B09_Amend_1-140M0122R0005_issued_12May22_0001.pdf

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Solicitation No. 140M0122R0005, Amendment 0001

Questions and Answers Solicitation No. 140M0122R0005/Amendment 0001

Question 1: B.2 CONTRACT LINE ITEM NUMEBR (CLIN). CLIN 00010 is a time & materials (T&M) not-to-exceed (NTE) line item that if exceeded is at the contractor’s own risk.

With the unknown location and quantity of wells sites associated with the surveys and research cruises, there will be inherent unknow costs at the proposal stage associated with operations and vessel transits. Would BOEM be open to other CLINs to accommodate for these field related uncertainties?

Answer: No. Potential offerors are expected to estimate all costs which is the reason for the contract type selection.

Question 2: C.3 SCOPE OF WORK, C.3.2 TASK 2. Peer Reviews. How many peer reviewers is BOEM anticipating?

Answer: See Section L.9.1.2(c). It states, “Identify and describe two scientists to participate as a peer reviewer.” Section C.3.2 is being revised in response to the question as indicated on replacement page 5 of the solicitation.

Question 3: C.3 SCOPE OF WORK, C.3.3 TASK 3. Sample Selection of Site Locations. How many alternative abandoned well sites is BOEM anticipating?

Answer: Section C.3.3 is being revised in response to the question as indicated on replacement page 6 of the solicitation.

Question 4: K.1 FAR 52.204-8 ANNUAL REPRESENTATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS.

(Jan 2022) (a) (1) The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is 541330. Can BOEM clarify the small business size standard for this solicitation is $22.4M (changed May 2, 2022) instead of the $16.5M listed in the solicitation.

Answer: The Small Business Administration (SBA) advised all procurement professionals on its website to use the 2017 NAICS codes and not the 2022 NAICS codes until SBA can update all the small business size standards which it anticipates implementing by October 1, 2022.

Question 5: L.9.1.5 Small Business Subcontracting. Please confirm that if the offeror is a small business, a small business subcontracting plan is NOT required.

Answer: Reference Section L.9.1.5., the last line, as well as FAR Clause 52.219-9(a).

Question 6: C.3.6 TASK 6. Can in situ measurements of dissolved methane concentrations (i.e., probe) be conducted around the abandoned wells in-lieu of physical samples, or are physical samples required?

Answer: Yes, in situ measurements can be made in-lieu of physical samples. Sections C.3.5.1 and C.3.6 are being revised in response to the question as indicated on replacement pages 7–9 of the solicitation.

Question 7: Can in situ measurements of methane (i.e., probe) be conducted in the surface water and air in-lieu of physical samples, or are physical samples required?

Answer: Yes, in situ measurements can be made in-lieu of physical samples. Sections C.3.5.2 and C.3.7 are being revised in response to the question as indicated on replacement pages 8 and 9– 10 of the solicitation.

Question 8: C.3.5.1 SUBTASK 5.1. Water Quality Data Collection. Is there a base number of samples preferred for proposal cost comparison purposes among bidders (we realize the actual number of samples will be based on the finalized design).

Answer: One cast in the center of the site per control site and abandoned well and three water column samples. Section C.3.5.1 is being revised in response to the question as indicated on replacement page 7 of the solicitation.

Question 9: For C.3.5.1 SUBTASK 5.2 Air Quality Data Collection. Is there a base number of samples preferred for proposal cost comparison purposes among bidders (we realize the actual number of samples will be based on the finalized design).

Answer: One sample in the center of the site per control site and abandoned well. If a mobile gas concentration analyzer is being used, then five samples per control site and abandoned well.

Section C.3.5.2 is being revised in response to the question as indicated on replacement page 8 of the solicitation. Note: The reference in the question is incorrect and should be C.3.5.2 which was included in the answer.

Question 10: For C.3.6 TASK 6. Water Quality Analysis. Is there a preferred list for specific metals to be analyzed for?

Answer: Section C.3.6 is being revised in response to the question as indicated on replacement page 9 of the solicitation.

Question 11: For C.3.6 TASK 6. Water Quality Analysis. Is there a preferred list for specific volatile organic compounds to be analyzed for?

Answer: Section C.3.6 is being revised in response to the question as indicated on replacement page 9 of the solicitation.

Question 12: For C.3.7. TASK 7. Air Quality Analysis. Is there a preferred list for specific volatile organic compounds to be analyzed for?

Answer: Section C.3.7 is being revised in response to the question as indicated on replacement pages 9–10 of the solicitation.

Question 13: We recommend a Health and Safety Plan (HASP) be included in the Statement of Work (Section C. SOW). Does the Government agree? If so, does the Government prefer a separate HASP, or should it be integrated into the Project Management Plan (PMP) that is already requested in the RFP?

Answer: OSHA does not require a HASP and the government has not included this as a requirement in the solicitation.

