SOURCES SOUGHT
L -- Technical Inquiry and Technical Data Maintenance for NREL's Alternative Fuels Data Center
- Notice Date
- 5/3/2004
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541990
— All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Energy, National Renewable Energy Laboratory - Midwest Research Institute (DOE Contractor), National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 1617 Cole Boulevard, Golden, CO, 80401
- ZIP Code
- 80401
- Solicitation Number
- Reference-Number-AFDC2004
- Response Due
- 5/26/2004
- Archive Date
- 6/10/2004
- Point of Contact
- Kathee Roque, Team Leader, Phone 303-275-3124, Fax 303-275-3109, - Randy Combs, Senior Contract Administrator, Phone 303-275-4442, Fax 303-275-3109,
- E-Mail Address
-
kathee_roque@nrel.gov, randy_combs@nrel.gov
- Description
- Sources Sought -- ?Technical Inquiry and Technical Data Maintenance for NREL?s Alternative Fuels Data Center? Introduction The National Renewable Energy Laboratory?s (NREL?s) Center for Transportation Technologies and Systems (CTTS) is responsible for providing technical integration and technical data and analysis in support of several activities of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) related to accelerating the displacement of petroleum-based fuels through the use of alternative fuels and other advanced vehicle and fuel technologies. Providing unbiased technical information, tools, and resources is a requirement of several pieces of federal legislation, including the Alternative Motor Fuels Act (AMFA) of 1988, the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, and the Energy Policy Act (EPAct) of 1992. For more than a decade, NREL has had lead responsibility for providing this technical resource, which has taken the form of vehicle and fleet evaluations, data development and analysis, development of on-line tools and resources, and overall integration and management of this base of knowledge in the Alternative Fuels Data Center (AFDC). Access to the resources of the AFDC is provided via the Internet and through a technical inquiry function linked to DOE?s new Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Information Center. NREL is seeking organizations with expertise in both inquiry response services and database content development in the field of alternative fuels and advanced vehicles, as well as extensive knowledge of relevant DOE programs. The major operational tasks associated with this effort include: Assisting NREL in the development and maintenance of database content related to federal and state legislation and incentives, available vehicle and fuel technologies, and other related industry, technology, and application data. Responding to the more complex and specialized technical queries received by the EERE Information Center, by staff at NREL, or by others in the field. Both of these tasks require gathering information about, and maintaining knowledge of, alternative fuels and advanced fuel and vehicle technologies, the related industries, and applications through reading and researching, Web searches, electronic newsletters, industry contacts, etc. For the purposes of this activity, alternative fuels include those established by EPAct, including ethanol, natural gas, propane, electricity, biodiesel, and hydrogen. Examples of advanced fuel and vehicle technologies to be covered include other fuel blends such as E10 (10% ethanol/90% gasoline) and B2 (2% biodiesel/98% diesel) and other biodiesel blends, light- and heavy-duty hybrid electric vehicles, truck idle reduction technologies, fuel efficient vehicles, and other fuel economy measures. Specialized Technical Inquiry Response For eleven years, NREL has managed the National Alternative Fuels and Clean Cities Hotline. NREL has provided technical integration and management, along with electronic infrastructure for inquiry tracking, with subcontracted support for answering and responding to calls. In 2004, this service will be consolidated with the new EERE Info Center, which will receive the calls and handle ?Tier 1? inquires, which are those primarily related to the DOE programs and which can be answered with DOE-produced publications and materials. NREL has been tasked by the Clean Cities Program to continue to handle the more complex ?Tier 2? and ?Tier 3? inquiries, which are those requiring more extensive knowledge of the alternative fuels and advanced vehicle industry, or which require more customized research and response. To support NREL in this effort, an organization must demonstrate the capability to provide quick-response resources and knowledgeable, experienced staff to process advanced inquiries forwarded to it. The organization being sought shall have the capability to answer questions on all aspects of alternative fuels and advanced technology vehicles where the representation of fuel neutrality is absolute. The response team members must be capable of answering questions via: 1. Expertise gained by having worked in the alternative fuel and advanced transportation field; 2. Monitoring of industry information, development, and technical contacts; 3. Searches of Web-based alternative fuels and related information; 4. Close association and historical experience with the Clean Cities Program, and other related programs, through past involvement with the alternative fuels community and Clean Cities coalitions and stakeholders; 5. Searches of various databases, such as information in NREL's Alternative Fuels Data Center and its database of alternative fuel documents, laws and incentives affecting alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles (AFVs/ATVs); use and understanding of the Vehicle Buyer?s Guide; and 6. Knowledge from, and referrals to, known experts in the alternative fuel and advanced technology fields. Requests are processed in a quick-response environment through Internet access, and are tracked through a Web-based tracking database. Requests may require direction to on-line resources, hard-copy mailings (handled by the EERE Info Center), or other forms of information. The organization will be responsible for accurately entering requests for information, including the verification/addition of requester profile information, and detailed descriptions of both the request and the response provided into the designated Web-based request handling system. Technical