SOLICITATION NOTICE
A -- Welding and Joining Research and Development
- Notice Date
- 10/10/2006
- Notice Type
- Solicitation Notice
- NAICS
- 486990
— All Other Pipeline Transportation
- Contracting Office
- Department of Transportation, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, PHMSA, 400 7th Street, SW Room 7118, Washington, DC, 20590
- ZIP Code
- 20590
- Solicitation Number
- DTPH56-07-BAA-000001
- Response Due
- 11/10/2006
- Archive Date
- 11/25/2006
- Description
- Broad Agency Announcement #DTPH56-07-BAA-0001 Welding and Joining Research and Development This Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) seeks white papers on Research and Development projects addressing pipeline safety program areas described more fully below. Background The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) conducted a Government/Industry Advanced Welding and Joining Technical Workshop at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Boulder, Colorado on January 25-26, 2006. The 2.5 day event included approximately 65 representatives from Federal, State and international government agencies, public representatives, research funding organizations, standards organizations, and pipeline operators from the U.S. and Canada. The workshop led to a common understanding of current research efforts, a listing of key challenges facing government and industry, and a compilation of potential research areas whose exploration can help meet these challenges and should therefore be considered in the development of new research and development (R&D) applications. Only topics described in this Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) and identified at the workshop will be addressed. Not all topics identified at the workshop may fit within PHMSA?s mission and may not be represented in this BAA. PHMSA?s R&D Program is focused on quantifying research in development of technology, strengthening consensus standards and providing general knowledge. This BAA seeks projects advanced beyond proof-of-concept with a projected path to market in a short term (1-3 years) as the outputs are transferred to end users. Further details on the solicited research topics can be found in the R&D forum proceedings and technical report-out presentations. To view the R&D forum proceedings and technical report-out presentations, please visit: http://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/rd/mtg_012506.htm . To gain a historical perspective of the PHMSA?s Pipeline Safety R&D goals, strategy and several previous pipeline stakeholder events as well as descriptions of all awarded research, visit the PHMSA Pipeline Safety R&D Program webpage at: http://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/rd/ . GENERAL INFORMATION PHMSA is seeking white papers on individual projects and on consolidated R&D programs that address the solicited pipeline safety program areas identified in this BAA. The research team members could include technology developers, construction organizations, appliers, pipeline operators and, if appropriate, standards development organizations. A consolidated R&D program white paper is a white paper submitted by a team lead organization and identifies opportunities for integrated R&D involving contributions from several organizations whose combined expertise will contribute greater efficiency and effectiveness to R&D in the proposed program areas. Details of the intent of the listed projects can be located in the workshop proceedings and technical report-out presentations, shown at: http://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/rd/mtg_012506.htm. Examples of program and project focus within the desired program areas are as follows: 1. Improving Weld Design in High Strength Steel Pipe A project or program could develop a comprehensive set of testing methods for mechanical strength properties to include: deciding what data is necessary for Weld Material (WM) and Base Material (BM); defining what process is used to attain that data; procedures that demonstrate validation of data acceptability by specific industry standards; and making judgments on the value of test data based on that collected data. A proposed project or program must also: Develop acceptance criteria for establishing required inputs and information for different design methodologies; Develop acceptance criteria for filling in gaps in available Engineering Critical Assessment technologies to determine flaw acceptance criteria; Be stress-based to address Under-Matching and Heat Affected Zone (HAZ) softening in pipe steels in weld areas; Be strain-based to include methodologies for all steel grades; and defining limits of applicability; Develop testing methods for fracture toughness properties to get more relevant fracture data than standard Crack Tip Opening Displacement tests provide for HAZ and WM; Demonstrate a relationship between laboratory tests and full-scale tests; and Develop the essential variables required to update current welding standards covering qualification procedures for modern welding techniques and to ensure property consistency. 2. Developing Construction Practices for Welding High Strength Steel Pipe A project or program could develop comprehensive fabrication standards for high strength steels. The standards must address: the impact of using multiple batches to supply large projects with pipes; Engineering Critical Assessment technologies to determine fabrication flaws and flaw acceptance criteria for automated joining such as laser hybrid welding or Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAC) technology; the impact and importance of pipe end preparation; consumables; speed in which field welding can proceed; and path(s) forward to optimize joint design, automation of process monitoring and seam tracking technologies. 3. Weld Inspection, Assessments, Repair and Maintenance Methods for High Strength Steel Pipe The project or program could develop advanced technologies or techniques to validate and implement methodology and/or Reliability Based Design and Assessment standards to quantify automated ultrasonic testing (AUT) systems and develop operator procedures for weld inspection applications. Projects could investigate, develop and/or quantify image capture capabilities; and establish guidance documents for AUT systems. The research scope should quantify any advancement over existing technology or techniques. Field tests using realistic operating conditions could be employed to benchmark application of the proposed technology or technique. 