Development of National Scale Predictions of PM2.5 Oxidative Potential Using Remote Sensing Observations at High Spatial Resolution

Notice of Proposed Procurement (NPP)

Solicitation #: 1000184419 Closing Date: December 12, 2016 Time: 2PM EST

This requirement is for the department of Health Canada.

Title: Development of National Scale Predictions of PM2.5 Oxidative Potential Using Remote Sensing Observations at High Spatial Resolution

Background:

Oxidative stress plays an important role in the underlying biological mechanisms linking fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) to adverse health outcomes including cancer, cardiorespiratory morbidity/mortality and possibly other diseases including dementia. Health Canada conducted a survey of PM2.5 oxidative potential in 2012 and 2013 and large regional differences were apparent in the ability of PM2.5 to cause oxidative stress. Moreover, studies funded by CARA linking oxidative potential data to population-based cohorts in Ontario suggest that: 1) Long-term exposure to PM2.5 oxidative burden is more strongly associated with lung cancer mortality than PM2.5 mass concentrations in the Canadian Census Health and Environment Cohort (CanCHEC); 2) Short-term exposure to PM2.5 is more strongly associated with acute myocardial infarction in areas with higher oxidative potential; and 3) Long-term exposure to PM2.5 oxidative burden is a stronger risk factor for the development of dementia than exposure to undifferentiated particle mass in the Ontario OHIP cohort.

Health Canada and Statistics Canada conduct cohort studies to examine the association between exposure to combustion related ambient air pollution and mortality.

Health Canada is seeking proposals from a supplier that can develop methodology to combine satellite based information into an estimate of surface concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), the following components - sulphate, nitrate, ammonium, metals, organic mass, black carbon, and dust - with coverage of the 10 provinces of Canada and the 48 contiguous states of United States. The second objective is to estimate source sector contributions to ambient PM2.5, PM2.5 components, NO2 and O3. The third objective will be to incorporate estimates of oxidative potential of PM2.5 in the 1 km gridded estimates (and source sector contributions) to represent long-term exposures covering the ten Canadian provinces. It is anticipated that it will be necessary to carry out a fusion of remote sensing based aerosol optical depth, chemical transport model, ground data, and land use information to complete this work.

Because of the exploratory nature of these studies, it will be possible for Health Canada to give notice and terminate the project if interim results indicate an inability to support the stated objective of appropriately supporting epidemiological research.

An example of similar work applying satellite remote sensing observations to an epidemiological investigation is presented in:

Crouse DL, Peters PA, Hystad P, Brook JR, van Donkelaar A, Martin RV, Villeneuve PJ, Jerrett M, Goldberg MS, Pope CA III, Brauer M, Brook RD, Robichaud A, Menard R, Burnett RT. 2015. Ambient PM2.5, O3, and NO2 exposures and associations with mortality over 16 years of follow-up in the Canadian Census Health and Environment Cohort (CanCHEC). Environ Health Perspect 123:1180–1186; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1409276

In this contract it will be necessary to produce results compatible with those described in van Donkelaar A, Martin RV, Brauer M, Boys BL. 2015. Use of satellite observations for long-term exposure assessment of global concentrations of fine particulate matter. Environ Health Perspect 123:135–143; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1408646 and with Geddes, Jeffrey A., et al. "Long-term trends worldwide in ambient NO2 concentrations inferred from satellite observations." Environmental Health Perspectives (Online) 124.3 (2016): 281.

To provide a basis to develop the methodology for calculating PM composition, source sector contributions and oxidative potential surfaces.

Scope:

The contractor will perform the following tasks:

a) Deliver initial description of methodology to estimate at 1km resolution PM2.5 composition using satellite observations of AOD, GEOS-Chem simulations of the AOD to PM2.5 composition relationship, and ground-based PM2.5 composition

b) Deliver evaluation of initial GEOS-Chem simulation of PM2.5 composition at 0.25o resolution (to prepare for activity f)

c) Deliver initial evaluation of PM2.5 composition dataset at 1km resolution (based on the approach described in a)

d) Deliver final PM2.5 composition dataset (based on the approach described in a)

e) Deliver presentation of initial simulation capability of metals in GEOS-Chem (to prepare for activity g)

Deliver results from sensitivity simulations that exclude individual emission sectors

g) Deliver evaluation of GEOS-Chem metal simulation vs measurements of metals and oxidative potential

h) Deliver oxidative potential dataset from GEOS-Chem simulation projected onto satellite-based PM2.5 at 1km resolution

i) Deliver final report

Estimated Value:

The total value of the contract emanating from this RFP shall not exceed $450,000.00, of which the initial contract period must not exceed $50,000.00 and option periods must not exceed $400,000.00, including travel and living expenses and all applicable taxes.

