B09-Questions_and_Answers_0001.pdf

Questions and Answers 140M0123Q0036

1. The RFP states that ‘The Contractor will develop a plan to create a continuum of data products for users that ranges from an API for technical users to communication of status and trends of key indicators.’ Is an operational Application Programming Interface (API) expected to be part of the deliverables? If so, can BOEM provide more information about the Information Technology (IT) environment that such an API is expected to function on and within (e.g. computing resources, servers, FedRAMP status, etc.)?

Answer: It is currently unclear because BOEM is in the process of developing cloud computing infrastructure.

2. Similarly, the RFP states that the contractor will develop a plan to create a ‘multi‐use decision support dashboard and an interactive application for reporting’. Can BOEM provide similar information about the expected IT environment that is expected to host or support such a dashboard or application? For example, does BOEM expect that these tools would be built leveraging ESRI products, Tableau, or other commercial platform(s) and licenses, or would these be required to be stand‐alone deliverables?

Answer: We expect the tools to be built with opensource software or leveraging products such as ESRI tools.

3. Proposals are due 10 August 2023, which is a short turnaround time for such a robust study. Can the due date be extended by a week to 17 August 2023?

Answer: The deadline is extended by one week to August 17, 2023.

4. Should the proposed work focus on offshore areas or also include shoreline areas and existing NOAA ESI shoreline data?

Answer: The focus is the Outer Continental Shelf; however, it is acceptable to integrate NOAA ESI shoreline data.

5. Is there a lower or upper budget limit?

Answer: BOEM is unable to share budget information.

6. Do contracts with state-funded universities, i.e. state government, within the past 3 years qualify for Past Performance Reference Forms?

Answer: Yes, state government Past Performance Refences may be used.

7. Would a proposal with all roles assigned to one person be acceptable? My EcoQuants LLC is currently a sole proprietorship in which I sub-contracted, but as of 2023 set up as an S Corporation for the prospect of hiring employees.

Answer: In accordance with Section 4.8.1, the Quoter shall identify and assign a Project Management team, with relevant expertise in the thematic area in which they are being identified in the SOW and provide resumes for the Project Manager and all other key personnel, and letters of commitment, as applicable. The Quoter shall describe the relevant responsibilities of each team member as it involves the implementation of the approaches to meet the stated requirements.

8. Is submission of a peer-reviewed paper describing methods, data and tool use be of interest and relevant to include in the Deliverables/Milestones?

Answer: Yes.

9. Is it acceptable to link this proposal to other ongoing related activities, such as MarineBON.org Biological Indicators working group and species distribution modeling?

Answer: It is acceptable to refer to similar ongoing and past work in your quote. Relevant products from sources mentioned may be used for the tool quoted here.

10. Is the contractor required to use commercial Esri software, such as ArcGIS Server and ArcMap client? Existing software tools (e.g, https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/esi_toolbar) use commercial Esri software, however this limits accessibility. We would like to propose use of open-source software for both server and client.

Answer: There is no requirement to use Esri products or services.

11. Are cloud services permissible and expensable in the Price Volume or should we integrate with an existing server environment and work with BOEM IT staff? We would like to use cloud services such as Google Cloud Storage and Virtual Machines with Docker containers for server software, applications and APIs.

Answer: Both options may be quoted.

12. If the contractor sets up and maintains server software during the life of the contract, is a software transition plan to BOEM-hosted service necessary in the proposal or would a subsequent maintenance contract be more suitable?

Answer: Both options may be quoted.

13. Do BOEM personnel involved in this project use Google Workspace like NOAA? This would be good to know for sharing files with EcoQuants existing Google Workspace as well as setting up authentication to various services and applications using OAUTH2.

Answer: No, DOI does not allow Google Workspace as an official sharing space. The team could use google authenticator for some of the accounts for multi-factor authentication services.

