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

B -- DEVELOPMENT OF A REGULATORY AIR QUALITY MODEL FOR OCS APPLICATIONS SOL 1435-01-00-RP-31071 DUE 051600 POC Lisa Goins-Berntsen, Contracting Officer 703-787-1364 E-MAIL: click here to contact the contracting officer via, lisa-goins@mms.gov. The U.S. Department of the Interior Minerals Management Service (MMS) intends to competitively award a Cost Plus Fixed Fee contract for a study to develop an updated regulatory model for evaluating air quality impacts from emission sources located on federal waters on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). The following information will describe the prospective effort and advise potential offerors how to respond. The MMS is in charge of a national program to develop the mineral resources, including oil and gas, on the OCS areas of the United States. The areas of oil/gas development are located at distances ranging from three (3) miles to more than 100 miles from shore. Currently most of the activities take place in the Gulf of Mexico. In the early 1980s the MMS developed the Offshore & Coastal Dispersion (OCD) model, a steady-state Gaussian model for evaluating impacts from inert pollutants (NO2, SO2, CO, PM) emitted from point, line, or area sources located over water. Since the science of dispersion modeling has made significant advances over the last couple of decades, there is a need to develop a model for application to emission sources on the OCS that incorporates, to the extent feasible, the most current knowledge and is versatile enough to be used in short-range as well as long-range applications. The objective of this study is to formulate a new or revised air quality model for offshore and coastal applications. It shall be carried out in two phases. The first phase shall consist of a review of current puff models for the purpose of determining which one could be most effectively adopted, modified, or enhanced for use in an offshore and coastal environment. This shall be accomplished by comparing model algorithms with formulations derived from current theory and observations of the marine boundary layer and overwater dispersion characteristics. The results of this review and analysis shall be used to develop a plan for the formulation and development of a revised offshore and coastal air quality model. In the second phase, a revised air quality model shall be developed. A revised or enhanced CALMET/CALPUFF system is preferred, but another Lagrangian trajectory model may be considered. The model shall be designed to calculate 1, 3, 8, 24-hour, and annual average concentrations of the so-called "nonreactive" pollutants (i.e., NO2, SO2, PM, and CO). Simulation of ozone (O3) concentrations shall not be considered. The model shall contain simple chemistry for calculating NO2, nitrates, and sulfates, and be able to simulate wet/dry deposition. The model shall have the capability to use the most basic overwater meteorological input variables (i.e., wind speed and direction at roughly 10 m above the water surface, air temperature at about 10 m, sea surface temperature, and relative humidity). However, the model shall have the option of incorporating data from overwater rawinsonde observations or profilers. The requirements for overland meteorological data and surface characteristics shall be the same as those for AERMOD or CALPUFF (e.g., wind speed, cloud cover, albedo, Bowen ratio, roughness length). The model shall have the ability to simulate pollutant concentrations at overwater receptors, at receptors in the land/water transition zone, and at receptors at inland locations where overland conditions predominate. The range of the model shall extend from less than 100 m to distances of up to 200 km or more downwind of the source. The model shall also contain algorithms to take terrain into account. The building downwash algorithms shall take into account platform structures as well as vessels. The model shall contain appropriate algorithms for calculating over water mixing heights. These shall be based on either existing formulations from the literature or new/modified ones. The model shall also contain an empirical scheme to adjust the 3-D wind field to account for land/sea breeze circulation systems. This scheme will take into account land/sea temperature contrast, heat flux, time of day, terrain, and general synoptic flow. The model shall have the capability to be run in a screening mode (similar to running CALPUFF in the ISC mode) for single facilities as well as in runs utilizing complete 3-D meteorological data, hundreds of sources, and domains the size of several hundred kilometers. The complete model package shall consist of (1) pre-processors for generating land use and terrain data, (2) meteorological data pre-processor, (3) a meteorological model, (4) an air quality model, and (5) post-processors. The meteorological data pre-processor shall have the capability of reading National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) buoy data, identify data gaps, and re-format the data for input into the meteorological model. The post-processors shall be designed so that the user to view the meteorological input associated with episodes of peak concentrations. The model code will be in Fortran 90 programming language. A user-friendly, Windows based Graphical User Interface (GUI) program shall be constructed for use in generating input control files, running the model, and manipulating output files. The model, including any of the codes, shall be non-proprietary. The model shall be designed to run on a PC, and should have the capability to be transferred to a UNIX workstation. Ease of use shall be of high priority. The final product will be used by offshore operators for MMS plan reviews or for EPA permit applications. Emission sources include offshore platforms, construction activities, vessels, and oil spills. The models will also be used by MMS in programmatic air quality analysis for OCS lease sales. The model shall also have the capability to address visibility. A test version of the model shall be constructed and sensitivity tests and model performance evaluations conducted. The model performance evaluation shall utilize data collected in tracer experiments that were conducted in several coastal areas in California and Louisiana, and any other marine or coastal data that may be available elsewhere. The model predicted values shall be compared against measured concentrations in the field using basic EPA guidance on model performance evaluations. Following completion of the sensitivity tests and model performance evaluations, a final model package shall be delivered. How To Respond: In order to compete for this contract, interested parties must demonstrate that they are qualified to perform the work by providing a Capabilities Statement detailing: (1) your key personnel (those who would have the primary responsibility for performing and/or managing the project) with their qualifications and specific experience; (2) Your organization's experience with this type of work and a description of your facilities; and (3) specific reference (including project identifier/contract number and description, period of performance, dollar amount, client name, and current telephone number) for work of this nature that your personnel or organization is currently performing or has completed within the last two years. The capability statements must be received in Herndon, VA by May 9, 2000. Also please include any negative references and your rebuttal explaining your side of the story. All references will be checked to validate the information provided. Offerors shall submit an original and ten (10) copies of the Capabilities Statement to Ms. Lisa S. Goins-Berntsen, Contracting Officer, Minerals Management Service, Procurement Operations Branch, 381 Elden St., MS 2510, Herndon, VA 20170-4817. Your Capabilities Statement will be evaluated based on the skills, abilities, education, professional credentials, and experience of your proposed key personnel and experience and past performance of your organization, including number, size, location of projects, and complexity of similar projects completed by the proposed project team and your organization to determine your potential for success and contract award. You must have demonstrated capabilities in investigating atmospheric boundary layer processes and atmospheric dispersion, particularly in a marine and coastal environment and the ability to formulate and develop complex meteorological and air quality models for regulatory applications. You must also have strong credentials in computer programming, writing of computer codes, and construction of complete model software packages, including pre-processor and post-processor programs and graphical user interfaces (GUIs). Finally, you must have expertise in conducting air quality model performance evaluations using data from atmospheric tracer experiments and other sources. Past performance includes adherence to schedules and budgets, effectiveness of cost control, the acceptability of previous products delivered, effectiveness of program management, and the Offeror's willingness to cooperate with the customer in both routine matters and when confronted by unexpected difficulties. Following the review of all Capabilities Statements submitted, those judged most qualified to successfully perform the effort will be provided additional written proposal instructions. You will be expected to provide an oral presentation, in Herndon, VA, of your technical proposal if judged to be technically qualified. While telephone questions are strongly discouraged, written, E-mail or faxed inquires are encouraged. Please send questions as soon as possible to lisa.goins@mms.gov. Please include the RFP Number 1435-01-00-31071 as well as your full name, organization name, address, phone and FAX numbers. It is the responsibility of the offeror to ensure that the Capabilities Statements are received at or before the date/time set forth above. Posted 04/24/00 (W-SN447968). (0115)

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0011 20000426\B-0005.SOL)