Specifications include, but are not limited to: A. Kick-off Meeting No later than two (2) weeks after contract execution, the awarded Offeror shall schedule a kick-off meeting with OSWM (virtual or in-person, upon mutual agreement between OSWM and the awarded Offeror). OSWM and the awarded Offeror shall discuss expectations, action plans, project requirements, logistics planning based on the nature of this statewide project, and any potential bottlenecks. The meeting shall also include a review of OSWM’s waste characterization classification categories (see Attachment 5) to ensure that all parties are in agreement regarding the classification category definitions and categorization expectations. Within one (1) month of the Kick-off Meeting, OSWM shall update and revise the waste characterization categories, if necessary, based upon discussions with the awarded Offeror. B. Monthly Update Meetings During the kick-off meeting, the awarded Offeror and OSWM shall also identify a mutually agreeable recurring monthly date to hold monthly update meetings throughout the project timeline. The monthly update meetings shall be virtual or in-person, upon mutual agreement between OSWM and the awarded Offeror. Monthly meetings shall provide both the awarded Offeror and OSWM with an opportunity to detail progress on data collection activities, identify and correct problems, and provide feedback. C. Develop a Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) and Obtain US EPA Approval All US EPA environmental information operations, including this statewide solid waste characterization study, shall be implemented in accordance with a US EPA approved QAPP (link: https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2023-07/quality_assurance_project_plan_standard.pdf). Within one (1) month of contract execution, the awarded Offeror shall submit to OSWM a draft QAPP for review and comment. OSWM shall have two (2) weeks to review the draft QAPP. OSWM’s revisions and comments on the draft QAPP shall be addressed and/or incorporated by the awarded Offeror into the final draft QAPP. An electronic copy of the final draft QAPP shall be provided to OSWM within two (2) weeks of receiving OSWM’s draft QAPP feedback. OSWM shall submit the final draft QAPP to the US EPA for review and approval and include the awarded Offeror on all communications between OSWM and the US EPA Quality Assurance Manager (QAM) tasked with reviewing and approving the final draft QAPP. Upon mutual agreement between the QAM, OSWM, and the awarded Offeror, the awarded Offeror shall incorporate any revisions prescribed by the QAM into the final QAPP. The awarded Offeror may be required to complete several rounds of revisions to the final QAPP based on feedback by the US EPA QAM on each QAPP update. When finalized, OSWM shall submit an electronic copy of the final QAPP to the US EPA for final review and approval. The awarded Offeror shall allocate at least three (3) months for US EPA review and final approval of the QAPP.
