SOLICITATION NOTICE
B -- Broad Agency Announcement, Minerals Management Service, Oil Spill Response Research
- Notice Date
- 6/19/2007
- Notice Type
- Solicitation Notice
- Contracting Office
- MMS Procurement Operations Branch 381 Elden Street, MS 2100 Herndon VA 20170
- ZIP Code
- 20170
- Solicitation Number
- M07BA13350
- Response Due
- 7/20/2007
- Archive Date
- 6/18/2008
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- The U.S. Department of the Interior, Minerals Management Service (MMS), solicits White Papers of not more than five (5) pages in length, for specific areas of interest to the MMS, Technology Assessment and Research (TA&R) Program, Oil Spill Response Research (OSRR). The MMS web site has descriptions of OSRR activities, the scope of MMS interests, and past projects. The web site address is www.mms.gov/tarphome. Interested parties are encouraged to view the information presented on the website when considering submitting White Papers. BACKGROUND: Oil Spill Response Research sponsored by the MMS through the TA&R Program is directly integrated into MMS's offshore operations and is used in making regulatory decisions pertaining to permit and plan approvals, safety and pollution inspections, enforcement actions, and training requirements. MMS proposes to expand its existing OSRR program consistent with our statutory responsibility and the provisions of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990. As oil and gas industry activities continue to expand into greater water depths on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) and into the ice-infested Beaufort and Chukchi Sea's of Alaska, research must be broadened to address unknown factors concerning mechanical equipment performance and reliability as well as alternative countermeasures, including chemical dispersants, in situ burning and viscous oil pumping. The principal objective of this request for White Papers is to address innovative or technological advancements among topics of current interest to MMS. As a result of the White Papers submitted in accordance with the terms of this announcement, selected proposals shall be requested. Projects selected for eventual funding by MMS shall receive funding from fiscal year (FY) 2008 funds. The MMS anticipates that a total of $500,000 to $800,000 may be available for the initiation of new research proposals addressing OSRR topics in FY 2008 with projects being identified through this announcement. Typical projects envisioned to address the topics set forth below may require up to one man-year effort and cost up to $250,000. Projects spanning multiple years will also be considered. Prospective offeror's shall bear this in mind when responding to this request. NOTICE: The MMS may share the White Paper submissions with other organizations for review. Potential contractors should let MMS know if they do NOT want the White Papers shared outside the MMS. The MMS anticipates awards resulting from this announcement will be made on a Firm Fixed-Price basis. OBJECTIVES: The topics for the FY 2008 OSRR activities include ONLY research related to the following: (1) Mechanical Technologies to Facilitate and Improve Oil Spill Containment and Recovery Under Arctic Conditions. The MMS seeks White Papers for new or innovative mechanical technologies that will facilitate and improve the containment, recovery and processing of spilled oil in cold water and/or broken ice conditions. This could include performance testing and evaluation full-scale prototype, non-commercially available technologies, and/or adaptations of existing technologies to contain, recover and process oil in a range of conditions that include cold water and/or broken ice conditions. One of the most problematic conditions occur when the ocean begins to freeze in the Fall. Proposals should focus on the environmental and oceanographic conditions typically found in the Alaskan Beaufort and Chukchi Sea, where oil exploration and development activities are currently taking place or are planned. Tests could be conducted at Ohmsett - the National Oil Spill Response Test Facility, located in Leonardo, New Jersey and/or through a series of field tests, including experimental oil spills conducted in the Arctic environment. American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) testing standards will be used, as applicable, in these evaluations. (2) Virtual Command Post. The MMS is seeking White Papers to develop software programs that provide access to critical information during an emergency response to an oil spill. The software program should include the ability to remotely access all information developed during a response, including all Incident Command System forms. The software program should be intuitive and easy to use. (3) Oil Spill Response Training Software. The MMS is seeking White Papers to develop software program that can train students to respond to an oil spill throughout numerous geographic regions. The software program should include the logistical and operational management of response resources. Parameters to be addressed and modeled should include oil fate and behavior of the oil as well as the local meteorological, oceanographic and hydrologic conditions. The software program should provide training to the student on the most efficient and effective use of available resources, as well as the possible impact the spill may have on the environment. The software program should be intuitive and easy to use. (4) Research on the Use of Chemical Herders for Operational Oil Spill Response. The MMS is seeking White Papers that will provide research and experimental testing data on the use of chemical herders to facilitate and improve response to an oil spill on the OCS. Tests could be conducted at Ohmsett - the National Oil Spill Response Test Facility, located in