6913G621Q300024_SOW.pdf

Request for Quotation (RFQ) No. 6913G621Q300024

Department of Transportation

Volpe National Transportation Systems Center

Technical Support for Coast Guard Ballast Water Management Program

STATEMENT OF WORK

1.0 BACKGROUND

The National Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act of 1990 (PL 101-646), as amended by National Invasive Species Act of 1996 (PL 104-332), authorized the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) to develop and implement a regulatory program to prevent the introduction of Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) into the waters of the United States by vessels discharging ballast water. Pursuant to the National Invasive Species Act of 1996 (hereinafter “NISA”), the USCG published regulations that established the National Ballast Water Management (BWM) Program for U.S. Waters. The program applies to all vessels that are equipped with ballast water tanks and transit the waters of the United States bound for ports or places in the United States.

A key component of the USCG BWM program requires that all vessels manage their ballast water if entering U.S. waters after operating outside of the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The USCG’s Final Rule, Standards for Living Organisms in Ships’ Ballast Water Discharged in U.S. Waters (Federal Register Vol. 7, No. 57; March 23, 2012), requires that ships manage ballast water to comply with the discharge standard. While some options exist for managing ballast water without treatment (for example, no discharge of ballast water, use of public drinking water, use of a shore-based discharge facility), the USCG expects that most ships will meet the discharge standard by employing treatment technologies.

The U. S. Department of Transportation’s Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe Center) has been supporting the USCG’s Environmental Standards Division (CG-OES-3) ANS and BWM programs since 2000. The Volpe Center’s experience and technical expertise are currently being utilized to support the type approval process for Ballast Water Treatment (BWT) technologies and development of water quality regulations for incidental discharges from vessels under the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act (VIDA).

2.0 OBJECTIVES

The U.S. type approval process requires a thorough review and evaluation of ballast water treatment technologies for use in U.S. waters. The Coast Guard requires outside expertise to evaluate type approval packages submitted by manufacturers regarding scaling data, testing procedures, data quality and interpretation of results.

Treatment system vendors must submit their type approval applications through one of the USCG-approved Independant Laboratories (IL). During the type approval process, OES-3 coordinates with the USCG Marine Safety Center (MSC), which reviews the ballast water treatment system mechanical, electrical, safety and operational design. The Volpe Center requires the services of a contractor to support the type approval process by reviewing new and emerging technologies, data quality issues, or other technical issues requiring expert knowledge of biological efficacy testing and ballast water treatment system design and operation.

3.0 TASKS

3.1 Task 1 – Macro Review of Type Approval Applications

The contractor shall perform macro analyses of existing biological testing data submitted to Coast Guard for US type approval in order to resolve disparities between BWT system manufacturers and the IL’s assessment of different types of BWMS. The contractor shall review the BWT manufacturer’s data provided by the Volpe COR and provide a technical evaluation of whether treatment system performance was tested in accordance with type approval requirements.

The following types of general documents will be provided to the contractor by the Volpe COR for review as Government Furnished Information (GFI):

Report on Land-Based testing (30-40 pages)

Report on Shipboard testing (30-40 pages)

Raw data from Land-Based testing (10-20 pages)

Raw data from testing (7-10 pages)

The contractor shall prepare a 2-4 page report that summarizes whether the manufacturer’s testing setup and protocols met type approval requirements and supports accurate predicted performance of untested treatment systems. Where the biological data does not support a positive assessment, provide recommendations of improvements to the testing protocols and conditions that support confidence in predicted performance. The contractor shall communicate with the Volpe COR via phone calls or emails when necessary to exchange information. This task shall be completed within 30 days after award and receipt of data from Volpe.

3.2 Task 2 – Review of Step Applications

The contractor shall perform an initial review of the STEP application submitted by the BWT system manufacturer for completeness in accordance with the STEP Notice of Completeness Checklist. The completeness review is intended to determine whether the Applicant has responded to each of the required sections of the application sufficiently to warrant undertaking a full review.

The following types of general documents will be provided by the Volpe COR to the contractor for review as GFI:

Shipboard Test Plan (120-150 pages)

Research & Development Testing Summary (20-30 pages)

STEP Prototype Application (8-12 pages)

Operation Maintenance and Safety Manual (200-300 pages)

The contractor shall fill in the STEP Notice of Completeness Checklist that summarizes whether the data and materials submitted by the BWT system manufacturer for acceptance into STEP meet the application requirements. Deficiencies and information requests shall be noted on the Checklist. The contractor shall communicate with the Volpe COR via phone calls or emails when necessary to exchange information. This task shall be completed within 30 days after award and receipt of data from Volpe.

3.3 Task 3 – Engineering Assessment of Type Approval Applications

The contractor shall perform an assessment of manufacturer’s engineering data from previously accepted Alternate Management Systems (AMS) applying for U.S. Type Approval. The data reviewed shall include computational fluid dynamics modeling, scaling studies when they increase the treatment rated capacity (ballast water flow rates) by combining base units in series or parallel and other system-specific engineering information.