Question 14: What are the minimum qualifications for the following key personnel:

• Project Manager

• Principal Investigators

• Peer Reviewers

Answer: Section L.9.1.2 is being revised in response to the question as indicated on replacement pages 46–47 of the solicitation.

Question 15: How are the Section M. Evaluation Factors for Award each weighted? Are they all weighted equally?

Answer: Reference Section M.4 of the solicitation that states “The evaluation factors are in descending order of importance”.

Question 16: Can a Task Order/Call Order under an existing IDIQ contract be used under Section L.9.1.4 Past Performance as long as it is of similar size, scope, and complexity?

Answer: The term “contract” in Section L.9.1.4 can be interpreted to mean any acquisition with the Government that is relevant to the requirements of the solicitation.

Question 17: If cost is evaluated based on the offeror’s understanding of the project/proposed solution, then how are the labor categories and estimated labor hours shown in Section L.10 to be used, specifically as the Government notes: “Depending on an offeror’s proposed solution, labor categories and hours may vary when compared to this estimate”?

Answer: The purpose is only to assist the potential offeror in gauging the level of effort.

Question 18: Does the Government have a preference whether peer reviewers (e.g., Section L.9.1.2(c)) are sourced from academia, other Federal agencies, private industry, or non-governmental organizations (NGOs)?

Answer: No.

Question 19: Will the Government consider and allow the use of smaller font (e.g., Section L.9.1(b)) for figures and tables if that font is legible?

Answer: No. Section L.9.1 is being revised in response to the question as indicated on replacement page 46 of the solicitation that is excluding a list of tables and figures from the overall page count.

Question 20: Will the Government allow for the use of 11 x 17-page size for figures or tables (e.g., H.2)?

Answer: No. Section L.9.1 is being revised in response to the question as indicated on replacement page 46 of the solicitation.

Question 21: Will project vessels be required to be Jones Act compliant?

Answer: No, the Jones Act is irrelevant to this study.

Question 22: Is electronic delivery, to exclude paper hardcopy(ies), acceptable for project deliverables? If so, which deliverables?

Answer: Refer to Section F.5 that identifies electronic deliverables. Section F.4.10 is being revised in response to the question as indicated on replacement page 17 of the solicitation.

Question 23: Can the contractor proactively arrange an interagency coordination meeting (with prior approval from the Government/BOEM to do so) rather than wait for them to be requested by the Government?

Answer: Yes. Section C.3.8 is being revised in response to the question as indicated on replacement page 10 of the solicitation.

Question 24: Are the Tasks listed in Section C.3 generally in chronological order, or does the contractor have flexibility here (e.g., could C.3.8 Task 8 be completed early in the project)?

Answer: The Tasks in Section C.3 do not have to be completed in chronological order. Section C.3.8 Task 8 could be completed early in the project. Section C.3.8 is being revised in response to the question as indicated on replacement page 10 of the solicitation.

Question 25: With respect to air and water quality sampling procedures, should we follow USEPA’s sampling SOPs?

Answer: Sections C.3.5.1, C.3.5.2, C.3.6, C.3.7 are being revised in response to the question as indicated on replacement pages 7–10 of the solicitation.

Question 26: Regarding laboratory procedures, should we utilize laboratories under the USEPA’s Contract Lab Program (CLP)?

Answer: There is no requirement to use laboratories under the USEPA’s Contract Lab Program

(CLP).

Question 27: Does the Government require specific laboratory analytical techniques or interpretation methodologies to be used for water quality and/or air quality? Can the Government provide any more specificity here (e.g, USEPA laboratory analytical protocols)?

Answer: Sections C.3.5.1, C.3.5.2, C.3.6, C.3.7 are being revised in response to the question as indicated on replacement pages 7–10 of the solicitation.

Question 28: Does the Government have/desire/request specific water quality and air quality sampling protocols? Can the Government provide any more specificity here?

Answer: Sections C.3.5.1, C.3.5.2, C.3.6, C.3.7 are being revised in response to the question as indicated on replacement pages 7–10 of the solicitation.

Question 29: Does the Government have an a-priori list of specific water quality and air quality parameters to be measured beyond those listed in the RFP?

Answer: No.

Question 30: In addition to the water quality samples collected at control and abandoned well sites, should we assume we are required to collect QA/QC samples (e.g., duplicates, replicates, blanks)?

Answer: Yes. Section C.3.5.1 is being revised in response to the question as indicated on replacement pages 7 and 8 of the solicitation.

Question 31: For sample analysis, what data quality objectives does the Government expect/request?

Answer: The data quality objectives shall follow a similar process as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Data Quality Objectives (DQO) Process. Sections C.3.6 and C.3.7 are being revised in response to the question as indicated on replacement page 9 of the solicitation.

Question 32: Does the Government have an a-priori preference for statistical sampling design?

Answer: Random sampling and a parametric test such as the t-test or one-way anova. Sections C.3.1.1, C.3.5.1, C.3.5.2, C.3.6 and C.3.7 are being revised in response to the question as indicated on replacement pages 4 and 8–10 of the solicitation.

