SOLICITATION NOTICE
B -- Empirical Weathering Properties of Oil in Snow and Ice
- Notice Date
- 5/6/2004
- Notice Type
- Solicitation Notice
- Contracting Office
- Minerals Management Service Procurement Operations Branch 381 Elden Street, MS 2500 Herndon VA 20170
- ZIP Code
- 22170-4817
- Solicitation Number
- 0104AN34501
- Response Due
- 5/28/2004
- Archive Date
- 5/6/2005
- Point of Contact
- Sharon Teger Business Specialist 7037871263 sharon.teger@mms.gov;
- E-Mail Address
-
Point of Contact above, or if none listed, contact the IDEAS EC HELP DESK for assistance
(EC_helpdesk@NBC.GOV)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- PLEASE READ THIS ENTIRE NOTICE CAREFULLY AS IT CONSTITUTES THE ONLY NOTICE THAT WILL BE ISSUED. The Department of the Interior, Minerals Management Service (MMS), intends to competitively award a contract to meet specific objectives of the study entitled Empirical Weathering Properties of Oil in Snow and Ice. This study will make precise measurements regarding oil evaporation, spreading, and other behavior in and on ice and snow as functions of physical conditions and oil properties. The work may be done in any combination of small scale (cold room) laboratory, basin, or as experimental spills in sea ice or snow. Both high and low pour-point crudes will be tested. The experimental data in concert with other oil-ice weathering data will be used to validate and enhance or develop new algorithms of oil weathering in ice and snow. ESTIMATED LEVEL OF EFFORT: The government estimates a period of performance for this contract will be from 2004-2007 and a cost range of $600,000 to 700,000. BACKGROUND: Oil spill weathering models are used in National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis as well as in Oil Discharge Prevention and Contingency Plans (ODPCPs). The results of these models are used to estimate impacts in the NEPA analysis and in pre-planning for oil spills. A modest amount of work in the field was done in the 1970's and 1980's on first-order physics for oil weathering in ice. Additional studies have continued in the laboratory in the late 1980's and 1990's, but were generally limited to low viscosity, low-pour-point oils. We now know that oil weathering is strongly dependent on the specific chemical composition and properties of individual crudes. The sort of chemical-component-specific data required by modern state-of-the-art models such as the SINTEF (a Norwegian acronym which in English stands for The Foundation for Scientific and Industrial Research at the Norwegian Institute of Technology) Oil Weathering Model used by MMS in Alaska are scarce, of poor quality or nonexistent for oil-ice interaction. Such models, therefore, ignore the more difficult aspects of oil-in-ice weathering. The sophisticated measurement techniques currently available would enable precise measurements regarding oil evaporation, spreading, and dispersion in ice, as well as on ice and in snow, as a function of oil type and chemistry. SCOPE OF WORK: TASK 1 - HOLD POST-AWARD CONFERENCE WITH MMS. The Contractor shall hold a post-award conference with Alaska OCS Region staff within three weeks of contract award, to insure a clear understanding by all of study tasks, concerns, availability of specific crudes for testing, other relevant data and reports, coordination issues, and timelines. The Contractor shall provide a draft agenda to participants prior to the meeting. The Contractor shall provide a Meeting Summary to participants within one week of meeting, and list any changes needed to planned work as a result of the meeting. TASK 2 - SMALL SCALE STUDIES OF OIL BEHAVIOR IN SEA ICE AND SNOW. Use quantitative techniques to measure how physical conditions interact with individual oils to affect oil behavior and weathering properties. The work may be done in any combination of small scale (cold room) laboratory, basin, or as experimental spills in sea ice or snow. However, it is important to have some knowledge about the oil properties before performing any field studies and results from the field should also be reproduced in the laboratory when the field work is completed. Economies of scale should be used to test a larger suite of oils in laboratory experiments. Both high and low pour point crudes should be used. Liberty and Endicott crudes are examples of high pour point crudes, with pour point close to ambient environmental temperatures. Use of crudes characterized in prior laboratory or field testing may be advantageous, if the weathering properties are known under more regular (nonArctic) conditions. Subtask 2A - Use quantitative techniques to measure spreading on and under ice and in snow. Which oil properties affect stripping velocity (relative water velocity needed to move oil under ice) and equilibrium thickness of oil under the ice? How are the stripping