B08 - RFP 140M0120R0008--9.29.2020.pdf

140M0120R0008

SOLICITATION, OFFER AND AWARD

4. TYPE OF SOLICITATION2. CONTRACT NUMBER 3. SOLICITATION NUMBER

7. ISSUED BY CODE 8. ADDRESS OFFER TO (If other than Item 7)

ORDER UNDER DPAS (15 CFR 700)

6. REQUISITION/PURCHASE NUMBER

NOTE: In sealed bid solicitations "offer" and "offeror" mean "bid" and "bidder".

NEGOTIATED (RFP)

SEALED BID (IFB)

5. DATE ISSUED

1. THIS CONTRACT IS A RATED RATING PAGE OF PAGES

1 149

C. E-MAIL ADDRESS

EXT.NUMBERAREA CODE

B. TELEPHONE (NO COLLECT CALLS)A. NAME

10. FOR

INFORMATION

CALL:

CAUTION: LATE Submissions, Modifications, and Withdrawals: See Section L, Provision No. 52.214-7 or 52.215-1. All offers are subject to all terms and conditions contained in this solicitation.

(Date)(Hour) local timeuntildepository located in copies for furnishing the supplies or services in the Schedule will be received at the place specified in Item 8, or if hand carried, in the

SOLICITATION

9. Sealed offers in original and

PART IV - REPRESENTATIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS

OTHER STATEMENTS OF OFFERORS

EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD

INSTRS., CONDS., AND NOTICES TO OFFERORS

REPRESENTATIONS, CERTIFICATIONS AND

LIST OF ATTACHMENTS

CONTRACT CLAUSES

PART III - LIST OF DOCUMENTS, EXHIBITS AND OTHER ATTACH.

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M SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS

CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA

DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE

INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

PACKAGING AND MARKING

DESCRIPTION/SPECS./WORK STATEMENT

SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICES/COSTS

SOLICITATION/CONTRACT FORM

PART II - CONTRACT CLAUSESPART I - THE SCHEDULE

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SEC. DESCRIPTION PAGE(S) (X) DESCRIPTION SEC. (X)

11. TABLE OF CONTENTS

18. OFFER DATE17. SIGNATURE

SUCH ADDRESS IN SCHEDULE.

IS DIFFERENT FROM ABOVE - ENTER

15C. CHECK IF REMITTANCE ADDRESS

EXT.NUMBERAREA CODE

15B. TELEPHONE NUMBER

(Type or print)AND

ADDRESS

OF

OFFEROR

CODE FACILITY

16. NAME AND TITLE OF PERSON AUTHORIZED TO SIGN OFFER15A. NAME

DATEAMENDMENT NO.DATEAMENDMENT NO.

and related documents numbered and dated):

amendments to the SOLICITATION for offerors

(The offeror acknowledges receipt of

14. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF AMENDMENTS

CALENDAR DAYS (%)30 CALENDAR DAYS (%)20 CALENDAR DAYS (%)10 CALENDAR DAYS (%)

(See Section I, Clause No. 52.232.8)

13. DISCOUNT FOR PROMPT PAYMENT

designated point(s), within the time specified in the schedule.

by the offeror) from the date for receipt of offers specified above, to furnish any or all items upon which prices are offered at the price set opposite each item, delivered at the

NOTE: Item 12 does not apply if the solicitation includes the provisions at 52.214-16, Minimum Bid Acceptance Period.

OFFER (Must be fully completed by offeror)

IMPORTANT - Award will be made on this Form, or on Standard Form 26, or by other authorized official written notice.

28. AWARD DATE

(Signature of Contracting Officer)

27. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

25. PAYMENT WILL BE MADE BY

26. NAME OF CONTRACTING OFFICER (Type or print)

CODE 24. ADMINISTERED BY (If other than Item 7)

ITEM

(4 copies unless otherwise specified)

23. SUBMIT INVOICES TO ADDRESS SHOWN IN

41 U.S.C. 253 (c) ( 10 U.S.C. 2304 (c) (

22. AUTHORITY FOR USING OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION:

21. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION20. AMOUNT19. ACCEPTED AS TO ITEMS NUMBERED

AWARD (To be completed by government)

CODE

09/29/2020 X

M10

BOEM-HQ

45600 Woodland Road, VAE-AMD Sterling VA 20166-9216

1700 ET 10/29/2020

Mario Gray 703 mario.gray@bsee.gov

787-1432

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Mario Gray

AUTHORIZED FOR LOCAL REPRODUCTION

Previous edition is unusable

STANDARD FORM 33 (Rev. 9-97)

Prescribed by GSA - FAR (48 CFR) 53.214(c)