Leonardo, New Jersey and/or through a series of field tests, including experimental oil spills. (5) Development of Less Destructive Shoreline Flushing Techniques. One of the goals in spill response is to minimize harm to the environment and shorten the time for recovery. Past experiment has shown that aggressive shoreline flushing methods can harm the environment and slow recovery. The MMS is seeking White Papers that will use laboratory scale or meso-scale experiments, spills of opportunity, or other innovative methods to develop new or improve existing shoreline flushing techniques that are effective, less invasive, and that minimize destruction to the environment. (6) Improve In Situ Burn Residue Cleanup. Physical properties of burn residues depend on burn efficiency and oil type. Efficient burns of heavy crude oils generate brittle, solid residues (like peanut brittle). Residues from burns of thick crude oil slicks are more likely to sink than residues from burns of thin slicks of the same crude oils, because higher-molecular weight compounds concentrate in the residue as the burn progresses. Results of laboratory tests suggest the possibility that, for about 40 to 60% of crude oils worldwide, burn residues may sink. Only a very short time window is available for surface recovery of residues that eventually sink, but this recovery option could be effective, since residues are readily recovered either manually or with sorbents. Once the residue sinks, recovery options are few, logistics-intensive, and ineffective. MMS is seeking White Papers that would improve the collection and recovery of in situ burn residue. (7) Oil Spill Chemical Dispersant Research. The MMS is seeking White Papers that will provide scientifically rigorous, experimental research data relating to the use of dispersants to respond to oil spills on the OCS. Specific areas of interest are: *Oil spill response priority areas and data gaps delineated in the 2005 National Research Council report "Oil Spill Dispersants: Efficacy and Effects. *Dispersant research conducted during experimental oil spills. *New technologies and monitoring protocols for determining the factors that indicate "effective dispersion." ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The MMS is interested in research initiatives relative to oil spill response, safety and pollution practices related to offshore operations. As a result of the White Papers, selected proposals will be sought and evaluated for funding. Efforts to be considered should be to the above stated issues. Multi-year funding of projects is acceptable. HOW TO RESPOND: White Papers, of not more than five (5) pages in length, an original, five (5) hard copies, and one (1) electronic copy in .PDF format on CD shall be submitted to U.S. Department of the Interior, Minerals Management Service, 381 Elden Street, Herndon, VA 20170, ATTN: Debra Bridge, not later 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Friday, July 20, 2007. WHITE PAPERS SENT VIA E-MAIL AND FACSIMILE WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. White Papers should define the proposed research scope and include the level of effort. NOTE: COST ESTIMATES ARE NOT TO BE INCLUDED IN YOUR SUBMISSION. The White Papers shall be evaluated only on technical merit. If your White Paper is selected for further evaluation, a proposal shall be requested and you will be required to submit a cost proposal at that time. Projects may be selected from all or part of the technical issues listed depending on the interest and scope of White Papers received. The MMS will evaluate the responses, and those deemed to have merit will be furnished information to assist in the preparation of a complete proposal. This announcement constitutes a Request for Proposal (RFP), but does not obligate the Government to consummate an award. Respondents SHALL NOT be notified of the results of the evaluation of the information submitted. WHITE PAPERS SHALL BE EVALUATED USING THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA: (1) feasibility of the approach or solution; (2) the offeror's understanding of the technical issues; (3) the offeror's ability to implement the proposed approach; (4) innovative or creative approaches or solutions, including the participation and/or funding by the oil and gas industry or other groups in the research industry where interest exists, (where appropriate); (5) past performance. If any of the requirements of this announcement are not met, the White Paper will not be evaluated. Questions must be submitted via e-mail to Debra Bridge [debra.bridge@mms.gov] on or before 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, June 29, 2007. Please include "OSSR-BAA 13350" in the subject line of the e-mail. All questions shall include your full name and title, your organization, complete address, and telephone and fax numbers. Telephone inquires will not be accepted. A separate White Paper shall be submitted for each study on which the offeror wishes to propose. The White Paper shall identify clearly the offeror company/organization, point of contact, address, telephone and facsimile numbers. Responses will be accepted only until 3:00 p.m., Eastern Time, Friday, July 20, 2007. If the offeror desires to hand deliver their White Papers, they are informed that MMS is a secure office complex and they must not enter the building beyond the lobby. You must contact Debra Bridge at (703) 787-1814 or phone (703) 787-1070 and someone will accept your submission.
- Web Link
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Please click here to view more details.
(http://ideasec.nbc.gov/j2ee/announcementdetail.jsp?serverId=MM143501&objId=353121)
- Record
- SN01322626-W 20070621/070619223651 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
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