velocities affected by these oil properties? How does the relationship between stripping velocity and these oil properties change for different ice roughnesses? How do oil properties affect equilibrium oil thickness under the ice? Quantitatively describe spreading of (cooled) oil at environmental temperatures on ice or in snow on ice. Subtask 2B - Use quantitative techniques to measure evaporation in broken ice, on solid ice and in snow, down to cold temperatures, on the order of -30 to -40 degrees Centigrade. Establish which and quantify how oil properties and physical environmental conditions (e.g.; percent ice cover, geometry of ice cover) affect evaporation in broken first-year ice. Quantify how cold temperatures affect evaporation of oil on solid ice as a function of oil properties. Quantify how snow cover over oil affects evaporation of oil. Subtask 2C - Use quantitative techniques to measure slick thickness. Evaluate whether thicker oil slicks will be formed in cold water because of higher oil viscosity (correlation of slick thickness with temperature and crude type/viscosity). Subtask 2D - Use quantitative techniques to investigate vertical oil migration through brine channels. Establish which and quantify how oil properties and physical environmental conditions affect ability of or timing of oil migration up brine channels to ice surface in first-year sea ice. Subtask 2E - Use quantitative techniques to measure emulsification in broken ice. Establish which and quantify how oil properties and physical environmental conditions affect emulsification and water uptake in broken first-year ice. Subtask 2F - Use quantitative techniques to measure corollary physical parameters and oil properties important to oil behavior and weathering in ice and snow. TASK 3 - DATA ANALYSIS. Use data from Task 2 to develop a dataset from the experimental data for use to validate weathering algorithms and oil weathering models in the presence of ice and snow. TASK 4 - IMPROVEMENT OF OIL WEATHERING ALGORITHMS IN ICE AND SNOW. Use these experimental data in concert with other oil-ice weathering data to validate and enhance or develop new algorithms of ice weathering in ice suitable for inclusion in oil-weathering models. TASK 5 - PROGRAM AND DATA MANAGEMENT. The Contractor shall operate under the program-management plan and data-management plan described in the Contractor's proposal. The data-management plan shall ensure that all data are properly recorded, validated, made available to cognizant investigators for further analyses. TASK 6 - REPORTING. The contractor shall participate in an Alaska OCS Region Information Transfer Meeting (ITM). The ITM would provide an honorarium and per diem and reimburse travel costs. The Contractor shall submit quarterly progress (letter) reports to the Contracting Officer's Technical Representative (COTR). The progress reports shall include: (1) a brief summary of all preceding work and overall progress made against the schedule, (2) a brief summary of any resolutions agreed to between Contractor and MMS regarding these problems, (3) a brief summary of significant technical, schedule, or cost problems encountered, including an assessment of their probable effects on meeting contract provisions, and (4) a list of all significant meetings held, consultations, or other contacts made in connection with the contract, including a brief summary of the participants and subject, date, location, and outcome of each such contact or meeting. Any final field logistics plans with schedules and field reports shall be included in the appropriate quarterly reports. The Contractor shall provide MMS with an Annual Technical Report describing the data obtained and initial Tasks 2-4 results. A digital copy of the collated data shall be provided to MMS with the report. These technical reports would each replace one of the quarterly reports. The contractor shall complete and submit draft Final Report and Technical Summary to MMS for scientific and editorial review. The report and summary should cover all technical Tasks. A copy of the standard MMS formatting requirements for technical summaries and cover/title page specifications for the report will be provided by MMS when requested after contract award. The MMS shall review the draft report and summary and shall provide review comments to the Contractor within 30 to 45 days after receiving the draft documents. The Contractor shall revise the Final Report and Technical Summary and complete as per review comments. Provide the rationale in a letter accompanying the final report for any review comments not accommodated. Provide 20 copies of the report, a high-quality master copy, and 20 PC-pdf digital copies to MMS on CD-ROM. Resolution of pdf figures and tables should be sufficiently high so as to allow incorporation of their clear images into MS Powerpoint