B09_Amend_3-140M0122R0005_issued_21Jul22_0003.pdf

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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

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.

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 and post-award meeting summary. 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 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. The Contractor shall include all data and provide technical discussions in the Final Report, Final Technical Summary, and Final Power Point Presentation.

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 use the vessel provided through a BOEM contract. The Contractor shall attend the post-award meeting for the vessel company by videoconference. The Contractor is responsible for leasing all equipment for the surveys. 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 include all data and provide technical discussions in the Final Report, Final Technical Summary, and Final Power Point Presentation.

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

Prior to the research cruise, the Contractor shall prepare a cruise map and risk mitigation plan.

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 shall use the vessel provided through a BOEM contract. The Contractor shall attend the post-award meeting for the vessel company by videoconference. The Contractor is responsible for leasing the research vessel and all equipment for the research cruise, proper handling and storage 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.

The Contractor shall include all data and provide technical discussions in the Final Report, Final Technical Summary, and Final Power Point Presentation.

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 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 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.

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).

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 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 incorporates one or more clauses by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were included in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available.

CLAUSE TITLE

52.242-15 Stop-Work Order (Aug 1989) 52.247-34 F.o.b. Destination (Nov 1991)

F.3 PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

All work under this contract will be performed at the Contractor’s facilities and/or partially at other locations or facilities. There will be a research cruise(s) in the Gulf of Mexico. Teleconferences or videoconferences will be coordinated between the Contractor and the Contracting Officer’s Representative as necessary.

F.4 MEETINGS, REPORTS, AND OTHER DELIVERABLES

The Contractor is responsible for quality assurance/quality control, editing, and proofreading all material in order to prepare products as error free as possible prior to their delivery to the BOEM. The Contractor shall submit all manuscripts intended for publication in journals and all abstracts or summaries prepared for oral presentations, based on this contract to the BOEM COR for review and comment prior to submittal to the journal or conference authority. The following deliverables shall be submitted and meetings shall be held in accordance with the schedules specified in Section F.5.

F.4.1 Post-Award Meeting, Agenda, Work Plans, and Draft Project Management Plan (Deliverable A)

The Contractor shall host a post-award meeting within 25 days of the contract award. Meeting participants shall include, at a minimum, the Contractor’s Principal Investigator (PI), Project Manager (PM), and peer reviewers, and the CO and COR. At least 5 days before the post-award meeting, the Contractor shall provide to all participants the following documents:

1. Meeting agenda

2. Work plans for conducting all work detailing the timing, procedures for data collection, equipment, and personnel

3. Draft PMP

F.4.2 Post-Award Meeting Summary (Deliverable B)

After the Post-Award meeting, the Contractor shall prepare and submit a written summary of the meeting detailing discussions of technical and managerial issues and any mutually agreed-to decisions.

F.4.3 Final Project Management Plan (Deliverable C)

The Contractor shall submit the final PMP after the post-award meeting to the CO, COR, and environmental studies program (ESP) representative. The Contractor shall adhere to the final PMP as reviewed by the government following the post-award meeting. Any agreed to changes that might affect the contract are subject to approval in writing by the CO via a contract modification.

F.4.4 Monthly Reports (Deliverable D)

The Contractor shall prepare and submit a monthly status report to the CO and COR. These letters shall include a brief discussion of the following topics: 1) all work accomplished, and results achieved during the month; 2) planned actions for the next month; 3) all problems encountered; and 4) their budget and scheduling impacts of the problems, and proposed solutions or actions taken to ameliorate them. These status reports shall also include a cumulative summary of the expenditures and what is left in the budget. These reports may be submitted via e-mail to the COR and copied to the CO and ESP representative.

F.4.5 Cruise Map and Risk Mitigation Plan (Deliverable E)

The Contractor shall submit a map of the anticipated track of the control sites and abandoned wells to study prior to the research cruise. This report shall be submitted in PDF format via e-mail to the COR and copied to the ESP representative.

The Contractor shall submit a risk mitigation plan for the cruise prior to the research cruise. The risk mitigation plan shall discuss the foreseeable risks and their impact to the study, and how to respond to those risks. Risks shall include but are not limited to: 1) a piece of equipment not operating as scheduled; and 2) bad weather encountered during the research cruise. This report shall be submitted in PDF format via e-mail to the COR and copied to the ESP representative.