Microsoft 365 (sharepoint) or AWS (S3 buckets) will need to be used because they each have ATO and are approved by DOI the security team. Dropbox cannot be used either. The team can use the https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fresponse.restoration.noaa.gov%2Fesi_toolbar&data=05%7C01%7Cstephanie.brock%40bsee.gov%7C190757a775ce4bda72d108db8df15d51%7C0693b5ba4b184d7b9341f32f400a5494%7C0%7C0%7C638259840016802831%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=Ph4AgpuPyrCUyb5ri6FCUPUbt6WFoDWzwSlmLexawn8%3D&reserved=0

GeoSEAS S3 transfer bucket to transfer file within agencies, which is an AWS kind of folder to upload and download. WinSCP software is utilized to connect to our buckets.

14. Will the awarded company be given any government furnished equipment (GFE), such as laptop computers, and/or access credentials to work in BSEE/BOEM IT environments remotely?

Answer: BOEM will not provide computers. However, access to certain environments will be granted. For example, the GeoSEAS S3 transfer bucket to transfer file within agencies, which is an AWS kind of folder to upload and download. WinSCP software is utilized to connect to our buckets.

15. Are the resultant ESI deliverable products, under this RFQ, intended to be only digital solutions/products with no hardcopy printing/publishing necessary or is the intent to be able to create hardcopy ESI output products? The response to this question has a direct impact on cost/price.

Answer: Yes, the products can be all digital.

16. The RFQ describes results that are scientifically valid, transparent, and repeatable using reproducible R code. Can you confirm that this R code is related primarily to the updated environmental sensitivity assessment methodology and models, rather than to storage of underlying source data (e.g. GIS layers), source data cleaning steps, application services (for the dashboard), and/or API services? R can be used for these other features, but may not be the best available option.

Answer: R is acceptable for the statistical analysis/modeling segment of the project. However, other software environments may be more suited for the task mentioned above (e.g., storage of underlying source data).

17. Are any non‐public data sources anticipated? If proprietary data are found to be exceptionally relevant, would BOEM consider using them, or would this violate the principles of transparency and scientific reproducibility?

Answer: BOEM will consider and anticipates using some non-public data sources.

18. Can BOEM clarify how it expects to receive quotes for the Oil and Gas component, the optional Wind Energy component, and/or a Combined approach? Should these be separate quotations? Or, if the contractor can perform both components, would it be ideal to submit a combined quotation?

Answer: The primary objective of this project is the Oil and Gas component. Please provide a quote for the Oil and Gas component. The quoter may also provide an optional combined Wind Energy and Oil and Gas component.

19. Can BOEM provide access to the Davies et al. 2014 study report regarding a “mapped weighted perspective approach?” This study is currently only accessible for a fee.

Answer: Copywrite restriction prevents BOEM from sharing the article.

20. Please clarify the intent of the RFQ, in terms of ‘sourcing readily available datasets and models.’ Is it BOEM’s intent to have the contractor gather actual data to support the Environmental Sensitivity Model or is the intent to simply develop a plan/framework/tool in which data can be ingested in a future state?

Answer: The successful contractor will be responsible for gathering the data to support the Environmental Sensitivity Model and then use the data to create the models.

21. To accurately price this effort, we need to better understand the scope of work with respect to ‘developing ESI methodologies’ and ‘analyzing relative environmental sensitivity’ as stated as the objectives and further alluded to in 2.3.1.A of the RFQ. Is the source data from the Niedoroda et

al. 2014 study in a digital AND spatial format such that the contractor would be able to access and utilize these data to develop and analyze a spatially-explicit environmental sensitivity database, or will the contractor be expected to newly develop an offshore ESI geodatabase from environmental source data?

Answer: Niedoroda et al. 2014 used older publicly available databases that are out-of-date or have been updated. Many different and novel databases have also been created that did not exist when Niedoroda et al. 2014 conducted their analyses. The successful contractor is expected to develop a new offshore ESI geodatabase.

22. Can you clarify what deliverable ‘model products’ are, as stated in ‘model products, interactive web-based tools and R code’ on page 8 of the RFQ? Are the ‘model products’ intended to mean the ESI database and in what format(s) are these model products to be delivered?

Answer: Model products can be provided in combination of formats. BOEM anticipates web-based map viewers for the public to interact with as well as geospatial products for an individual to use within a GIS environment (e.g., GeoTIFFs; spatial polygons).