1 - 2 3 - 7

8 - 32 34 - 35 36 - 46 47 - 52 53 - 58

59 - 72

74 - 90

91-101

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12. In compliance with the above, the undersigned agrees, if this offer is accepted within _____0_________ calendar days (60 calendar days unless a different period is inserted

ITEM NO. SUPPLIES/SERVICES QUANTITY UNIT UNIT PRICE AMOUNT

NAME OF OFFEROR OR CONTRACTOR

2 149

CONTINUATION SHEET

REFERENCE NO. OF DOCUMENT BEING CONTINUED PAGE OF

140M0120R0008

(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F)

The U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of

Safety and Environmental Enforcement, on the behalf of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, is issuing this Full-and-Open (Unrestricted)

Competitive Solicitation, and Request for

Proposals, issued to meet the Government's

Requirements Titled: "Geophysical, Geological, and Environmental Data Collection and Analysis supporting Outer Continental Shelf Marine

Minerals Stewardship." The Government anticipates the award of a Single Award

Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ)

Contract as a result of this solicitation.

An offeror may provide questions in the inbox of the email address for the Contracting Officer by the due date and time for questions.

An offeror may submit a proposal in response to this solicitation. An offeror who submits a proposal in response to this solicitation SHALL provide a separate technical proposal and business/cost proposal by the due date and time for proposals.

OPTIONAL FORM 336 (4-86)

Sponsored by GSA

FAR (48 CFR) 53.110

NSN 7540-01-152-8067

RFP 140M0120R0008

Geophysical, Geological, and Environmental Data Collection and Analysis

SECTION B:

SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICES/COSTS:

B.1 INTRODUCTION & AUTHORITY / GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS:

In accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 12 - Acquisition of Commercial Items, the FAR Subpart 16.5 - Indefinite-Delivery Contracts, and the FAR Part 15 – Contracting by Negotiation, this is a Full-and-Open (Unrestricted) Competitive Solicitation, and Request for Proposals (RFP), issued to meet the Government’s Requirements Titled:

“Geophysical, Geological, and Environmental Data Collection and Analysis supporting Outer Continental Shelf Marine Minerals Stewardship.” The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code 541620—Environmental Consulting Services, with a small business size standard of $16.5 Million Dollars, is applicable to the Government’s Requirements. The Product Service Code B529—Special Studies/Analysis-Scientific Data, is applicable to the Government’s Requirements. This solicitation has incorporated provisions and incorporated clauses in effect through the Federal Acquisition Circular 2020-07, Effective 08-31-2020.

The offeror shall provide all equipment, facilities, incidentals, labor, materials, personnel and supplies, and shall travel as necessary, to successfully perform all services and provide all deliverables in accordance with Section C: DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/STATEMENT OF WORK, and, Section F: PERFORMANCE AND DELIVERABLES. The Government anticipates the award of a Single Award Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) Contract as a result of this solicitation. Nonetheless, the Government reserves the right not to award an ID/IQ Contract as a result of this solicitation. The Government anticipates that the Sample Task Order (Attachment 2) will be the first task order issued against an anticipated ID/IQ Contract.

Nonetheless, the Government reserves the right for the Sample Task Order not to be the first task order issued against an anticipated ID/IQ Contract. The Government reserves the right to issue the Sample Task Order to an ID/IQ Awardee any time after the award of an anticipated ID/IQ Contract based solely on the content of this solicitation and the proposal of the successful offeror.

B.2 CONTRACT PRICING:

All task orders issued under this ID/IQ contract shall be priced in accordance with Section B.2.1.

The labor rates in Section B.2.1 serve as the maximum labor rates that the Contractor may propose under task orders against the ID/IQ. The Contractor may always provide lower labor rates and discounts, via future task order proposals, under task orders against the ID/IQ. The labor categories are anticipated to be the primary labor categories necessary for the Contractor to successfully perform all services and provide all deliverables at the task order level. Other labor categories may be added, via modification to the ID/IQ by the Contracting Officer, if the labor categories are determined necessary and applicable to successfully perform the scope/work of the ID/IQ and the task order level, and if the labor categories are proposed by the Contractor and advance approved by the Contracting Officer (CO) and Contracting Officer’s Representative

(COR).

B.2.1 CONTRACT LINE ITEM NUMBERS (CLIN) PRICING STRUCTURE FOR

ID/IQ:

The pricing structure of the ID/IQ is detailed as follows:

The Contractor shall provide fully burdened, fixed hourly labor rates which include wages, overhead, general and administrative expenses, and profit. The labor rates shall serve as the maximum labor rates the Contractor may propose when submitting business/cost proposals at the task order level. Each task order will identify the level of effort required for the successful performance of the task order. * The fully burdened, fixed hourly labor rates proposed for each year are to be provided under the applicable CLIN.

