vvEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Ordering Agreements
Environmental Response Laboratory Network (ERLN)
Learn More at https://www.epa.gov/emergency-response/environmental-response-laboratory-network
What is a Basic Ordering Agreement?
A Basic Ordering Agreement (BOA) is a written understanding, negotiated between EPA and a contractor
(state, local, municipal, or commercial laboratory), which contains the following:
1)	Terms and clauses applying to future purchase orders between the parties during the BOA's term;
2)	Description, as specific as practicable, of supplies or services to be provided; and
3)	Methods for pricing, issuing, and delivering future purchase orders under the BOA.
A BOA is NOT a contract; it is an agreement. It is the primary mechanism that EPA uses to enter into an
agreement with state, local, municipal, and commercial laboratories for performing analytical services for
chemical, biological, and radiological environmental samples under the Environmental Response Laboratory
Network (ERLN) and its water comDonent. the Water Laboratory Alliance (WLA).
Why have a standing ERLN Basic
Ordering Agreement with EPA?
Entering into a BOA means that a laboratory has been
vetted and has proven that it is capable of providing
certain services that meet the standards of EPA's
ERLN. This agreement provides a mechanism for EPA
to quickly task a laboratory to provide supplies or
services during national emergencies or other EPA
defined specific incidents (defined on a case-by-case
basis). However, receiving a BOA does not
necessarily mean that a laboratory will be asked to
perform work for the ERLN. Requests for laboratory
supplies and services will be incident-specific and
dependent on the analytical capabilities and capacities
needed.
Are There Any Special
Requirements for Receiving an
ERLN BOA?
To receive a BOA, a laboratory must first apply and be
accepted into the ERLN (https://www.epa.gov/
emergency-response/environmental-response-
laboratory-network). The laboratory must also register
with the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) online
at www.CCR.gov.
How Will EPA Access Services from
ERLN Labs with BOAs?
EPA will order services from BOA holders either
directly from the laboratory (sole source) or on a
competitive basis. Sole-source purchase orders may
be issued during national emergencies or other EPA
defined specific incidents (defined on a case-by-case
basis). Otherwise, EPA will generate a Request for
Quote (RFQ). The RFQ and purchase order detail the
level of effort required for a particular service and will
include: the specific site or incident; description of
Contact
June 2018
services; size (i.e., how many samples); analytical
method(s) needed; reporting requirements; delivery
schedule; any quality assurance (QA) or quality control
(QC) measures that should be performed; and
payment terms and conditions.
Orders for services originate with the data requestor
(e.g., On-Scene Coordinator (OSC)). The data
requestor should contact the EPA regional laboratory.
The EPA regional laboratory will then coordinate with
the project officer and contracting officer in EPA
Headquarters to generate an RFQ.
How a purchase order is processed will depend on
whether or not the situation is an emergency.
Non-Emergency Situations:
•	The Contracting Officer (CO) sends an RFQ to
the selected ERLN laboratories.
•	Laboratories will submit a quote to the CO at
the time and date specified on the request (a
laboratory is not obligated to bid on specific
task orders).
•	The CO will issue a purchase order to the
laboratory whose price and other price related
factors are the best value.
Emergency Situations (where the CO is
unavailable and time is of the essence):
• The OSC will issue a purchase order directly
to the laboratory.
For more information, please visit the BOA FAQ
Document at: https://www.epa.gov/emergency-
response/environmental-response-laboratory-
network-erln-basic-ordering-agreement-frequent
Information
Ahmed Hafez - 202.564.1944; hafez.ahmed@epa.gov
David Bright - 913.551.7897; bright.david@epa.gov
ERLN 24-Hour access via EPA HQ EOC 202.564.3850

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