4. Improving Joint Integrity and Assessment for Nonmetallic Materials The project or program could collaborate with joint imagery technology under development and develop processes to improve current joining technologies for all joining types (saddle, butt, electro). The project or program could improve process validation for equipment, and/or mitigate human error, and/or enhance communications between nonmetallic pipe manufactures and applicators in the field. The project or program must also develop quicker methods or testing practices for accurately predicting the integrity/residual life of older PE pipe joints. A key goal is technology or process application under field conditions. WHITE PAPERS PHMSA is seeking white papers on individual projects or consolidated programs that address the above specified pipeline safety program areas. Interested parities must submit separate white papers for each proposed individual project. Multiple individual projects are not to be combined into a single white paper. A consolidated R&D program white paper from a team?s lead organization should identify opportunities for integrated R&D that could involve contributions from several organizations whose combined expertise will contribute greater efficiency and effectiveness to R&D in the proposed program areas. A response to this BAA must clearly identify the ultimate goals of the proposed program or project. Responses could contribute technology or knowledge to organizations that supply technology in the field or to organizations seeking to develop or update industry consensus standards. If a white paper reaches the full proposal stage, the proposal must include cost sharing contributions of at least fifty percent of the proposed project's cost to be considered. Each white paper must include the following contact information: point of contact, organization name and complete street address, organization DUNS number, organization Tax Identification Number (TIN), telephone number, fax number, and email address. The entire white paper submission package, including the White Paper itself (5 pages maximum), and all attachments, appendices and backup materials, should not exceed a total of fifteen (15) pages. The evaluation team will only read the first five (5) pages of each white paper and will evaluate the papers using the selection criteria listed below. The offeror must address the selection criteria by providing sufficient information and by keeping the entire paper within the five (5) page limit. Specifics on the selection criteria are as follows: 1. Relevance to PHMSA?s mission and state of understanding. Is the proposal relevant to PHMSA?s mission of safety and or environmental protection? How well does the proposal describe the challenge and or state how the approach will resolve the challenge? How well does the proposal describe related work done by others, status of any related technology developments or consensus standard revision done by others? How well does the proposal address related work done by the offeror either previously or currently? 2. Soundness of Project or Program design and implementation. How well are project/program goals or objectives defined? How well are the scope of work, tasks and milestones defined? How well defined and appropriate are the deliverables? How appropriate is the project team size and capabilities to conduct the work? How much expertise does the offeror use from previous Federal research contracts? How much knowledge does the offeror utilize from previous private sector projects of a similar scale? How well does the offeror utilize known science or engineering principles? How likely would this project be successful if awarded? 3. Realism of Project or Program costs and schedule. How appropriate are costs to address objectives and deliver products within the proposed timeline? How appropriate are proposed levels of travel? How well is the project schedule defined? How appropriate is the schedule matched with the desired deliverable or output? 4. Coordination and collaboration of work scopes and deliverables? How much does the proposal build upon previous or current work? How well does the proposal identify the deliverable type (i.e. technology development or standard development or general knowledge)? How well does the proposal identify who would use research results (i.e. end users)? How well does the proposal involve end users of the deliverable type into the work scope? How appropriate is the technology or knowledge transfer plan? How much discussion is provided whether the deliverable or output satisfies a current challenge or are additional tasks necessary before completion of project? How well does the proposal identify management of a program area and the capability of the proposing organization to carry out the proposed program? 5. Consolidated Program Justification (This criterion will be used during full proposal evaluation of Consolidated Programs only) How well does the offeror define program goals and project objectives? How well does the offeror justify increased scientific and technical merit under their leadership? How well does the offeror articulate technical interrelation between individual projects? How well does the offeror use efficiencies of scale or organization structure as a technical or other advantage? How much more success is likely because a challenge is addressed through the proposed consolidated program versus individual projects? All evaluation factors are of equal importance. A technical evaluation panel will only review white papers received that address solicited topics in this BAA. An offeror providing a white paper deemed worthy of further consideration and meeting the criteria of this BAA will be notified with possible suggestions for change in scope and detailed guidelines for submitting a full proposal for either individual or consolidated proposals. The evaluation panel will again evaluate the proposal against the listed criteria. A proposal must include cost sharing contribution of at least fifty percent of the proposed project?s total cost to be considered. A white paper only needs to include a ?ballpark? estimate including work force and cost share breakdown. A full proposal must include detailed cost sharing contribution documentation including cost analysis and certified letters of commitment from project or program participants. SUBMISSION OF WHITE PAPERS This FedBizOpps notice constitutes the BAA as contemplated by FAR 6.102(d)(2). A formal Request for Proposal (RFP) or other type of solicitation regarding this announcement will not be issued. The procedures for submitting a white paper are as follows: 1) only electronic submissions will be accepted; and, 2) prior to submitting a White Paper, each organization must first complete (electronically) a Registration Form which is available at http://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/matrix/RfpInfo15.rdm. Additional instructions regarding the preparation and electronic submission of the White Papers along with individual questions and answers are available on the website identified above. White Papers must be uploaded by 5:00 P.M. EST, November 10, 2006. Submitted white papers remain the property of PHMSA. PHMSA does not expect to award more than $800,000 in funding to any single research project, or to award more than $1,800,000 in funding over the life of any selected consolidated pipeline safety program areas described in this BAA. Additional levels of funding may be available if warranted with all funds contingent on the availability of appropriated funds. Any questions are to be directed to the PHMSA Office of Contracts and Procurement as listed in this Broad Agency Announcement. PHMSA encourages the widest participation, particularly involvement with universities and other academic institutions, as well as with individuals, corporations, non-profit organizations, small and small disadvantaged businesses, and State or local governments or other entities.
- Record
- SN01163343-W 20061012/061010220158 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
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FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
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