Data Development and Maintenance As described above, NREL is responsible for developing and maintaining technical data, on-line tools, and other technical resources that enable the implementation of alternative fuels and other advanced vehicle and fuel technologies. Part of that responsibility requires that a number of databases of information be maintained for industry, fleets, and others searching for information about alternative fuels and related topics. This information must be as current and accurate as possible. NREL is seeking organizational capability, and demonstrated expertise and involvement on alternative fuels and advanced transportation technologies, to maintain the following databases: Laws and Incentives (L&I). It is important to maintain the most accurate and timely information possible with regard to all legislation and incentives at both the state and federal levels that affect decisions to purchase and implement alternative fuels and vehicles, as well as advanced technology vehicles such as hybrid electric vehicles. L&I activities will be monitored at the federal and state levels and shall include light-duty and heavy-duty vehicles. Skills and previous experience in understanding the legislative process on a state-by-state basis and L&I search processing at the federal and state level must be demonstrated. Vehicle and Equipment Information. Detailed and up-to-date information on Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) offerings must be maintained for users evaluating choices, and is used in NREL?s on-line decision-making tool called the Vehicle Buyers Guide. The organization will demonstrate partnerships it has developed with appropriate OEMs such that gathering information on AFV, ATV, and other related offerings, including detailed vehicle specifications and incremental cost information will lead to a continually updated DB of information. Both light-duty vehicle and heavy-duty engine and chassis information will be maintained as part of this effort. Industry Contacts and Referrals. Information in the AFDC is offered generally by fuel type of expertise, such that people looking for contacts and Web sites can find it in an orderly fashion. The organization must demonstrate extensive knowledge of all aspects of the AFV and ATV industry by showing the depth of the relationships that it has developed in these areas. Web Site Review. Reviewing content on relevant Websites maintained by NREL, so that the sites can be as up to date as possible. Review of both for internal content, and pointers to related resources may be necessary. Demonstrated breadth of knowledge in the field and the relevant DOE programs will be required to handle this task effectively. Organizations responding to this Sources Sought request must demonstrate specific capabilities, attributes, and skills, as indicated: 1. The organization will demonstrate an historical involvement in, and extensive knowledge of, alternative fuels and other advanced fuel and vehicle technologies (as defined in the Introduction to include fuel economy, hybrids, idle reduction, fuel blends and fuel economy knowledge), their application, and related industries. 2. The organization will describe their alternative fuels and advanced transportation technology expertise, industry associations and contacts in the AFV/ATV arena and/or experience with the U.S. Department of Energy?s Clean Cities Program and other related programs within their company. 3. The organization will show that it has significant contacts and resources in AF/AFV/ATV areas by demonstrating its involvement in conferences and events as panelists, speakers, or exhibitors, included related publications. The organization will provide a list of publications in the alternative fuels area for which it can claim authorship or significant contribution. 4. The organization will describe its experience in providing fast customer inquiry services. Timely, accurate, and responsive service is required, along with helpful, courteous, and informed interactions over the phone. 5. The organization will demonstrate a high comfort level and degree of experience using the Internet and will describe its access/connectivity to the Web. The organization must have its own Internet IP address with high-speed connectivity. 6. The organization shall demonstrate its experience in the use of client-provided Web forms, including data entry and updating projects in which they have been involved. The organization shall provide examples of skills and tools it possesses to meet these needs, including monthly status reporting. 7. The organization will demonstrate experience in performing legislative searches at the federal and state levels, having knowledge of state and federal legislative processes and session timing, and maintaining databases of laws and incentives information. 8. The organization will describe its relationships and partnerships in the AFV and ATV industries. The response to this sources sought document is limited to 8 pages of single spaced text of 12-point Arial font or equivalent, with minimum 1? margins all around. Brevity is encouraged. Any organizations interested in working with NREL to provide the technical expertise described within this document may mail a list of qualifications, based on the eight (8) items above, to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, ATTN: Kathee Flanagan Roque, 1617 Cole Boulevard - MS 1632, Golden, CO 80401-3393. Telephone calls will not be accepted; however, submittals by e-mail are encouraged and should be sent to: kathee_roque@nrel.gov. Electronic format of the Sources Sought response shall be MSWord/Excel or WordPerfect. Please do not send scanned .PDFs. Qualifications will be responsive to the items listed above. Responses to this notice, whether mailed hardcopy or electronically, must be received by 5:00 p.m. MDT, May 26, 2004. Responding to this request identifies your organization as an interested candidate only. Your submittal is not in response to a Request for Proposals (RFP).
- Place of Performance
- Address: National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 1617 Cole Boulevard, Golden, CO, ,
- Zip Code: 80401
- Country: USA
- Zip Code: 80401
- Record
- SN00578673-W 20040505/040503211736 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
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