The contractor shall review the engineering data submitted by the manufacturer and provide a technical evaluation of whether treatment system performance is substantiated and equivalent between the base (tested) models and scaled models. The following types of general documents will be provided by the Volpe COR to the contractor for review as GFI:

Type Approval Testing Report (50-70 pages)

IL Scaling Evaluation (20-30 pages)

BWMS Test Report (20-30 pages)

Scaling Guidance (5-7 pages)

Operation Maintenance and Safety Manual (200-300 pages)

BWT System Drawings (20-30 pages)

The following aspects must be evaluated:

Scaling methods must be fully described. General scaling characteristics such as geometric, kinematic, and dynamic similarity should be addressed. Scaling characteristics unique to the treatment technology should accurately represent the operational parameters of the system.

The treatment system should be modeled with measurable parameters. The model should give quantitative values of the parameters for each model of the treatment system.

The model must be validated with system testing results. While the base model test results may be used for validation, additional test points must be used to verify accuracy of the model. Test results must be compared to model results to conclude model accuracy.

Sensitivity analysis should be performed to corroborate model accuracy.

The contractor shall prepare a 2-4 page report that assesses whether the manufacturer's scaling study supports accurate predicted performance of untested treatment systems. Where the scaling study does not support a positive assessment, provide recommendations of improvements to the scaling study that would increase confidence in predicted performance. The contractor shall communicate with the Volpe COR via phone calls or emails when necessary to exchange information. The contractor shall complete this task within 30 days after award and receipt of data from Volpe.

3.4 Task 4 –Vendor Response to Deficiencies in Type Approval Applications

The Volpe Center requires support with potential technical questions and discussion with the BWT system manufacturer following their review of the contractor’s scaling report. The contractor shall review any new data and details of the design provided by the Volpe COR and submit one 1-2 page report that summarizes whether the BWT system manufacturer’s response to the first report’s comments were adequately addressed. The contractor shall communicate with the Volpe COR via phone calls or emails when necessary to exchange information. The contractor shall complete this task within 30 days after acceptance and receipt of revised data from Volpe.

3.5 Task 5 – Participation in Workshop Reviewing Type Approval Issues

The Volpe Center will participate in a one day intergovernmental teleconference hosted by Coast Guard Headquarters and U.S. Navy Research Laboratory to address emerging technical issues relating to the US type approval process for BWT systems. Other stakeholders participating in the teleconference will include Coast Guard Research and Development Center, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Maritime Administration. The teleconference is expected to be convened for one day in February - March time frame from 9AM-5PM EST. The contractor shall join in the group discussion and respond to technical questions, offering educated opinions and recommendations to improve the US type approval process. The contractor’s biologist staff shall travel to the Volpe Center and participate in the teleconference directly with the Volpe

COR. The contractor’s engineer is required to make his/her own arrangements and call into the conference remotely. The agenda and call in information for the teleconference shall be provided 30 days priot to the meeting.

3.6 Task 6 – Participation in Naval Research Laboratories Program Review

The Volpe Center will participate in a two day intergovernmental technical conference hosted by Coast Guard Headquarters and U.S. Navy Research Laboratory to address emerging technical issues relating to the US type approval process for BWT systems. Other stakeholders participating in the conference will include Coast Guard Research and Development Center, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Maritime Administration. The conference is expected to be convened in August - September timeframe in Key West, FL. The contractor’s biologists and engineer shall travel to the conference and join in the group discussion and respond to technical questions, offering educated opinions and recommendations to improve the US type approval process. The agenda and call in information for the teleconference shall be provided 30 days prior to the meeting.

4.0 INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

The Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) will inspect and accept work performed under this order.

5.0 DELIVERABLES

Deliverable Task(s) Due Date

Provide a 2-4 page report that summarizes whether the vendors testing setup and protocols met type approval requirements and supports accurate predicted performance of untested treatment systems

Task 1

30 business days after receipt of data

Complete STEP Notice of Completeness Task 2 30 business days after receipt of data

Provide a 2-4 page summary report on whether the treatment system’s performance is equivalent between the base (tested) models and scaled models

Task 3 30 business days after receipt of data

Provide a 1-2 page report that summarizes whether the BWT system vendor’s response to the first report’s comments were adequately addressed

Task 4 30 business days after receipt of data

Participation in a one day intergovernmental teleconference on US type approval issues

Task 5 30 business days after notice of teleconference

Deliverable Task(s) Due Date

Participation in Naval Research Laboratories Ballast Water Management Program Review

Task 6 30 business days after notice of teleconference

*Deliverables shall be provided electronically in Microsoft Word to the COR listed in paragraph 7.0 below.

6.0 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The base period of performance will be date of award through May 16, 2021. The total period of performance, if all CLINs are exercised, will be from date of award through September 30, 2023.

7.0 CONTRACTING OFFICER’S REPRESENTATIVE (COR)

Christopher Murray U.S. Department Of Transportation (US DOT) John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center Infrastructure Engineering and Deployment Division, V-335 55 Broadway, Kendall Square Cambridge, MA 02142 Email: Chris.Murray@dot.gov Office: 617-494-2524 Cell: 617-512-7193

Travel

All travel costs associated with the Tasks listed above should be included in the firm fixed price amount proposed for each line item.

8.0 CONFLICT OF INTEREST

In order to avoid a conflict of interest over the potential information being shared, contractors are not permitted to work on BWM type approval applications through one of the USCG-approved IL’s. The results of this work are for the use of the sponsoring agency, U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, Office of Operating and Environmental Standards, Environmental Standards Division (CG-OES-3).