Question 33: We presume the Government expects/requests data and statistical results will be, by definition, representative of the full population of permanently abandoned wells in the Western and Central Planning Areas. Is this correct?

Answer: Yes, which is why it will be randomly sampled. Section C.3.1.1 is being revised in response to the question as indicated on replacement page 4 of the solicitation.

Question 34: We presume a minimum 90% confidence interval for statistical data from the project is required, is this correct?

Answer: If the statistical test uses a confidence interval, then yes, it needs to have a minimum 90% confidence interval. Sections C.3.1.1, C.3.5.1, C.3.5.2, C.3.6 and C.3.7 are being revised in response to the question as indicated on replacement pages 4 and 8–10 of the solicitation.

Question 35: Does the Government request/expect sediment sampling surrounding the wells/control locations to be excluded?

Answer: Yes. The government is not collecting sediment samples.

Question 36: Do any air quality samples need to be measured real-time aboard the vessel, or can all air quality samples be processed post-facto onshore?

Answer: Air quality samples do not need to be measured in real-time.

Question 37: For the meetings requested in the Section C. SOW, does the Government desire in-person meetings or virtual meetings? If in-person, at what physical location?

Answer: Refer to Section F.3. Virtual meetings are acceptable for all the meetings requested in Section C. Refer to Section F.4.14 for the information transfer meeting that will be the only meeting required to be in-person.

Question 38: Is the Government amenable to the collection and reporting of data collected in a more modern, readily useable and archivable (digital) format versus a traditional paper report and USB/hard drive (mailed) data submittal (e.g., Section F.4.6)?

Answer: Section F.4.6 is being revised in response to the question as indicated on replacement page 16 of the solicitation. Digital/electronic copies of the data may be too large to transfer by email and may need to be copied on a USB/hard drive and sent by mail. Paper copies are not collected.

Question 39: Please specify what the contractor should use as control sites? For example, other non-well based structures (such as platforms installed by Navy for MetOcean purposes)?

Answer: Control sites shall be clear from man-made structures (e.g. abandoned wells, platforms, pipelines, known shipwrecks) and known seeps. Section C.3.3 is being revised in response to the question as indicated on replacement page 6 of the solicitation.

Question 40: Does the Government require a preferred type of imaging (e.g., Section L.9.1.1;

methods are mentioned, but not the specifications for the imagery itself)?

Answer: Sections L.9.1.1 and M.4.1 are being revised in response to the question as indicated on replacement pages 46 and 54 of the solicitation.

Question 41: Please specify the desired size/area for the buffer/area of interest surrounding each sample location?

Answer: During subsurface camera/ROV operations, the Contractor shall use a transect that follows the four points of the compass starting from the center point going North, South, West, and East as far as the tether will allow and circling around the radius of an abandoned well drive pipe’s outer diameter (approximately 30 inches) or North and South seven parallel 60-meter transects plus the vessel’s lead-in. Section 3.5.1 is being revised in response to the question as indicated on replacement pages 7–8 of the solicitation.

Question 42: Does the Government have priority species of concern in reference to "biodiversity", or priority habitats (e.g., Section C.3.5.1)?

Answer: Section C.3.5.1 is being revised in response to the question as indicated on replacement page 8 of the solicitation.

Solicitation No. 140M0122R0005

SECTION B

SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICES/COSTS

B.1 GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

The United States Department of the Interior, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) on behalf of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), is issuing this solicitation in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 15, Contracting by Negotiation, for the project titled “Impact of Abandoned Oil and Gas Wells on Air and Water Quality in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM)”.

B.2 CONTRACT LINE ITEM NUMBER (CLIN)

The specific details and description of the Contract Line Item Number (CLIN) is described below:

ITEM NO. SUPPLIES/SERVICES TOTAL NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT

00010 Scientific and Technical support services for the effort as described $ * in Section C, Statement of Work

CLIN 00010 is a time-and-materials (T&M), not-to-exceed (NTE) line item that if exceeded, is at the contractor’s own risk. Reference Clause 52.232-7, Payments under Time-and-Materials and Labor-Hour Contract for details related to the ceiling amount.

B.3 AUTHORIZED BILLING RATES

The following table contains the authorized supplies and services that may be billed under the contract. All unit prices are fully-loaded (i.e., inclusive of all direct costs, indirect costs, and profit/fee,).

Labor Category Unit of

Measure

Fully Burdened Hourly Rates

[* = Offeror shall provide these dollar amounts in the Business/Cost Proposal.]

B.4 TRAVEL COSTS

The Contractor may be required to travel during performance of the contract and will be reimbursed for actual, allowable, and reasonable travel costs incurred, exclusive of any fee.

