B -- STUDY ENTITLED NORTH AND MID-ATLANTIC INFORMATION RESOURSES DATA SEARCH AND LITERATURE SYNTHESIS

Notice Date

May 31, 2001

Contracting Office

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

ZIP Code

20170-4817

Solicitation Number

1435-01-00-RFP-31160

Response Due

June 15, 2001

Point of Contact

Betty M. Estey Contracting Officer (703)787-1352 and Linda Richards (703) 787-1366

E-Mail Address

Contracting Officer's email address (Betty.Estey@mms.gov)

Description

The Department of Interior, Minerals Management Service (MMS), intends to competitively award a contract for a study for the Gulf of Mexico Region entitled, "North and Mid-Atlantic Information Resources Data Search and Literature Synthesis." Background The northern U.S. Atlantic seaboard between Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, and Canada has not been extensively drilled nor developed for potential oil and gas reserves. However, there are areas with some reservoir potential, for example off the coast of New Jersey and in the area formerly known as the Manteo Exploration Unit off North Carolina. In anticipation of managing the exploitation of potential or proven reserves in the MMS North and Mid-Atlantic Planning Areas, the MMS needs comprehensive information on the human and environmental aspects of the region. There have been only meager initiatives in oil and gas exploration in this frontier Atlantic Coast area for many varied reasons. However, there is still lingering and renewed industry interest in the region. There is potential for future ecological and socioeconomic impacts, and the MMS requires an updated understanding of the ecological communities, the dominant processes that drive the shelf and deep-sea ecosystems, and the potential sensitivities of the area. . The general purpose of this regional investigation is to gather environmental and socioeconomic information. This information base will provide for a description of the ecosystem, an understanding of the environmental processes that drive the system, and the nature of processes potentially sensitive to anthropogenic activities, particularly oil and gas operations. This planned eighteen (18) month effort will develop an information base by conducting a comprehensive search and integration of existing environmental and socioeconomic information for the MMS's Northern Atlantic and Mid-Atlantic Planning Areas, corresponding almost exactly to the eastern seaboard from Cape Hatteras, N.C. to the U.S.-Canada border and encompassing the United States Exclusive Economic Zone. The overall study goal is to provide information to ensure that any future development of offshore petroleum resources will be in harmony with the protection of natural resources in these Planning Areas. Specific objectives of this study are to develop a structured, computer-searchable information database and a synthesis document for the study area as follows: The computer-searchable database will incorporate existing literature, relevant data, and ongoing research pertaining to technology and the physical, geological, chemical, and biological processes of the study area as well as the social and economic data and literature. Any new technologies will be surveyed as well as they apply specifically to unusual or extreme bottom and current conditions (e.g. hydrates and Gulf Stream). The synthesis document will provide a summary of available information by topic. Information will be synthesized in a framework to describe the study area ecosystem, dominant processes at work in the study area, biologically sensitive pathways of the ecological processes, and socioeconomic activities found in the area as they relate to potential oil and gas activities. This synthesis document will provide input into the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documents and will provide a framework for other information search and synthesis activities and also for identification of data gaps that could be filled in subsequent research activities. This effort will provide a unified, multidisciplinary, bibliography covering the above subject disciplines, a list of data and other sources, and a synthesis report summarizing the scope, coverage, and quality of the materials found. For this study, the minimum number of areas of scientific expertise and experience required will be: a (1) Social and Economic Sciences, (2) Research and Development Technology, (3) Physical Oceanography and Air-Sea Interaction, (4) Geological Oceanography, (5) Chemical Oceanography, and (6) Biological Oceanography. Cost is expected to be from $300,000 to $350,000. To Respond: In order to compete for this contract, interested parties must demonstrate that they are qualified to perform work by providing Capabilities Statements no later than June 15, 2001 at 4:00 PM Eastern Standard Time Detailing: (1) Your key personnel, scientific and technical, (those who would have the primary responsibility for performing and/or managing the project) with their qualifications and specific expertise and experience. Particularly relevant is their expertise in the fields of social and economic sciences; physical oceanography and air-sea interaction; and geological, chemical, and biological oceanography; (2) Your organization's experience with this type of work and a description of your facilities; and (3) Specific references (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 three years. In accordance with FAR 15.305 2 (ii) The offeror's should also provide information on problems encountered on the identified contracts and the offeror's corrective action. If the offerors have subcontractors that will perform major or critical aspects of the requirement past performance information should also be submitted when such information is relevant to the acquisition. References will be checked to validate the information provided. Offerors shall submit an original and three (3) copies of the Capabilities Statement to Ms. Betty Estey, Contracting Officer, Minerals Management Service, Procurement Operations Branch, 381 Elden St., MS 2510, Herndon, VA 20170-4817. Seven (7) additional copies shall be submitted to Ms. Connie Landry, Minerals Management Service, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region, 1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard, MS 5431, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394. It is the responsibility of the Offeror to ensure that the Capabilities Statements are received by the dates and time set forth above. Timeliness of receipt of submissions will be determined by the time received in the Procurement Operations Branch, Herndon, Virginia. Your capabilities statement will be evaluated based on: (1) Past performance which 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. (2) The degree of comparability of past projects to the current project, including number, complexity, and size; (3) The experience and expertise of all scientific and technical Key Personnel. Evaluation factors include the length and quality of experience for each person assigned to perform specific tasks, their experience and expertise in the fields applicable to the performance of this study. (4) Your Project Manager's demonstrated leadership ability and experience with managing a multi-disciplinary team and the interdisciplinary processes required for this study, and ability to control costs and to keep project performance and document preparation on schedule. . In accordance with FAR 15.202 MMS will evaluate the capability statements received using the evaluation criteria in this notice, and shall advise each respondent as to their likelihood of being a viable competitor based on the information submitted. The respondents that participate in the next submission of proposals will be provided a detailed request for proposal and will be required to give an oral presentation. Offerors are strongly discouraged to use the telephone numbers submitted below to receive answers to their questions but written, E-mail or faxed inquires are strongly encouraged. Please send questions as soon as possible to Betty.Estey@mms.gov and send a cc to Linda.Richards@mms.gov. Please include your RFP Number 1435-01-00-RFP-31160, your full name, organization name, address, email address, phone and FAX numbers. If it is necessary to call for information contact Betty M. Estey or Linda Richards between the hours of 8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. EST Monday-Friday at (703) 787-1354 or by FAX on 703-787-1387. Please note this is not a set-aside but for information purposes this applies: SMALL DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS (SDB) REGULATORY CHANGE NOTICE: The Federal Acquisition Regulation authorizes the use of price and evaluation credits in industries where SDB prime contractors and subcontractors have been underutilized. We ask that you inform your SDB subcontractors that they should contact SBA's Office of Certification and Eligibility at 800-558-0884 to obtain an application, or to log on to SBA's website (http://www.sba.gov/sdb). If you are an SDB prime contractor who is not SBA-certified, we also ask that you apply for certification. Effective October 1, 1999 certified SDB prime contractors were eligible for a price credit when bidding on Federal prime contracts. Effective January 1, 1999, prime contractors who subcontract with SBA-certified or self-certified SDBs are eligible for evaluation credits. Please note that prime contractors may continue to rely on self-certification of their SDB subcontractors through June 30, 1999. For solicitations issued on or after July 1, 1999, prime contractors must use SDB-certified SDB subcontractors in order to be eligible for evaluation credits.

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010604/BSOL010.HTM (W-151 SN50N6C0)