* The Government has provided the Project Manager as a required labor category under the Government’s Requirements and the ID/IQ. Any offeror SHALL provide pricing for this required labor category: Project Manager. The Contractor shall also propose other appropriate labor categories that are determined necessary and applicable to successfully perform the scope/work of the ID/IQ and the task order level, i.e., necessary and applicable to successfully perform the scope/work described in Section C, Section F and the Sample Task Order Statement of Work in the table located in Section L.7.2 of this solicitation. * At a minimum, all labor categories and fully burdened, fixed hourly labor rates proposed for each year and for the Sample Task Order must be included in Section B.2.1.

ID/IQ CLIN 00010 - Base Year (Months 1 through 12)

Labor Category Fully Burdened, Fixed Hourly Labor Rate

* Project Manager * $________

CLIN 00010 is a Base Line Item.

The Government reserves the right not to exercise an option and a determination by the Government not to exercise an option is solely within the discretion of the Government.

ID/IQ CLIN 00020 - Option Year One (1) (Months 13 through 24)

Labor Category Fully Burdened, Fixed Hourly Labor Rate

* Project Manager * $________

CLIN 00020 is an Option Line Item.

(CONTINUED ON THE NEXT PAGE)

ID/IQ CLIN 00030 - Option Year Two (2) (Months 25 through 36)

Labor Category Fully Burdened, Fixed Hourly Labor Rate

* Project Manager * $________

CLIN 00030 is an Option Line Item.

ID/IQ CLIN 00040 - Option Year Three (3) (Months 37 through 48)

Labor Category Fully Burdened, Fixed Hourly Labor Rate

* Project Manager * $________

CLIN 00040 is an Option Line Item.

ID/IQ CLIN 00050 – Option Year Four (4) (Months 49 through 60)

Labor Category Fully Burdened, Fixed Hourly Labor Rate

* Project Manager * $________

CLIN 00050 is an Option Line Item.

B.2.2 SAMPLE TASK ORDER PRICING:

Below is the pricing table for the Sample Task Order (TO) (Attachment 2). The offeror shall provide detailed pricing in accordance with the instructions in Section L, below. The Government anticipates that the Sample TO (Attachment 2) will be the first TO issued against an anticipated ID/IQ Contract.

CLIN Description Firm Fixed Price Total 00010 “Geophysical, Geological, and Environmental Data

Collection and Analysis supporting Outer Continental Marine Minerals Stewardship.”

* $TBD

* = Any offeror shall provide TO Level Pricing in its Sample TO Business/Cost Proposal. The description contained in table above is for illustrative purposes only and will change based on the information in the Sample TO and successful offeror’s proposal.

CLIN 00010 is a Firm-Fixed-Price line item to perform the work under the TO Level Statement of Work (SOW) to be paid in accordance with the Partial Delivery Payment Schedule in Section B.2.3.

B.2.3 PARTIAL DELIVERY PAYMENT SCHEDULE: SAMPLE TO LEVEL:

The following Partial Delivery Payment Schedule is for the Firm-Fixed-Price Sample TO requirement (CLIN 00010). Payment shall be made after services have been successfully performed/rendered by the contractor, after deliverables have been submitted by the contractor to the Government, and after deliverables have been received and accepted by the Government in accordance with FAR Clause 52.232-1, Payments.

FOR ILLUSTRATIVE PURPOSES ONLY

Payment Deliverable / Milestone Payment Amount

1 Service Performed/Rendered & Deliverable 1 Received and Accepted * $TBD (30%)

2 Service Performed/Rendered & Deliverable 2 Received and Accepted * $TBD (30%)

3 Service Performed/Rendered & Deliverable 3 Received and Accepted * $TBD (20%)

4 Service Performed/Rendered & Deliverable 4 Received and Accepted * $TBD (20%)

Total Firm-Fixed-Price * $TBD

* = Any offeror shall propose a Partial Delivery Payment Schedule in its Sample TO Business/Cost Proposal. The descriptions contained in table above is for illustrative purposes only and will change based on the information in the Sample TO and successful offeror’s proposal.

B.3 MINIMUM/MAXIMUM (NOT TO EXCEED CEILING) & OVERALL VALUE:

Both the Government and the Contractor agree that the minimum consideration guaranteed under this Contract is $25,000.00, subject to the availability of funds, and the ID/IQ Contract Not-to- Exceed Ceiling Amount (maximum consideration under this this ID/IQ Contract) over a five-year period is $25,000,000.00 (if all options are exercised).