presentations. Bibliographic citations for the final report should also be provided to MMS in ProCite 5or newer (or as a file directly importable into ProCite). Provide a final Technical Summary, revised from the draft as per review comments and a PC-compatible digital copy in MS Word 6 or newer to MMS by email or on digital PC media. TASK 7 - PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION OF JOURNAL ARTICLE(S). The contractor shall prepare and submit a scientific article(s) to a peer-reviewed journal(s). Drafts of manuscripts will be provided to MMS prior to journal submittal. Articles will summarize major objectives, methods, significant results, conclusions, and implications of the work. Submission of multiple journal articles dealing with auxiliary subjects matter is encouraged but not required. If published, reprints shall be provided to MMS. All journal articles must include MMS in the acknowledgments section and reference the agreement number to facilitate accession through the Environmental Studies Program Information System (ESPIS). Because of the long lead time that is usual for scientific publication, the Contractor is encouraged to start on this submission in parallel with or prior to completion of the final report. HOW TO RESPOND: In order to compete for these requirements, interested parties MUST demonstrate that they are qualified to perform the work by providing a statement of capabilities by COB EST, Friday, May 28, 2004, detailing: (1) your key personnel (those who would have primary responsibility for performing and/or managing the tasks with their qualifications and specific experience; (2) your facilities (laboratory, cold room, and other facilities and instruments necessary to accomplish the tasks); (3) your organizational experience; and (4) specific references (including contract number & project description, period of performance, dollar amount, client identification with the point of contact & telephone number & E-mail address) for previous work of this nature that your key personnel or organization has performed within the last four years (references will be checked). If you believe the Government will find derogatory information as a result of checking your past performance record, please provide an explanation and any remedial action taken by your company to address the problem. FOLLOWING REVIEW OF ALL CAPABILITIES STATEMENTS, we will establish a list of those offerors MMS has evaluated as most qualified to perform this study. All offerors will be informed of the results of the evaluation, including an assessment of their strengths and weaknesses. A written request for proposal (RFP) will then be forwarded to those offerors deemed most qualified, instructing them on the written portion of their proposals and the oral presentation requirements, and schedule. An Offeror may substitute a recorded presentation (videotape, DVD, etc.) for the oral presentation accompanied by live teleconference during the question and clarification phase with concurrence of the CO. Your Capabilities Statement will be evaluated based on your key personnel skills, abilities and experience; your organization's facilities; and your organization's experience and past performance (including number, size, and complexity of similar projects, adherence to schedules and budgets, effectiveness of program management, willingness to cooperate when difficulties arise, general compliance with the terms of the contracts, and acceptability of delivered products.) Interested parties shall submit their Capabilities Statements in original and one (1) copy to Sharon Teger, Contract Specialist, Minerals Management Service, 381 Elden Street, MS-2500, Herndon, VA 20170-4817. Two (2) additional copies shall be sent to Richard Prentki, Ph.D., Minerals Management Service, Alaska OCS Region, 949 E. 36th Avenue, Anchorage, AK 99508. Timeliness of receipt of submissions will be determined by the time received in the Procurement Operations Branch, Herndon VA. Questions should be faxed as soon as possible to Sharon Teger at Fax (703) 787-1041. Please include your full name, the RFP number (1435-01-04-AN-34501) and title, your organization, complete address, and phone and fax numbers. TELEPHONIC QUESTIONS OR REQUESTS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. NOTE: THIS NOTICE WAS NOT POSTED TO WWW.FEDBIZOPPS.GOV ON THE DATE INDICATED IN THE NOTICE ITSELF (06-MAY-2004); HOWEVER, IT DID APPEAR IN THE FEDBIZOPPS FTP FEED ON THIS DATE. PLEASE CONTACT fbo.support@gsa.gov REGARDING THIS ISSUE.
- Web Link
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Please click here to view more details.
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- Record
- SN00581167-F 20040508/040506213737 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
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