Chemical Investigation Programme 4

Dŵr Cymru Cyfyngedig (DCC) is gearing up for its new Chemical Investigations Programme which is the fourth tranche of investigations required by DEFRA, Welsh Government, the Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales in order to assess the presence of specific chemical pollutants and emerging chemical risks to the environment. DCC is seeking to appoint a single supplier to support its full programme of requirements over the next 6 years. The appointed supplier will be required to: * Provide sample bottles for each determinant group as required in the technical specification and site-specific driver, including any required fixants. * Provide flexibility, in the event of resampling and rescheduling. * Collect samples from the designated DCC depot sample drop off point within the preservation window. The depot location will be agreed with the supplier, but this is likely to be Pear Tree Depot (Junction 32 M4) and Bretton Water Treatment Works, Flintshire. * Provide highly accurate and timely sample analysis for all required determinants within the preservation window, using accredited techniques. * Use the indicative Limits of Detection provided by the Environment Agency. * Comply with the Limits of Detection (LODs). * Use accredited laboratory techniques and undergo independent proficiency testing. Proficiency testing will be administered on behalf of the collective Water and Sewerage Companies (WaSCs) by UK Water Industry Research Ltd (UKWIR) and their chosen partner. * Where substances have been identified as technical mixtures, for example, the polybrominated diphenyl ethers, 76 to 78, the expectation is that, as a minimum, the key congeners within these products would be reported individually and as a total. For example, all six WFD polybrominated diphenyl ether congeners shall be reported. * Where trace elements have been reported in the format ‘cadmium (dissolved, total)’, the expectation is that both the total and dissolved concentrations of a sample will be reported. * The supplier shall provide performance test data for effluents for all determinants for which they provide data to the CIP; the principal performance test data shall comprise an NS30-style set (NS30, 1989) of tests of eleven batches of duplicate analyses of blanks, low and high standards and low and high spiked samples of effluent. Spiking recovery data (spikes shall be at least 3x the unspiked value but not excessively high in relation to the levels of interest in the matrix concerned) are required in river and influent matrices as well as in effluent. LOD estimates (11 degrees of freedom) for river and effluent matrices are also requested. * Supply data in the agreed template set out by DCC with the option to supply raw data in addition. * The supplier shall commit to and document a chain of custody for each sample. * The supplier shall submit summary data relating to routine Quality Control (QC). * The supplier shall adhere to all guidance laid out in the technical specification written by the UK environmental regulators.