F.4.6 Electronic Copies of Raw Data and Video Footage (Deliverable F)

Copies of any raw data shall be provided to the COR in its original format and a format that can be easily read by a computer. Copies of any video footage shall be provided to the COR in MP4 or AVI format. The electronic copies of the raw data and video footage shall be submitted by mail to the COR on a USB/hard drive. All external drives shall be Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 140-2 compliant. Also, any electronic copies that can be transmitted via e-email shall be sent to the COR and copied to the ESP representative.

F.4.7 Post-Cruise Meeting and Summary (Deliverable G)

The Contractor shall host a post-cruise meeting after the cruise with the COR, and other BOEM staff advised by the COR, to discuss the accomplishments and problems encountered during the cruise. The Contractor shall prepare and submit a written summary of the meeting.

F.4.8 Meeting Prior to Starting Draft Report (Deliverable H)

The Contractor shall host a meeting with the COR, and other BOEM staff advised by the COR, to discuss plans for the draft Report. The Contractor shall prepare and submit a written summary of the meeting.

F.4.9 Report Cover Graphic (Deliverable I)

The Contractor shall submit digital files using the format indicated in the report specifications for use as report cover graphics. These shall be readily identified with the subject of the report. With prior COR approval, the Contractor may submit a suitable illustration depicting the subject of the report. More than one graphic may be submitted.

F.4.10 Final Report and Reference Database (Deliverable J)

The Contractor shall prepare and submit the Draft Report as per the schedule listed in Section F.5, within 6 months prior to the end of the final Contract year. The BOEM and designated reviewers shall review the Draft Report and notify the Contractor of any required changes, corrections, or additions. The Contractor shall address all corrections, comments, and recommendations, and shall submit a second version of the Draft Report (“Review Copy”). The Review Copy shall be prepared as if it was the final version of the Report (i.e., with identical pagination, format, cover art, forward matter, figures, tables, etc.) and shall be submitted as per the schedule listed in Section F.5, within 30 days of receipt of review comments on the Draft Report. The Review Copy will go through review by the COR and our Editorial Staff until deemed accepted by BOEM. BOEM’s review may take up to 30 days. All corrections shall be incorporated into the Final Report. The Contractor shall prepare and submit the Final Report to the BOEM, as per the schedule listed in F.5, within 30 days of receipt of BOEM editorial review comments. Any map(s) included shall be provided in digital formats.

This Report shall be prepared within the final Contract year and shall address the objectives, answer the specific research questions, detail methodologies employed, and analyze results consistent with Tasks 1 through 9 in Section C. The Contractor shall generate and include water column profiles based on the data collected in Task 5 in the Report.

This Report shall conform to specifications and templates found at our web site:

https://www.boem.gov/ESP-Data-and-Information-Specifications/. Please consult this site for the most recent specifications before assembling the document as these are updated regularly.

Furthermore, this Report shall be fully bookmarked (the first three levels of the Table of Contents), with links to what is in the Table of Contents, List of Figures, List of Tables, front cover, title page, and back cover. Bookmarks shall be in the left navigation pane.

The Contractor shall not provide copies of this Report, nor any subsequent revisions prepared during the review process, nor data contained within, nor any portions thereof, to any parties not explicitly designated in F.6 below before final acceptance by the BOEM of the Final Report. If a need arises to do so, the PM must obtain the written approval of the CO.

The Contractor shall prepare and submit a reference database. It must include a full reference list (e.g., type of reference, author(s), editor(s), title of document, journal or report volume and number, page numbers, edition, date of publication, ISBN number, publisher, publisher location, relevant electronic links and date accessed) that is readable by and importable into MS Excel, MS Access, Reference Manager, and Endnote software.

F.4.11 Final Technical Summary (Deliverable K)

The Contractor shall prepare and submit a draft Technical Summary to the BOEM for scientific and editorial review. The Technical Summary shall cover all technical tasks. The organization for the Technical Summary will be agreed upon between the Contractor’s PM and the BOEM COR prior to preparation. The Technical Summary shall conform to specifications and templates found at our web site: https://www.boem.gov/ESP-Data-and-Information-Specifications/. The Contractor shall prepare and submit the final Technical Summary that incorporates changes, corrections, and additions identified during the BOEM review of the draft.