Ownership of Intellectual Property:

The Contractor will own Intellectual Property Rights.

Security Requirement:

There is no security associated with this requirement.

Mandatory Requirements:

MT1. At least one active member of the team has a doctorate in atmospheric physics or chemistry with a specialization relevant to this project (e.g., satellite-based remote sensing and/or global chemical transport models) (provide copy of diploma) and at least six years of experience gained within the last ten years in developing ground level air quality estimations from satellite information (demonstrated by a record of grants and/or publications over time).

MT2. The team must include at least one recognized expert in the use of satellite measurements to predict ground-based ambient air pollution concentrations with a publication record (at least ten publications) in this area in peer reviewed scientific journals.

MT3. The bidder must have a proven track record in developing methods to predict ground-based air pollution concentrations from satellite measurements as evidenced with at least five publications in peer reviewed journals.

MT4. The bidder must have a total of at least twelve years of experience in developing ground level air quality estimations from satellite information.

MT5. The bidder must have the capability of estimating surface concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in Canada and the United States using satellite based remote sensing observations.

MT6. The bidder must have a proven track record of applying a global chemical transport model to relate satellite observations of the atmospheric column to ground-level concentrations of air pollutants as evidenced with at least five publications in peer reviewed journals.

MT7. The bidder must have demonstrated ability (at least five publications in peer reviewed journals) to access and process satellite data that are available from NASA. The data are necessary to produce 1 km grid scale estimates of aerosol optical depth readings for the ten provinces of Canada and the continental United States and satellite data necessary to produce nitrogen dioxide pollutants maps for the same region.

MT8. The bidder must provide at least five peer reviewed publications that demonstrate that the methodology they propose is capable of producing datasets compatible with those already in use by Health Canada as presented in the following studies: (1) Crouse DL, Peters PA, Hystad P, Brook JR, van Donkelaar A, Martin RV, Villeneuve PJ, Jerrett M, Goldberg MS, Pope CA III, Brauer M, Brook RD, Robichaud A, Menard R, Burnett RT. 2015. Ambient PM2.5, O3, and NO2 exposures and associations with mortality over 16 years of follow-up in the Canadian Census Health and Environment Cohort (CanCHEC). Environ Health Perspect 123: 1180-1186; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1409276 ; (2) van Donkelaar A, Martin RV, Brauer M, Boys BL. 2015. Use of satellite observations for long-term exposure assessment of global concentrations of fine particulate matter. Environ Health Perspect 123: 135-143; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1408646; (3) Geddes, Jeffrey A., et al. “Long-term trends worldwide in ambient NO2 concentrations inferred from satellite observations. “Environmental Health Perspectives (Online) 124.3 (2016): 281.

MF1. The total value of this contract emanating from this RFP shall not exceed $450,000.00, including travel and living expenses and all applicable taxes

Fiscal Year 2016-17 – not to exceed $50,000.00

Fiscal Year 2017-18 – not to exceed $100,000.00

Fiscal Year 2018-19 – not to exceed $100,000.00

Fiscal Year 2019-20 – not to exceed $100,000.00

Fiscal Year 2020-21 – not to exceed $100,000.00

Selection Methodology:

For each responsive bid, the technical merit score and the pricing score will be added to determine its total combined score. The responsive bid with the highest combined rating of technical merit and price will be recommended for award of a contract. If two (2) or more responsive bids have the same combined total score, the responsive bid with the lowest evaluated price will be recommended for contract award.

To determine the overall score obtained by a bidder, the following weighting will be used to establish the technical and financial score:

Technical weighting: 70%

Price weighting: 30%

Technical score = Bidder’s technical points x 70%

Maximum points

Financial score = Lowest priced bid x 30% 

Bidder’s total evaluated price

Total score = Technical score + Financial score

Enquiries regarding this Request for Proposals are to be submitted in writing to:

Name of the Contracting Authority: Yvonne Murphy

E-mail address: yvonne.murphy@hc-sc.gc.ca