classes in one or more of the chemical classes listed (Annex A1). Detailed list of requested target analytes in each chemical class can be found in Annex A1, Chemical Classes with Target Analytes

Given the uncertain nature of field collections and operations, ECCC cannot guarantee the number of samples that will be submitted for analysis in any given year or for any specific chemical class. Based on results obtained during the sampling program, the emergence of other toxic chemicals of concern, as well as, the level of funding, the specific parameter groups required, at a given sampling site, may be altered. The Contractor will be paid based on the chemical class(es) requested, for the given number of samples submitted by ECCC, and subsequently analyzed by the Contractor. The analytical services will include the results of analysis. The analysis will be performed on tissue as requested for some or all of the analyte groups as listed in detail in Annex 1, Chemical Classes with Target Analytes.

Chemical Classes

Chemical Class A: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) Chemical Class B: Polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) Chemical Class C: Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD) *. % lipid and % moisture for each sample submitted * The results of these chemical classes should also include data on lipid and moisture content.

The analytical services will include the results of analysis. The analysis will be performed on biota samples as requested for one or more of the chemical classes listed in Annex A1, Chemical Classes with Target Analytes. Limited sample may require multiple analysis per extraction, subcontracting requires the approval of the Contracting Authority. Method blanks and laboratory replicate analyses are to be conducted as part of Contractor’s quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) program, and not to be considered as samples submitted. Due to the limited quantity and value of the samples covered in this contract, all analyses and method detection limits must be performed and achieved on a total sample mass not exceeding 50 grams wet weight of tissue per Chemical Class.

Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) reserves the right to award up to three (3) separate contracts as a result of this Request for Proposal.

ECCC has a requirement for sample analysis under three (3) chemical classes identified in 2.1 Chemical Classes of Annex A, Statement of Work. ECCC will award up to three (3) separate contracts based on one contract (1) per chemical class.