Department of the Interior, Minerals Management Service, Procurement Operations Branch, MS2500, 381 Elden Street, Herndon, Virginia 20170-4817

B -- WHITE PAPERS SOUGHT IN SUPPORT OF THE TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT & RESEARCH (TA&R) PROGRAM IN THE AREA OF OIL SPILL RESPONSE RESEARCH SOL 1435-01-99-RP-3999 DUE 093099 POC Michael Hargrove, Contracting Officer; Lane Donley, Procurement Assistant; both can be reached at (703)787-1354 WEB: Minerals Management Service home page and links to, http://www.mms.gov AND http://www.mms.gov/tarp AND http://www.mms.gov/tarp/os4.htm AND www.ohmsett.com. E-MAIL: Contracting Officer and Procurement Assistant, Michael.Hargrove@mms.gov AND Lane.Donley@mms.gov. This is a re-issue of a previous announcement to remind potential offerors that this request for White Papers is still open. The original announcement read as follows: This announcement is issued to solicit White Papers no more than 5 pages in length for specific areas of interest to the Minerals Management Service (MMS) TA&R Programs Oil Spill Response Research. (Note that cost estimates are not to be included. The White Papers will be evaluated only on technical merits.) This announcement shall remain open until September 30, 1999 (specific details are provided below). The areas of interest are as follows: (1) Innovative Oil Spill Containment and Recovery Technologies -- The MMS is seeking technologies that will facilitate the containment and recovery of spilled oil in the open ocean. The MMS seeks to test and evaluate full-scale prototype and noncommercially available technologies at Ohmsett -- The National Oil Spill Response Test Facility, located in Leonardo, New Jersey. MMS will use American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) testing standards as applicable in their evaluations. (2) Detection and Tracking of Oil Under Ice -- Increased offshore exploration, development and production are planned for the Beaufort and Chukchi Sea=s. Methods of detecting and tracking oil in and under ice should be investigated. MMS is seeking new and innovative methods and equipment for the remote sensing and surveillance of spilled oil in and under the ice in the Arctic. This equipment must be able to locate and accurately map the location of the submerged oil. (3) Detection and Tracking of Oil in Deepwater on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) -- Increased offshore exploration, development and production are planned for deepwater (5,000 feet and greater) in Gulf of Mexico. MMS is seeking new and innovative methods and equipment for the remote sensing and surveillance of spilled oil from subsea releases. The equipment should detect and track surface signatures of subsea spills from deepwater systems,including flowlines/risers, umbilicals, and seafloor pipelines. Also, the equipment must be able to locate and accurately map the submerged oil. (4) Risk Assessment of Systems Used to Detect Spills from Deepwater Production Systems on the OCS -- MMS needs an assessment of the accuracy of the systems and equipment used to detect if a spill occurs from deepwater seafloor pipelines, multi phase flowlines, and risers. The research will suggest improvements to the spill-detection systems and equipment, as necessary. (5) Thickness Measurement of Oil Slicks on the Open Ocean -- At present there is no reliable method for accurately measuring the actual (not relative) thickness of an oil slick on water and transmitting this information to responders. MMS is seeking a reliable oil airborne oil slick thickness sensor that will allow spill countermeasures to be directed to the thicker portions of the slick. This equipment must be able to locate and accurately map the actual thickness of the oil slick and be able to fax a geo-referenced map of the slick to responders while airborne. This sensor could also be used to determine dispersant effectiveness during actual spill response. (6) Mechanical Cleanup in Ice Infested Waters -- Increased offshore and onshore development is planned for the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas (Northstar and Liberty). The State of Alaska currently does not recognize non-mechanical response techniques. MMS is seeking new and innovative designs for skimmers operating in ice infested waters. (7) Dispersant Use from MMS Regulated Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Facilities -- The U.S. Coast Guard has authorized the use of dispersant several times in the past year as a response to oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico. MMS is seeking technologies that will facilitate the use of dispersants from OSC facilities and support response vessels. MMS is interested in a technology assessment of the operational factors (including risk) of the use of dispersants from OSC facilities and support response vessels to response to oil spills. (8) Emulsion Formation, Stability and Properties -- There is a lack of knowledge of emulsion formation process at sea. Much has been learned in the laboratory about emulsion formation and properties of water-in-oil emulsions, and some at-seas trials in Europe have been conducted. However, conducting repeatable tests at sea is challenging and data interpretation is difficult. MMS is seeking proposals to conduct basic research on emulsion formation (with crude oils produced on the OCS) at Ohmsett -- The National Oil Spill Response Test Facility in Leonardo, New Jersey. Properties to address are: physical properties of emulsions formed by full-scale waves, effects of mixing energy related to emulsification rates and their physical properties, do laboratory scale predictions of emulsification tendency and stability apply in real conditions, do emulsions created by artificial means (gear pumps, mixers, etc.) compare with emulsions formed in waves. (9) Test