Proposed Research on Development of Strategies, Techniques, and/or Technologies
The purpose of this amendment is to answer questions received in response to this BAA. See attachment, "Addendum - Amendment 1, Q&A" for questions and answers in response to this BAA. No changes have been made to the body of the BAA as a result of this amendment.
This is a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for Proposed Research on Development of Strategies, Techniques, and/or Technologies for Inhibiting Emulsions during an Oil Spill Response.
DESCRIPTION:
The U.S. Department of the InteriorB?s Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) is hereby soliciting White Papers in the subject topic area of interest to BSEEB?s Oil Spill Response Research (OSRR) Program on Oil Spill Response Operations on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).
This announcement constitutes a request for White Papers, but does not obligate the Government to consummate award. Respondents will not be notified of the results of the evaluation on the information submitted. The BSEE shall evaluate the responses, and those deemed to have merit shall be furnished information to assist in the preparation of the complete proposal.
If multiple white papers of interest are submitted, it is the intent to have multiple awards occur under this BAA as long as the funding is available.
BACKGROUND:
The U.S. Department of the InteriorB?s Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), Oil Spill Preparedness Division (OSPD), Response Research Branch manages the OSRR Program. This long-term research program is dedicated to improving spill response countermeasures and helping to develop decision making strategies for oil spill response in the offshore environment. The research efforts under this program seek to further the scientific understanding related to oil behavior and spill response, to improve the methods and technologies used during response operations, and to determine effective response methods using alternative countermeasures. One such countermeasure that could improve response operations is to inhibit the formation of emulsions of oil and water. Emulsions can be difficult to recover, burn, or treat the oil, and the collected emulsions require greater storage capacity for transport vessels.
TOPIC:
Proposed Research on Development of Strategies, Techniques, and/or Technologies for Inhibiting Emulsions during an Oil Spill Response
This broad agency announcement is hereby soliciting white papers on the development of strategies, techniques and/or technologies for inhibiting emulsions during an oil spill response. Emulsions of oil and water can quickly form on waterB?s surface due to sea energy, oil properties, and environmental conditions. These emulsions are difficult to recover, and once recovered, occupy large storage volumes on the recovery vessel. Emulsions also present difficulty when conducting in situ burn operations or chemical treatment. Concepts submitted under this topic should represent novel ideas, techniques, and/or approaches to inhibiting emulsions and include testing or demonstration of these ideas. These concepts should address use cases and economic benefits, application strategies and dosage if relevant, environmental concerns, ease of operability, improvements on recovery of and storage needs for the recovered fluid. The ideas presented must also take into consideration how the idea(s) proposed affect the recycling, processing, or disposal of the collected oil.
Responses to this announcement are limited to the above topic.
SUGGESTED RESOURCES:
1. Allen, A. A. (1988). Comparison of Response Options for Offshore Oil Spills. Proceedings of the Eleventh AMOP Technical Seminar (pp. 289-306). Environment Canada, Ottawa, ON.
2. Fingas, M. (2004). Weather Windows for Oil Spill Countermeasures. Retrieved from http://www.arlis.org/docs/vol1/191092451.pdf
3. BSEEB?s Oil Spill Response Research Project #486, B?B?Examining the Fate of Emulsion Breakers Used for DecantingB? conducted by SL Ross Environmental Research (2004).
https://www.bsee.gov/sites/bsee.gov/files/osrr-oil-spill-response-research//486aa.pdf
4. BSEEB?s Oil Spill Response Research Project #1088, B?Assessment of Oil Demulsification and Separation TechnologiesB? conducted by Nuka Research and Planning Group (2018).
https://www.bsee.gov/sites/bsee.gov/files/research-reports//1088aa.pdf
For a summary of research previously completed, as well as currently/recently performed, visit https://www.bsee.gov/site-page/master-list-of-oil-spill-response-research. Interested parties are encouraged to review the website information when considering submitting white papers.
BAA PROCESS:
The BSEE requests that White Papers be submitted in accordance with the terms of this announcement. After BSEEB?s review, authors of selected White Papers will be requested to submit full proposals for further consideration. BSEE anticipates that funding may be available for initiating new research and/or studies addressing topics identified through this announcement.
NOTICE: The BSEE may share the White Papers with other organizations for review. Potential contractors shall notify BSEE if they do not want their White Papers/proposals shared outside of the BSEE. The BSEE anticipates that awards resultant to this announcement will be made on a Firm Fixed Price (FFP) basis.
SUBMISSION OF QUESTIONS:
Any questions regarding this BAA shall be emailed to christina.williams@bsee.gov no later than 2:00 PM, Eastern Time on September 10, 2019. The BAA Number 140E0119R0022 must be referenced in the subject line of all emails. Emails shall include complete name and contact information for the organization, including the name of the organization, the organizationB?s complete physical address, the point of contactB?s full name and title, email address, and telephone number. Telephone inquiries will not be accepted.
SUBMISSION OF WHITE PAPERS:
White Papers shall be submitted to the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, Acquisition Operations Branch, via email to the Contracting Officer, Christina Williams at christina.williams@bsee.gov no later than 2:00 PM, Eastern Time on October 9, 2019. The BAA Number 140E0119R0022 must be referenced in the subject line of any White Paper submission. Emails shall include complete name and contact information for the offeror, including the name of the organization, the organizationB?s complete physical address, the point of contactB?s full name and title, email address, and telephone number. White papers shall be no more than five (5) pages in length, have one inch margins, single spacing, and Times New Roman 12 point font. White Papers shall define the proposed research scope, including background, problem, proposed solution, and feasibility of solution. Cost estimates shall not be included in the White Paper. If any requirements of this announcement are not met, the White Paper will not be evaluated.
NOTE REGARDING MULTIPLE SUBMISSIONS: A separate White Paper must be submitted for each research project in which the offeror wishes to propose in response to this announcement.
WHITE PAPER EVALUATION CRITERIA:
Each White Paper shall be evaluated to determine if it has merit. Merit will be determined by the feasibility of the approach or solution and the offerorB?s ability to implement the proposed approach. After evaluation of the White Papers, a formal solicitation will be released to those Offerors whose topics have been determined to have merit in accordance with the BAA and are most relevant as selected by the program office.
POINT OF CONTACT:
Christina Williams
Contracting Officer, Acquisition Operations Branch
U.S. Department of the Interior
Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE)
45600 Woodland Road, VAE-AMD
Sterling, VA 20166
Email: christina.williams@bsee.gov
Williams, Christina