Advance written approval must be obtained from the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) prior to incurring any costs for travel. Travel will be reimbursed in amounts not to exceed the limitations of the Federal Travel Regulations (41 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Chapters 300 through 304). The Federal Travel Regulations may be found at the following web site:

http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/104790 http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/104790

SECTION C

DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/STATEMENT OF WORK

Impact of Abandoned Oil and Gas Wells on Air and Water Quality in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM)

C.1 INTRODUCTION

The mission of the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is to manage the responsible development of America’s offshore energy and mineral resources.

The bureau promotes energy independence, environmental protection and economic development through responsible, science-based management of energy and mineral resources on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). The BOEM needs to determine whether there are abandoned oil and gas wells leaking in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM). Oil and gas activities are authorized under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) and leakage could have long-term impacts to the human and marine environment. According to OCSLA (42 U.S.C. § 1346), BOEM must conduct assessments of environmental impacts related to oil and gas development.

The data collected from this study would be used in environmental analyses, prepared pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), because potential leaks would be identified and measured to examine the environmental risks to the water and air quality. This would also support the Executive Order 14008 Sec. 208 (“Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad”), issued January 27, 2021, and Secretary’s Order No. 3399, issued on April 16, 2021 (“Department-Wide Approach to the Climate Crisis and Restoring Transparency and Integrity to the Decision-Making Process”). Furthermore, this information would support BOEM’s emission inventories and Tribal Consultation responsibilities. Native American Tribes have voiced concerns about the potential for oil leaks from abandoned wells to contaminate coastal areas, including archaeological sites and other resources.

C.2 OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this study are to:

• Investigate the air and water quality at abandoned oil and gas wells in the Gulf Mexico through scientific measurement and characterization.

• Use the scientific data collected from the sampled abandoned oil and gas wells to determine if they are leaking in the Gulf of Mexico and, if so, to what extent.

Specific research questions include:

• How does the air and water quality data compare between the control sites and abandoned oil and gas wells?

• How does the air and water quality data compare between the sampled abandoned oil and gas wells?

• Are there any visual observations from the imaging that could suggest why there might be differences in the air and water quality data?

• If leaking, are there any visible indicators of leakage from the sampled abandoned oil and gas wells?

• If leaking, is there a correlation between the age of well and potential for leakage?

• If leaking, do the leaks affect water quality in the vicinity of the well? If so, to what extent from the well?

• If leaking, do the leaks contribute to air pollution at the sea surface?

• Do the metocean conditions explain any differences in the measurements?

• What brief conclusions can be made from the biodiversity observed during imaging around the sampled abandoned oil and gas wells?

C.3 SCOPE OF WORK

C.3.1 TASK 1. Project Management Plan

C.3.1.1 Subtask 1.1: Project Management Plan

The Contractor shall prepare a draft Project Management Plan (PMP) based on the accepted Project Management Strategy from the technical proposal. In the draft PMP, the Contractor shall clearly and concisely describe project responsibilities; sampling and laboratory procedures; any proposed subcontracting arrangements; communication and coordination; record keeping; and scheduling of all tasks, subtasks, meetings, and deliverables. The Contractor shall discuss its procedures for managing the project, criteria for assuring quality and acceptability of the deliverables, and details regarding the schedule and coordination of this project. The Contractor shall also discuss plans for ensuring successful completion of individual tasks on time, on budget, and of the highest quality. The Contractor shall hold a post-award meeting with the government. At the Post-Award Meeting, the tasks shall be reviewed, and remaining technical or managerial issues shall be resolved.

In the draft PMP, the Contractor shall:

a) Identify the statistical selection method to be used in Task 3 to select the control sites and abandoned wells to study in the Gulf of Mexico in the Central and Western Planning Areas (Shapefile for Planning Areas can be found at https://www.data.boem.gov/Main/Mapping.aspx).

The statistical selection method shall be random sampling. The Contractor shall utilize the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) Data Center (https://www.data.bsee.gov/) in selecting the abandoned wells to study. The abandoned wells shall be permanently abandoned (PA). The 30 Code of Federal Regulations §§ 250.1715 and

250.1716 prescribes the requirements for permanent well plugging (https://www.govinfo.gov/app/collection/cfr/2020/title30).

b) Identify the method (e.g. magnetometer surveys or a towed camera system) to use in Task 4 for surveys on the abandoned wells, and if needed the alternative abandoned wells.

c) Discuss the techniques for the water and air quality data collection in Task 5.

d) Identify the research and/or laboratory method in Task 6 for analyzing the water column samples.

e) Identify the research and/or laboratory method in Task 7 for analyzing the air/surface water samples.

https://www.data.boem.gov/Main/Mapping.aspx https://www.data.bsee.gov/ https://www.govinfo.gov/app/collection/cfr/2020/title30

f) Identify the statistical testing method(s) for analyzing the water and air quality data collected, as appropriate, from Tasks 5–7.

After the post-award meeting, the Contractor shall prepare the final PMP. The Contractor shall adhere to the final PMP as reviewed by the government following the post-award meeting.

