Analysis of Multiple 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 one or more Analyte classes (Table 1) 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 organic contaminant concentrations for biota 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 analysis of one or more analyte classes. A detailed list of requested analytes for each analyte group can be found in Annex A1, Analyte Classes with Target Analytes and Data Quality Objectives.

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 analyte class. Based on results obtained during the sampling program, the emergence of other toxic chemicals of concern and the level of funding, the specific parameter groups required may be altered. The Contractor will be paid based on the analyte classes requested, for the given number of samples submitted by ECCC, and subsequently analyzed by the Contractor.

The analytical services will include the formatting and submission of results to the Technical Authority, as described in Section 4.0. The analysis will be performed on tissue as requested for one or more analyte classes as listed in detail in Annex A1, Analyte Classes with Target Analytes and Data Quality Objectives.

Analyte Classes and Streams

Stream 1: Analyte Class A: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
Stream 2: Analyte Class B and C: Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
Stream 3: Analyte Class D: Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD)

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.