B -- WHITE PAPERS SOUGHT FOR PROPOSESD RESEARCH TO SUPPORT THE TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT AND RESEARCH PROGRAM

Notice Date

July 13, 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

1435-01-01-RP-31174

Response Due

August 28, 2001

Point of Contact

Michael W. Hargrove, Contracting Officer and Terry W. Carroll, Procurement Technician

E-Mail Address

Contracting Officer and Procurement Technician e-mail (Michael.hargrove@mms.gov and Terry.carroll@mms.gov)

Description

This announcement solicits White Papers, of not more than five (5) pages in length, for specific areas of interest to the Minerals Mangement Service (MMS) Technology Assessment and Research (TA&R) Program, Operational Safety and Engineering Research (OSER). The MMS web site has descriptions of OSER activities, the scope of MMS interests, and past projects. The web site address is http://www.mms.gov/tarp/safety.htm. We encourage interested parties to view the information presented on the site when considering submitting White Papers. BACKGROUND: Research sponsored by MMS through the TA&R Program is used to acquire basic engineering information needed to oversee the orderly development of offshore oil and gas operations. New challenges and informational needs arise as companies use new equipment or procedures based on technological changes or as operations expand into new or different environments such as the deep water areas of the Gulf of Mexico (GOM). The principal objective of this request for White Papers is to address innovative or technological advancements among several general topics of current interest to MMS. As a result of the White Papers submitted in accordance with the terms of this announcement, selected proposals shall be requested. Projects selected for eventual funding by MMS shall receive funding from FY 2002 funds. The MMS anticipates a total of $885,000 to $1,200,000 may be available for the initiation of new research proposals addressing OSER topics in FY 2002 with projects being identified through this announcement and additional avenues. Typical projects envisioned to address the topics set forth below may require one quarter to one man-year effort and prospective offerors shall bear this in mind when responding to this request. OBJECTIVES: The proposed objectives for the FY 2002 OSER activities include, but are not limited to, research related to the following: (1) State-of-the-art assessment for drilling and completing extended reach and multilateral wells with emphasis on well control procedures and risks. (2) State-of-the-art assessment for synthetic drilling fluids used in deepwater drilling with emphasis on the operational differences from water-based drilling fluids. (3) Performance assessment of surface blowout preventer (BOP) equipment during workovers. (4) Performance assessment of blind-shear or shear rams used in subsea and surface BOP stacks. The assessment should examine the shearing capability for various grades of drill pipe and other tubulars under varying conditions; comparison of shear rams and blind-shear rams; and configuration options for placing the blind-shear rams in the stack. (5) Unique flow assurance projects to predict and mitigate the hazards associated with production from deep water areas. (6) Comparative risk assessment of the decommissioning options for removing the large platforms located in deep water from the Pacific OCS Region. (7) Innovative topics for the assessment of pipeline damage, repair, and integrity. (8) Assessment of methods for protecting steel pipeline risers on offshore production facilities. This project should assess design, construction/installation, inspection, and repair options for protecting pipeline risers. (9) Evaluation of alternative methods of testing leakage rates of underwater safety valves (USV's) and surface-controlled subsurface safety valves (SCSSVs) used in subsea wells with direct hydraulic control systems. (10) Assessment of gas disposition alternatives for deepwater OCS developments. The assessment should examine the technical (including efficiency), economic and safety issues associated with the various gas handling options for development projects that would rely on oil transportation by shuttle vessel. Examples of gas handling options would include, but not be limited to: pipeline; flaring; delayed production; reinjection/reproduce; LNG transport, CNG transport, gas-to-liquids conversion. (11) Assessments and evaluations of the operational limitations of subsea production systems and their component parts. (12) Assessment of the capabilities and limitations of the various types of subsea control systems. (13) Assessment of possible methods for inhibiting hydrate formation in the completion fluid of the production annulus, when produced gas leaks into the annulus of deepwater wells. (14) Evaluation of methods of monitoring and detecting corrosion in process piping utilized in the offshore oil and gas industry. (15) Development of a process for evaluating the conditions under which dry chemical are equivalent to water in providing sufficient fire suppression capabilities to allow for safe egress of personnel from a typical Gulf of Mexico OCS facility. (16) Aging infrastructure to include integrity assessment issues to include corrosion control and repair methodologies. This technology needs to be extended to address larger deepwater fixed facilities as well as deepwater floating facilities to include SPARS, TLPs and FPSOs. (17) Development of integrity assessment methods, guidelines and standards for composite structural elements for use in offshore oil and gas operations to include identifying the latest available technologies, experience in use and method of retrieving and interpreting the data. (18) Development and assessment of issues relative to structural monitoring methodologies and techniques to assess the long term durability and integrity of synthetic moorings for deepwater applications in the GOM. (19) Assessment of the hull, mooring and riser design and its integration with topside operation for floating facilities (to include hull motion and global force predictions). Certain aspects relative to FPSO design, such as single level layout, vessel motions, deck flexure, marine classification and the control of production and marine systems such as ballast and cargo result in a different set of design parameters compared to fixed platforms and should be better understood to ensure safety and pollution free operations. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The MMS is interested in research initiatives relative to safety and pollution practices related to Offshore operations. As a result of the White Papers, selected proposals will be sought and evaluated for funding. Efforts to be considered should be to the above stated issues and/or other related issues to the Offshore operations. Multi-year funding of project is acceptable. HOW TO RESPOND: White Papers of not more than five (5) pages in length, an ORGINAL PLUS five (5) copies and one (1) electronic copy in pdf format, on a CD, or on a standard 3 inch diskette, shall be submitted to the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE, 381 ELDEN STREET, HERNDON VA 20170-4817, not later than August 28, 2001, 04:00 PM, EDT. WHITE PAPERS SENT THROUGH EMAIL AND FAXES SHALL NOT ACCEPTED. White Papers should define the proposed research scope and included the level of effort. NOTE THAT COST ESTIMATES ARE NOT TO BE INCLUDED. The White Papers shall be evaluated only on technical merits. If your white paper is selected for further evaluation, a proposal shall be requested and you must also submit a cost proposal at that time. Projects shall be selected from all or part of the technical issues listed depending on the interest and scope of White Papers received. The MMS shall evaluate the responses, and those deemed to have merit shall be furnished information to assist in the preparation of a complete proposal. This announcement constitutes a Request for Proposal (RFP), but does not obligate the Government to consummate award. Respondents SHALL NOT be notified of the results of the evaluation or the information submitted. WHITE PAPERS SHALL BE EVALUATED USING THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA: (1) feasibility of the approach or solution; (2) the offerors understanding of the technical issues; (3) the offerors ability to implement the proposed approach; (4) innovative or creative approaches or solutions including the participation and/or funding by the oil and gas industry or other groups in the research industry interest exists), where appropriate; (5) past performance. 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 (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. QUESTIONS shall be E-mail addressed to BOTH Michael.Hargrove@mms.gov AND Terry.Carroll@mms.gov or faxed on 703-787-1387. The RFP number MUST be in the subject line of the E-mail. All questions shall include the RFP number, your full name and title, your organization, complete address, and telephone and fax numbers. Telephone inquires SHALL NOT be accepted. A separate White Paper shall be submitted for each study on which the offeror wished to propose. The White Paper shall identify clearly the offeror's company/organization, point of contact, address, telephone and facsimile numbers. Responses shall be accepted ONLY until August 28, 2001, 04:00 p.m., EDT. If offerors desire to hand deliver their White Papers, they are informed the MMS facility is a secure office complex and offerors 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 receive your submittal.

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010717/BSOL003.HTM (W-194 SN50R7S1)