C.3.1.2 Subtask 1.2: Data Management Plan

The Contractor shall prepare a Data Management Plan (DMP) to be included in the draft PMP that shall include Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) procedures and the following:

a) Formatting Requirements. All products generated by this contract shall be submitted in accordance with Section F. The BOEM report formatting specifications can be found at https://www.boem.gov/Environmental-Stewardship/Environmental-Studies/Environmental- Studies-Program-Report-Specifications.aspx.

b) Access of Digital Reports by Individuals with Disabilities. Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (found at 29 U.S.C. 794d) requires access to and use of information by individuals with disabilities. Deliverables such as electronic reports (e.g., PDF files) to be placed on the web (either on the agency’s web server or the company’s), video footage, or other electronic data such as CD-ROMs to be distributed are subject to Section 508 guidelines. Simplified, this means that PDF files need to be formatted so that they are “readable” by assistive technology devices such as screen readers. Video footage must be closed captioned. CD-ROMs which contain HTML, PDF, or word processor files must be accessible.

c) Data Control and Utilization. The Contractor shall develop a DMP that ensures all data are processed, stored, and can be made available as needed. The Contractor will submit both Decimal Degrees NAD27 and NAD83 geo-referenced spatial and tabular data and supporting descriptive information. The Contractor shall consider and include metadata for all data types and formats.

For example, non-geographic metadata could include field and data analysis manuals. For geographic data, the Contractor shall conform to the Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998) as published on May 1, 2000, by the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) or to any format that supersedes it as determined by the FGDC (https://www.fgdc.gov/metadata/csdgm/). Profiles and extensions to the standard that have been endorsed by the FGDC shall be used if they are applicable to the data or data products. The metadata records shall contain any and all elements, including those that are considered optional, wherever applicable to the data or data product. The metadata record shall contain sufficient detail to ensure the data or data product can be fully understood for future use and for posterity.

The metadata records shall be delivered free of errors in both content and format as determined by the metadata parser (mp) program developed by the United States Geological Survey or an equivalent. The metadata and records will be subject to review and approval prior to the final acceptance by the Government.

C.3.2 TASK 2. Peer Reviewers

The Contractor shall have peer reviewers in place. The two peer reviewers shall attend the post-award meeting to provide advice on science issues and program modifications. The peer reviewers shall comment and review the draft PMP and draft report (in Section F as Deliverable https://www.boem.gov/Environmental-Stewardship/Environmental-Studies/Environmental-Studies-Program-Report-Specifications.aspx https://www.boem.gov/Environmental-Stewardship/Environmental-Studies/Environmental-Studies-Program-Report-Specifications.aspx

J). Each peer reviewer shall each provide advice as an individual, not as part of a group or panel.

C.3.3 TASK 3. Sample Selection of Site Locations

The Contractor shall select the control sites and abandoned wells to be studied within the 1st year of the contract. These control sites and abandoned wells shall be in the Gulf of Mexico Central and Western Planning Areas (Shapefile for Planning Areas can be found at https://www.data.boem.gov/Main/Mapping.aspx) and all water depths shall be considered. The Contractor shall utilize the BSEE Data Center (https://www.data.bsee.gov/) in selecting the abandoned wells to study. The abandoned wells shall be permanently abandoned (PA). The 30 Code of Federal Regulations §§ 250.1715 and 250.1716 prescribes the requirements for permanent well plugging (https://www.govinfo.gov/app/collection/cfr/2020/title30).

Based on the statistical selection method in the final PMP, the Contractor shall select the following:

• An appropriate number of control sites. Control site shall be clear from man-made structures (e.g. abandoned wells, platforms, pipelines, known shipwrecks) and known seeps.

• 10 or more abandoned wells

• 5 or more alternative abandoned wells, if a selected well cannot be located

Once the Contractor selects the control sites, the Contractor shall report the corresponding latitudes and longitudes, area and block in the upcoming monthly report. Once the Contractor selects the abandoned wells, the Contractor shall report the corresponding latitudes and longitudes, area and block, and well identification number of the wells in the upcoming monthly report.

C.3.4 TASK 4. Surveys of Abandoned Wells

The Contractor shall conduct surveys on the abandoned wells, and if needed the alternative abandoned wells, selected in Task 3 to confirm the location of the abandoned wells. The surveys shall be carried out using the approach identified in the final PMP. The Contractor shall utilize the BSEE Data Center (https://www.data.bsee.gov/) to aid in finding the exact location of the selected abandoned wells. The Contractor shall conduct these surveys within the first 2–3 years of the contract. Once the Contractor conducts the surveys, the Contractor shall report the survey data in the upcoming monthly report. All imagining/raw data collected shall be submitted to the COR per Deliverable F in Section F.

The contractor shall file a Notice of Scientific Research with BOEM (Form 0327 https://www.boem.gov/boem-ocs-operation-forms) as appropriate.