F.4.12 Final Power Point Presentation (Deliverable L)

The Contractor shall prepare and submit a draft PowerPoint presentation that includes the study objectives, design, methods, activities conducted during the contract performance, and study results, data analysis, QA/QC, and interpretation. The Contractor shall prepare and submit the final PowerPoint presentation that incorporates changes, corrections, and additions identified during the BOEM review of the draft.

The PowerPoint presentation shall include at least 30 slides that discuss study objectives, methods, activities conducted during the contract performance, study results, and data analysis.

Each slide shall contain the BOEM logo in the lower left-hand corner. This logo will be supplied digitally by the COR. No other reference to the BOEM or the Contractor may be used on the slides. Charts, graphs, maps, etc. may be included as slides. The Contractor shall add notes to the PowerPoint file in the notes page of each slide in sufficient detail to enable someone to make an informative presentation on the study using only the PowerPoint file. All Microsoft deliverables shall be compatible with the version of MS applications in use by the BOEM at the time of delivery; the current versions are those included in Microsoft Office 365.

F.4.13 Data Archiving (Deliverable M)

All appropriate data collected during this study shall be submitted to the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) in accordance with NCEI specifications. The Contractor shall confirm the data submission to NCEI by a letter to the COR describing the dates, formats and documentation of submissions. A statement from NCEI indicating that the data have been accepted for archival shall be included as an appendix in the Final Report. Information on submission requirements can be found at: https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/s2n/.

Data shall be submitted, as appropriate, to the centers directed by the COR.

F.4.14 Presentation at the BOEM Sponsored Workshop (Deliverable N)

The Contractor’s designated PI(s) shall attend and, if requested, make a progress presentation up to two times at the BOEM meetings (such as the Information Transfer Meetings) in-person in New Orleans, Louisiana or, if available, by webinar. At these meetings, a progress presentation of approximately 30 minutes shall be given. In addition, a 2–4 page written summary and short biography of the presenter shall be provided prior to the meeting. Any visual aids to be distributed at these meetings shall pertain to the presentation and have prior coordination by the

COR.

F.4.15 Journal Publications and/or Oral Presentations (Deliverable O)

The Contractor shall submit drafts of publications, public presentations, posters, etc., for a courtesy review by the BOEM personnel prior to submission/display to outside entities. The Contractor shall document and submit 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.

All manuscripts intended to be published in journals and all abstracts or summaries prepared for oral presentations, based on this study, shall be submitted to the BOEM for review and comment prior to submittal to the journal or conference authority and any comments incorporated to the extent practical. Publication is encouraged strongly.

All manuscripts intended to be published in journals must be provided before the end of the contract. No payment can be made beyond the contract date.

F.5 SCHEDULE AND DISTRIBUTION OF DELIVERABLES

All correspondence pertaining to this contract prepared by the Contractor shall have a courtesy copy (with attachments) sent to the COR and CO. Correspondence pertaining to this contract received by the Contractor (excluding correspondence to and from the BOEM) shall be copied and sent to the COR and CO according to the schedule. All correspondence shall be clearly marked with the contract number on the first page and in the title of the subject line for email exchanges.

Deliverable products shall be submitted to the addresses shown in Section F.6 in accordance with the following schedule:

Deliverables Distribution Due Date

A. Post-Award Meeting, Agenda, Work Plans, and Draft Project Management Plan

1 electronic copy via email to:

COR, CO, ESP

Representative, BSEE Studies Representative

At least 5 days before the meeting, the Contractor shall provide pre-meeting documents to participants.

Meeting shall occur within 25 days after contract award.

B. Post-Award Meeting 1 electronic copy via Due no later than 60 days

Summary

COR, CO, ESP

Representative, Chief DES, BSEE Studies Representative after the post-award meeting.

C. Final Project Management Plan

1 electronic copy via email to:

COR, CO, ESP

Representative, BSEE Studies Representative

Due no later than 120 days after the post-award meeting.

D. Monthly Reports 1 electronic copy via email to:

COR, CO, ESP

Representative

Due on the 15th day of every month, beginning in the second month.

E. Cruise Map and Risk Mitigation Plan

1 electronic copy via email to:

COR, ESP

Representative

Due 5 days prior to the research cruise.

F. Electronic Copies of Raw Data and Video Footage

1 electronic copy to:

COR

Electronic copies of raw data and video footage shall also be…