Burns at Ohmsett -- The National Oil Spill Response Test Facility with Low Sooting Fuels -- Two fireboom test protocols have been evaluated. The USCG/MMS Mobile test protocol that used diesel fuel and air-injected propane test protocol used at Ohmsett. Each has advantages and disadvantages. Another possibility for testing in situ burning equipment at Ohmsett is the use of low-sooting fuels. MMS is seeking a technology assessment on the feasibility of using low-sooting fuels for in situ burn tests at Ohmsett. This technology assessment must include small and mid-scale comparison experiments. (10) Fire Resistant Boom Burn Testing and Evaluation at Ohmsett -- There has been a lot of effort in the past two years on the performance testing of new fire resistant booms and prototypes. Little is know about the performance of fire resistant booms presently stockpiled for in situ burning operations. MMS is seeking to obtain sections of different firebooms purchased by various response organizations (U.S. Coast Guard, Oil Spill Response Organizations, States, etc.) and subject them to the full air-injected propane fire test protocol (including pre-burn stress testing and post-burn low-viscosity oil containment testing). (11) Long-term Weathering of Spilled Oil from Deepwater Operations -- Of concern is the fact that large volume spills resulting from subsea releases of oil, might be continuous. Oil from these spills will not weather as quickly as oil from spills of short duration because there is a continuous source of unweathered oil. Substantial quantities of oil may be transported by winds and currents and vectored over large areas of open water. The ability to predict the physical and chemical changes (weathering) that occur in spilled oil resulting from subsea releases in deepwater for greater than 30 days is required. Proposed model must be calibrated with laboratory or field observational data. FURTHER INFORMATION: The MMS is interested in research initiatives relative to the subject areas noted above. As a result of the White Papers,selected proposals will be sought and evaluated for funding under the direction of the TA&R Program, and only efforts directly relevant to the technical issues listed above will be considered under this request. The MMS anticipates a $600,000 total budget for these projects (combined total for fiscal years (FY) 1999 and 2000) and/or a one-third to one man-year level of effort for each project selected. Offerors should bear this in mind when responding to this request for White Papers. Multi-year funding of projects is acceptable. HOW TO RESPOND: White papers must reference the area of interest under which it is to be considered and an ORIGINAL PLUS TEN copies submitted to the above address. White Papers received and accepted from APRIL 27, 1999 BUT BEFORE SEPTEMBER 30, 1999, by 12:00 P.M (Eastern Daylight Time) to our Herndon, Virginia office will be considered for funding in fiscal year 2000. ELECTRONIC COPIES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED (e.g. via e-mail attachments, telefaxes, etc.). White papers should define the proposed research scope to include the level of effort. Note that cost estimates ARE NOT to be included. The White Papers will be evaluated only on technical merits. If selected, a proposal will be requested and the costs evaluated at that time. Projects will be selected for funding 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 constitutes a request for proposal (RFP) but does not constitute commitment by the Government to award nor does it restrict the Government as to the ultimate acquisition approach. The Government will solicit those firms meeting the screening criteria in this synopsis. Respondents will not be notified of the results of the evaluation or the information submitted. Responses shall be evaluated on the following criteria in order of importance: (1) Innovative or creative approaches or solutions; (2) feasibility of the approach or solution; (3) the offerors understanding of the technical issues being presented for consideration; (4) the offerors ability to implement the proposed approach as determined by adequate detailed analysis and supported by specific accomplishments in the technical field to be studied; (5) the offeror=s record of past performance with similar efforts; (6) the availability of qualified personnel with the requisite expertise to accomplish the study as proposed; and, (7) the participation and/or funding by the oil and gas industry or other groups in the research effort (may be conducted as a joint industry project (JIP) if significant industry interest exists). Questions should be faxed or Emailed as soon as possible to (703) 787-1387 or Email addressed to BOTH Michael.Hargrove@mms.gov AND Lane.Donley@mms.gov. The RFP number MUST be in the subject line of the Email. All questions should additionally include your full name and title, RFP number, your organization, complete address, and telephone and fax numbers. Telephone inquires WILL NOT be accepted. Written inquires should be sent to the above office. A separate White Paper shall be submitted for each study the offeror wishes to propose. The White Paper shall identify clearly the offeror=s company/organization, point of contact, and telephone number as well as addresses. Responses will be accepted ONLY through SEPTEMBER 30, 1999 (12:00p.m. EDT B refer to the separation of the fiscal year commitments discussed above). If offerors desire to hand deliver their capability statements, then they are informed that this is a secure office complex and MUST NOT enter the building beyond the lobby. There is a courtesy telephone near the elevators to which you must call extension 1354 for a procurement official to pick-up your submittal. Posted 07/06/99 (W-SN350585). (0187)

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