C.3.5 TASK 5. Research Cruise

The Contractor shall conduct a research cruise within the first 2–3 years of the contract to study the control sites and abandoned wells selected in Task 3. The Contractor is responsible for leasing the research vessel and all equipment for the research cruise, proper handling and storage https://www.data.boem.gov/Main/Mapping.aspx https://www.data.bsee.gov/ https://www.govinfo.gov/app/collection/cfr/2020/title30 https://www.data.bsee.gov/ https://www.boem.gov/boem-ocs-operation-forms of collected samples, and data storage. The Contractor shall follow the equipment and sample handling standard operating procedures. If there is space availability, the BSEE/BOEM personnel may accompany the Contractor during the research cruise.

The Contractor shall be responsible for the proper archival, data quality control, and delivery of the data collected. Metadata is required for all data types and formats. No originals shall be mailed to the COR without generating backups first.

The Contractor shall hold a post-cruise meeting with the government to discuss the accomplishments from the cruise and prepare a meeting summary.

C.3.5.1 Subtask 5.1: Water Quality Data Collection

During the research cruise, the Contractor shall make one cast at the center of the control site and collect water quality data on the control sites (Task 3) by using the following techniques as necessary:

• standard acoustic doppler current profiler

• Sonde/conductivity, temperature, and depth (CTD) device to collect water column measurements including water temperature, pressure, depth, and conductivity;

• accessory sensors such as dissolved oxygen, turbidity, chlorophyll fluorescence, and/or

Ultraviolet fluorometer; and

• water sampler device to collect water column samples.

o Water column samples shall be collected about 2-meters from the bottom of the seafloor, middle of the water column, and about 2-meters below the water surface.

In-lieu of or in combination with physical samples, in-situ measurements may be used if the methodology has been peer reviewed and can do a quantitative analysis. The Contractor shall collect one duplicative physical sample concurrently for QC purposes. The Contractor shall have one field blank per site for QC purposes to measure the magnitude of contaminants during field activities and exposure; however, the field blank would not be capable of being sent down as the Niskin bottles have to be open on the way down. If appropriate, the Contractor shall spike the water samples to address bias from degradation.

During the research cruise, the Contractor shall make one cast at the center of the abandoned well and collect water quality data on the abandoned wells (Task 3) by using the following techniques as necessary:

• standard acoustic doppler current profiler

• subsurface cameras such as a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to collect video footage with corresponding latitudes and longitudes;

• Sonde/conductivity, temperature, and depth (CTD) device to collect water column measurements including water temperature, pressure, depth, and conductivity;

• accessory sensors such as dissolved oxygen, turbidity, chlorophyll fluorescence, and/or

Ultraviolet fluorometer; and

• water sampler device to collect water column samples.

o A water column sample shall be collected about 2-meters from the bottom of the seafloor, middle of the water column, and about 2-meters below the water surface.

In-lieu of or in combination with physical samples may be used if the methodology has been peer reviewed and can do a quantitative analysis. The Contractor shall collect one duplicative physical sample concurrently for QC purposes. The Contractor shall have one field blank per site for QC purposes to measure the magnitude of contaminants during field activities and exposure;

however, the field blank would not be capable of being sent down as the Niskin bottles have to be open on the way down. If appropriate, the Contractor shall spike the water samples to address bias from degradation.

The Contractor shall clean all equipment very thoroughly to reduce contaminants.

During subsurface camera/ROV operations, the Contractor shall use a transect that follows the four points of the compass starting from the center point going North, South, West, and East as far as the tether will allow and circling around the radius of an abandoned well drive pipe’s outer diameter (approximately 30 inches) or North and South seven parallel 60-meter transects plus the vessel’s lead-in. The Contractor shall examine the abandoned well for any visible signs of leakage/gas bubbles, sheens, corrosion, and any additional observations that would provide valuable information to the BOEM’s studies program and the BSEE. If any signs of leakage or significant corrosion are observed, they must be reported to the COR at the post-cruise meeting.

Also, the Contractor shall examine the area of the abandoned well for biodiversity. The Contractor shall provide information on the benthic communities in the vicinity of the wells.

These observations should include a list of the types of organisms present (e.g. corals, tube worms, crabs, mussel beds, sponges) and a description of the substrate (e.g. hard bottom, shell hash, sand, carbonate, soft sediments, etc.). Written observations should be accompanied by high resolution photographs. BOEM does not require biotic sampling nor species-level identification.

If possible, the Contractor shall use a parametric test such as the t-test or one-way anova to analyze the water quality data collected, as appropriate. If appropriate, the Contractor shall use a 90% minimum confidence interval. If a parametric test is not possible, a nonparametric test such as the Mann Whitney U test or Kruskal Willis test shall be used.

All imagining/raw data collected shall be submitted to the COR per Deliverable F in Section F.

