U.S.Department of Energy, Document Control Specialist, P.O. Box 2500, Washington, DC 20013

R -- INVESTMENT BANKER/FINANCIAL ADVISOR SALES ADMINISTRATOR, DIVESTMENT OF NAVAL PETROLEUM RESERVE NUMBERED 1, NAVAL PETROLEUM RESERVES IN CALIFORNIA (NPRC) DUE 022396 POC Mr. Mark A. Guilfoil, Contracting Officer, Code HR-561.21, Telephone: (202) 634-4458. The U.S. Department of Energy, in accordance with the Administration's committment to reinvent Government, has determined to offer for sale the U.S. Government's interest in the Naval Petroleum Reserve Numbered 1 near Bakersfield, California (also known as ''Elk Hills''). As directed by the Defense Authorization Act of 1996 (''the Act''), P.L. 104-106, the Department is required to retain, not later than two months after the effective date of the Act, the services of an investment banker or equivalent financial adviser to administer the sale of Elk Hills in a manner that is consistent with commercial practices and that maximizes sale proceeds to the Government. Pursuant to section 3412(k) of the Act, the Department is authorized to use other than competitive procedures, as defined under the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act and implementing regulations, to acquire such services. Accordingly, the Department intends to engage in an expedited selection process as provided in this notice and is requesting expressions of interest from qualified investment bankers or equivalent financial advisors who wish to administer the sale of Elk Hills. I. Qualifications of Respondents: To qualify to respond to this request, a respondent must be an investment banker or equivalent financial advisor that operates in the United States and that has participated, since January 1, 1993, in a least one domestic or international oil and/or natural gas property sales transaction (equity and/or asset) with a total transaction value in excess of $200 million. In addition, a respondent must satisfy the organizational conflict of interest requirements of 48 C.F.R. sections 52.209-8 and 952.209-72. II. Content of Submission: To be considered, an expression of interest must include the following information: A. A brief description of the respondent, including such information as size and organizational structure and location of the respondent's principal place of business and subsidiary offices, if any. B. A list of each domestic and/or international oil and/or natural gas property sales transaction (equity and/or asset) with a total transaction value in excess of $200 million in which the respondent performed a significant role since January 1, 1993, including: 1. Date of each transaction 2. Identity of the entity represented by the respondent and whether that entity was the buyer, seller or other participant in the transaction. 3. Type of each transaction. 4. Total value of each transaction. 5. Description of the specific role and scope of responsibility of the respondent in each transaction. C. A list of all other oil and/or natural gas property sales transactions (equity and/or asset) in which the respondent performed a significant role since January 1, 1991, including: 1. Date of each transaction. 2. Identity of the entity represented by the respondent and whether that entitiy was the buyer, seller or other participant in the transaction. 3. Type of each transaction. 4. Total value of each transaction. 5. Description of the specific role and scope of responsibility of the respondent in each transaction. D. A description of respondent's experience in privatization or divestiture of government-owned oil and/or natural gas property (domestic or international), if any. E. The respondent may, but is not required to, include other information that the respondent deems relevent. III. Format of Submission: The submission must be presented in the order and with the enumerations included in Sections II(A)-(E) above. Information that is considered to be proprietary should be appropriately marked. Excessively elaborate or detailed submissions are neither expected nor desired. IV. Submission and Due Date: Expressions of interest must be received by the Department on or before February 23, 1996, and address: Document Control Specialist - HR-562, U.S. Department of Energy, Headquarters Procurement Operations, 1615 M Street, N.W., Room 240, Washington, D.C. 20036. After all submissions are reviewed, the Department will invite a limited number of respondents to participate in additional discussions in accordance with the following general schedule: March 1: The Department will issue invitations to the top qualified respondents. March 6-8: Briefings of the top qualified respondents will be held at Elk Hills on the properties and interests to be offered for sale. One general briefing of all respondents will be held on March 6. Additional briefings will be offered to each respondent individually on March 7 and 8 to respond to questions that each respondent may have. Program personnel thereafter will be available to respond to additional questions of the respondents as needed. March 27: Written submissions will be due from each respondent describing its proposed sales strategy, fee arrangement and other terms of engagement, as well as a more detailed description of qualifications and information demonstrating compliance with 48 C.F.R. sections 52.209-8 and 952.209-72 pertaining to organizational conflicts of interest concerns. April 1-3: Oral presentations will be made by each of the respondents on its submission. April 9: The Department will announce the investment banker or other advisor to be retained. More specific details of the schedule and procedures will be provided to the respondents who are invited to engage in the additional discussions with the Department. This notice does not commit the Government to award of any contract, nor to pay any costs incurred in the submission of any materials, or cost incurred in making any necessary studies or designs for said services. Contract award is contingent on the availability and obligation of appropriations. If award is made to any firm as a result of this notice, the terms and conditions of the award will incorporate all clauses required by law, the Federal Acquisition Regulations and the Department of Energy Acquisition Regulations in effect as of the date of the award. (0045)

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