South Coast Air Quality Management District

Execute Contract to Purchase Laser Ablation-Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer for Measurement of Metals in Particulate Matter

SYNOPSIS: 

On February 16, 2001, the Board approved the release of an RFQ to purchase a Laser Ablation-Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (LA-ICPMS) for the laboratory to analyze metals in particulate matter. This action is to execute a contract with Leco Corporation in the amount of $249,861 for the purchase of a LA-ICPMS. This unit will substantially improve detection capability and efficiency. Funds for this purchase are available in the FY 2000-01 Budget as augmented by the Board, with state subvention funding, at its February 2001 meeting.

COMMITTEE: 

Administrative, May 18, 2001, Recommended for Approval

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Authorize the Procurement Manager to execute a contract with Leco Corporation in the amount of $249,861 for the purchase of a Laser Ablation-Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer.

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer

Background

On February 16, 2001, the AQMD released RFQ #2001-07 to competitively select a vendor from which to purchase a Laser Ablation-Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (LA-ICPMS) for the laboratory. The Laser ICPMS system is used to perform metals analysis for both compliance and ambient network purposes. In addition the LA-ICPMS will replace existing analytical instruments which have exceeded the limits of their operational life, and are now 13 years old. By comparison the LA-ICPMS provides considerably more capability than the combination of the two units being replaced. For example, it is anticipated that the LA-ICPMS will be able to analyze four samples in the same time frame that the current instruments analyze just one sample. The LA-ICPMS will increase the sensitivity, range and speed of metals analysis of ambient particulate matter, substantially improving analytical efficiency.

Proposal

This action is to purchase a LA-ICPMS system for the analysis of metals in ambient particulate matter for the laboratory from the Leco Corporation in the amount of $249,861.

Outreach

In accordance with the AQMD’s consulting and contracting policies, public notices advertising the RFQ and inviting bids were published in the following publications:
 

1.	Antelope Valley Press	10.	La Opinion	19.	Precinct Reporter
2.	Black Voice News	11.	La Voz	20.	Rafu Shimpo
3.	Chinese Daily News	12.	Los Angeles Daily News	21.	Riverside Press Enterprise
4.	Eastern Group Publications	13.	Los Angeles Sentinel	22.	San Bernardino Sun
5.	El Chicano	14.	Los Angeles Times	23.	Santa Clarita Signal
6.	Excelsior, The	15.	M/W/DVBE Source	24.	State of California Contracts
7.	Inland Empire Hispanic News	16.	Orange County Register		Register
8.	Inland Valley Daily Bulletin	17.	Palm Springs Desert Sun
9.	Korea Central Daily	18.	Philippine News

A listing of open RFQs was made available to various legislative caucuses, community groups, trade organizations, chambers of commerce and other interested parties at the time the Notice Inviting Bids/Proposals was submitted for publication.

Additionally, potential bidders were identified using the Los Angeles County MTA Directory of Certified Minority, Women, Disadvantaged and Disabled Veterans Business Enterprises; the Inland Area Opportunity Pages Ethnic/Women Business and Professional Directory; AQMD’s own electronic listing of certified minority vendors; and AQMD Purchasing’s mailing list.

Notice of the RFQ was mailed to the African-American and Latino Legislative Caucuses and various minority chambers of commerce and business associations; and placed on the Internet at AQMD’s Web site [http://www.aqmd.gov, "Business and Job Opportunities" icon] and AQMD’s 24-hour telephone message line for bidders (909) 396-2724.

Evaluation Panel

A four-member evaluation panel was convened to evaluate the six bids according to the criteria described in the RFQ. The panel consisted of one AQMD Sr. Air Quality Chemist, two Principal Air Quality Chemists and an ARB Laboratory Services Manager; (one female, three males; one African American, one Asian/Pacific Islander and two Caucasian).

Bid Evaluation

Six quotations were received when bidding closed at 2:00 p.m. on March 16, 2001. Attachment A summarizes the results of the evaluation. One bid was determined to be non-responsive because it failed to adequately provide specifications of its instrument as requested in the RFQ. One other did not meet a required technical criterion.

In receiving the bids, one vendor, Leco Corporation, offered a relatively new technology – time-of-flight feature – that substantially enhances the capabilities of this instrument by analyzing the metal composition of individual particles. Typical ICPMS technology involves what is called a quadrupole technique. The panel determined that Leco Corporation scored the highest, primarily as a result of the technical features that substantially enhance the capabilities of the instrument.

Following the panel’s recommendation, in order to best evaluate the two technologies submitted in response to the RFQ, staff consulted various experts, including Mike Poore, ARB Laboratory Services Manager; Dr. John Riley of Western Kentucky University; Professor Douglas Edwards of Trent University in Ontario Canada; and Professor Gary Hieftje of Indiana University. All stated that for analysis of particles using Laser Ablation, the time-of-flight ICPMS is a better choice than the quadrupole-based ICPMS. Each system has its own set of advantages. The Quadrupole ICPMS has better sensitivity for liquid samples aspirated in solutions. However, time-of-flight ICPMS has a much faster data capture rate and can therefore acquire a larger set of elemental information from the short, transient signals produced by the laser ablation unit which is also a part of the ICPMS. Additionally, the time-of-flight exhibits superior precision in isotope analysis. Isotope fingerprinting will be useful in unambiguously resolving issues arising from fallout (complaint) or filter-based samples.

Due to the multiple advantages of utilizing the time-of-flight features developed by Leco Corporation, staff recommends that the Board approve purchase of this particular unit.

Resource Impacts

Sufficient funds are available in the FY 2000-01 Budget as augmented by the Board, with state subvention funding. The cost of the unit is $12,861 more than was previously authorized by the Board for this fixed asset. However, the purchase of other fixed assets, under the subvention funding, approved by the Board at its April 2001 meeting resulted in cost savings which were in excess of this amount. Specifically, carbon monoxide analyzers, for which the Board approved $100,000 from subvention funding, only cost $68,000, resulting in savings from this item alone of $32,000. Thus, there are no additional revenues needed within the Fixed Asset Major Object Account to fund the Leco Corporation LA-ICPMS for the amount of $249,861.

Attachment

Attachment A - Quotation Evaluation of Laser Ablation-Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer, RFQ #2001-07

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