C.3.5.2 Subtask 5.2: Air Quality Data Collection

During the research cruise, the Contractor shall collect air quality data on the control sites and abandoned wells (Task 3) by using the following techniques as necessary:

• standard weather sensors

• flask/canister sampling (Thompson, 2020) and/or collecting surface water for headspace extraction methods (Townsend-Small, 2016) and/or in-situ measurements from a mobile gas concentration analyzer such as the Picarro analyzer (Thompson, 2020).

The Contractor shall take one sample at the center point per control site and abandoned well when using the flask/canister or surface water method. The Contractor shall take five samples per control site and abandoned well when using a mobile gas concentration analyzer.

The Contractor shall clean all equipment very thoroughly to reduce contaminants.

If possible, the Contractor shall use a parametric test such as the t-test or one-way anova to analyze the air quality data collected, as appropriate. If appropriate, the Contractor shall use a 90% minimum confidence interval. If a parametric test is not possible, a nonparametric test such as the Mann Whitney U test or Kruskal Willis test shall be used.

All raw data collected shall be submitted to the COR per Deliverable F in Section F.

C.3.6 TASK 6. Water Quality Analysis

The data quality objectives shall follow a similar process as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Data Quality Objectives (DQO) Process (U.S.EPA, 2006).

The Contractor shall analyze water column samples (from subtask 5.1) collected during the research cruise within the first 3 years of the contract. The Contractor shall measure benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes [BTEX], dissolved methane, and, if possible, all the metals listed in Section 1.1 of the EPA Method 6010 (U.S. EPA, 2014) and/or additional volatile organic compounds that include hexane, heptane, cyclohexane, pentane, and methylcyclohexane (Fingas, 1999; Rajabi, 2020). The Contractor shall follow the equipment and sample handling standard operating procedures and/or established research/laboratory method. For the metal analysis, EPA Method 6010 (U.S.EPA, 2014) shall be used or a similar method compatible with the technique carried out in Section 3.5.1 Subtask 5.1. For the volatile organic compounds, Method 8260D (SW-846) (U.S. EPA, 2018) shall be used or a similar method compatible with the technique carried out in Section 3.5.1 Subtask 5.1. If possible, the Contractor shall use a parametric test such as a t-test or one-way anova to analyze the water quality data collected, as appropriate. If appropriate, the Contractor shall use a 90% minimum confidence interval. If a parametric test is not possible, a nonparametric test such as the Mann Whitney U test or Kruskal Willis test shall be used.

The Contractor shall be responsible for the proper archival, data quality control, and delivery of the data collected. Metadata is required for all data types and formats. No originals shall be mailed to the COR without generating backups first.

All raw data collected shall be submitted to the COR per Deliverable F in Section F.

C.3.7 TASK 7. Air Quality AnalysisThe data quality objectives shall follow a similar process as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Data Quality Objectives (DQO) Process

(U.S.EPA, 2006).

The Contractor shall analyze the air and surface water samples (from subtask 5.2) within the first 3 years of the contract. The Contractor shall analyze the air and surface water samples (subtask 5.2) collected during the research cruise for methane concentrations using similar sampling methods from Thompson (Thompson, 2020) and/or Townsend-Small (Townsend-Small, 2016) references, and, if possible, volatile organic compounds that include benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes, hexane, heptane, cyclohexane, pentane, and methylcyclohexane (Fingas, 1999; Rajabi 2020). For the volatile organic compounds, Method 8260D (SW-846) (U.S. EPA, 2018) shall be used or a method similar and compatible with the technique carried out in Section

3.5.2 Subtask 5.2. The Contractor shall follow the equipment and sample handling standard operating procedures and/or established research/laboratory method. If possible, the Contractor shall use a parametric test such as the t-test or one-way anova to analyze the air quality data collected, as appropriate. If appropriate, the Contractor shall use a 90% minimum confidence interval. If a parametric test is not possible, a nonparametric test such as the Mann Whitney U test or Kruskal Willis test shall be used.

The Contractor shall be responsible for the proper archival, data quality control, and delivery of the data collected. Metadata is required for all data types and formats. No originals shall be mailed to the COR without generating backups first.

All raw data collected shall be submitted to the COR per Deliverable F in Section F.

C.3.8 TASK 8. Collaboration with Other Agencies

The Contractor shall attend up to 4 meetings by videoconference with other government agencies such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), or Carbon Mapper (https://carbonmapper.org/) that have related studies to collaborate for QA/QC purposes, if requested during the contract. For example, available satellite may corroborate sample results from the study. The need for these meetings is to understand if other related studies can help complete the objectives in C.2. With prior approval by the COR, the Contractor may arrange these meetings. These meetings may take place at any time during the contract.

C.4 REFERENCES

Fingas, M. F. 1999. The evaporation of oil spills: development and implementation of new prediction methodology, paper presented at the International Oil Spill Conference, Environ. Prot.

Agency, Seattle, Wash., 8 – 11 March.

U.S. EPA. 2014. "Method 6010D (SW-846): Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectrometry," Revision 4. Washington, DC.

Townsend-Small A, Disbennett D.A., Fernandez J.M., Ransohoff R.W., Mackay R.,Bourbonniere R. 2016. Quantifying emissions of methane derived from anaerobic organic matter respiration and natural gas extraction in Lake Erie. Limnology and Oceanography, 61:

S356-S366, https://doi.org/10.1002/lno.10273.

Thompson AM. 2020. Evaluation of NASA’s remote-sensing capabilities in coastal environments. Sterling (VA): U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. OCS Study BOEM 2020-047. 33 p.

U.S. EPA. 2018. "Method 8260D (SW-846): Volatile Organic Compounds by Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS)," Revision 4.

https://carbonmapper.org/

U.S. EPA, 2006. “Guidance on Systematic Planning Using the Data Quality Objective Process.”

EPA QA/G-4.

Rajabi H., Hadi Mosleh M., Mandal P., Lea-Langton A., Sedighi M. 2020. Emissions of volatile organic compounds from crude oil processing – Global emission inventory and environmental release. Science of The Total Environment, Volume 727, 138654.

SECTION D

PACKAGING AND MARKING

D.1 All deliverables submitted under the contract shall be prepared and packaged in a cost-effective manner equivalent to standard commercial quality. Elaborate artwork, expensive paper and bindings are neither necessary nor desired.

D.2 Unless otherwise directed by the CO, if not hand delivered or electronically delivered by the Contractor, all reports shall be delivered by First Class mail or regulated package carrier.

The cost of delivery by more expensive means will be denied unless approval is obtained in advance from the CO.

D.3 All paper deliverables shall meet at least the minimum requirements for post-consumer recycled content, set forth in the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines (https://www.epa.gov/smm/comprehensive-procurement-guideline-cpg-program).

https://www.epa.gov/smm/comprehensive-procurement-guideline-cpg-program https://www.epa.gov/smm/comprehensive-procurement-guideline-cpg-program

SECTION E

INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

E.1 Availability of clauses. In accordance with FAR 52.252-2, this solicitation incorporates one or more clauses by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the CO will make their full text available. In addition, the full text of a clause may be accessed electronically at this address: FAR Clauses: http://www.acquisition.gov/

CLAUSE TITLE

52.246-6 Inspection—Time-and-Material and Labor-Hour (May 2001)

E.2 INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

Inspection of the supplies/services provided hereunder shall be made by the COR or any Inspectors designated by the CO. The place of inspection of reports required under this contract shall be at the addresses for deliverables set forth in Section F of this contract. Final acceptance of supplies/services shall be made by the COR designated in Section F.6.

E.2.1 General Acceptance Criteria

General quality measures, as set forth below, will be applied to each work product received from the Contractor under this contract.

• Accuracy - Work Products shall be accurate in presentation, technical content, and adherence to accepted elements of style.

• Clarity - Work Products shall be clear and concise. Any/All diagrams shall be easy to understand and be relevant to the supporting narrative.

• Consistency to Requirements - All work products must satisfy the requirements of this contract.

• File Editing - All text and diagrammatic files shall be editable by the Government.

• Format - Work Products shall be submitted in hard copy (where applicable) and in media mutually agreed upon prior to submission. Hard copy formats shall follow any specified Directives or Manuals.

• Timeliness - Work Products shall be submitted on or before the due date specified in this contract or submitted in accordance with a later scheduled date determined by the Government.

E.3 QUALITY ASSURANCE

The COR, or designated inspector, will review for completeness the preliminary or draft documentation that the Contractor submits, and may return it to the contractor for correction.

Absence of any comments by the COR will not relieve the Contractor of the responsibility for complying with the requirements of this contract. Final approval and acceptance of documentation required herein shall be by letter of approval and acceptance by the COR. The contractor shall not construe any letter of acknowledgement of receipt of material as a waiver of review, or as an acknowledgement that the material is in conformance with this contract. Any http://www.acquisition.gov/ approval given during preparation of the documentation, or approval for shipment, shall not guarantee the final acceptance of the completed documentation.

If the Contractor prepares any abstracts, summaries, or manuscripts intended for publication in journals or oral presentation, based on this study, each must be submitted to the COR for review and comment before submittal to the journal or conference authority and any comment incorporated to the extent practical. The Contractor shall document and submit to the COR the results of such efforts, e.g., acceptance for publications, acceptance for presentations, final versions, journal articles published, presentations, abstracts, proceedings papers, and reference citations.

SECTION F

DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE

F.1 TERM OF THE CONTRACT

The period of performance (POP) of the resultant contract is from date of award through forty-eight (48) months thereafter. The last six (6) months of the period shall be reserved for final reporting. The POP will encompass all tasks from initial planning through the BOEM’s final acceptance of all deliverables.

F.2 FAR 52.252-2 – CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE (FEB 1998)

In accordance with FAR 52.252-2, this contract…