B.4 TRAVEL:

Travel requirements, if applicable, will be specified on the TO Level. When travel costs are allowable under a reimbursable line item, travel costs will be reimbursed for actual, allowable, and reasonable travel and travel related costs incurred, exclusive of any fee, in accordance with the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) policy in effect at the time of travel

(http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/104790) and in accordance with the FAR 31.205-46. All reimbursable travel shall be approved by the COR prior to travel arrangements being made.

SECTION C:

DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/STATEMENT OF WORK:

Geophysical, Geological, and Environmental Data Collection and Analysis supporting

Outer Continental Shelf Marine Minerals Stewardship.

C.1 INTRODUCTION:

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), Marine Minerals Program (MMP), within the Department of the Interior (DOI) is responsible for the stewardship of non-energy minerals on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).

BOEM’s mission includes oversight of exploration and leasing of sand and gravel for use in coastal restoration and beach nourishment projects, as well as exploration, leasing, and development of strategic, critical, and other hard minerals.

BOEM is seeking capable contractor to provide geophysical, geological, and environmental data and related geospatial and analytical services to support BOEM’s mission. This scope of work includes identification, characterization, and delineation of OCS sand to further MMP’s development of a National Offshore Sand Inventory, as well as other marine minerals in support of development of a future National Offshore Critical Mineral Inventory. The scope of work includes synthesis of existing resource evaluation and environmental data and information, new geophysical and geological data acquisition and processing, as well as studies and monitoring needed to evaluate the potential impacts to sensitive habitats, biological communities, and cultural resources that may result from mineral exploration or extraction activities.

C.2 BACKGROUND:

The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) (43 U.S.C. §1331) provides DOI and BOEM the authority to authorize exploration, leasing, and development of OCS marine minerals. As resource stewards, BOEM ensures that the exploration or use of any mineral resource is conducted in a safe and environmentally sound manner, and that any potentially adverse impacts on the marine, coastal, or human environments are avoided or minimized.

For more than 20 years, BOEM has provided OCS sediment to coastal communities and Federal agencies, such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the National Park Service. Access to and identification of potential OCS sand is critical for the long-term success and cost-effectiveness of many shore protection, beach nourishment, and coastal habitat restoration projects. Erosion of the Nation’s beaches, dune, barrier islands, and coastal wetlands affects natural resources, energy, defense, public infrastructure, and tourism, which are important to state and local economies. MMP projects provide the Nation’s coastlines crucial resources to maintain healthy coastal ecosystems.

Critical and other strategic marine minerals are a new focal area for BOEM’s Marine Minerals Program. President Trump’s Executive Order 13817 – A Federal Strategy To Ensure Secure and

Reliable Supplies of Critical Minerals – and Secretarial Order 3359 – Critical Mineral Independence and Security – directed Interior to inventory and identify new supplies of terrestrial and marine mineral resources. BOEM continues to investigate which of the currently identified 35 critical minerals, such as cobalt, manganese, and rare-earth elements, may be located on the OCS. These minerals are essential to the economic and national security of our Nation and for which the supply chain is vulnerable to disruption.

Field work, including new geophysical and geological data collection, may be required in the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, Pacific, and Alaska OCS. Data synthesis may also address potential resources offshore U.S. territories and possessions.

BOEM sponsored-research, such as field work and data collection, shall comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 (42 USC 4321, et seq.) and other environmental laws.

C.3 OBJECTIVES:

The objectives of this Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) are to support the development of a National Offshore Sand Inventory (e.g., identification and characterization of sediment resource areas), determine the locations of potential OCS hard/critical minerals in the development of a National Offshore Critical Mineral Inventory, and collect baseline data to better understand and characterize potential physical, chemical, biological, and cultural impacts from marine mineral extraction.

High-quality geophysical and geological data are critical to the delineation and characterization of OCS marine minerals and natural environment. Data shall be of sufficient quality, whether geophysical, geological, or mineralogical, to identify resource morphology, character, quantity or quality, and geologic setting or environmental context. All phases of data collection, processing, and interpretation shall meet rigorous quality assurance and control standards to meet the above objectives.

The information ultimately collected under this IQ/IQ will allow BOEM to evaluate the leasing and development potential of OCS minerals and assist with the assessment of potential environmental impacts and necessary mitigation and minimization measures. As a responsible steward of OCS minerals, BOEM will use data and information provided to determine where marine minerals are located and the volume or quality that may be available for use, and determine measures to minimize impacts from resource exploration or extraction.

C.4 SCOPE OF WORK AND SPECIFIC TASKS:

The scope of work includes OCS mineral resource and environmental and cultural data collection and analyses. The scope of work includes but is not limited to: synthesis of existing geophysical, geological, and environmental and cultural data and information; new geophysical data collection, processing, interpretation, and analyses; new geological sampling, processing, interpretation and analyses; new environmental and cultural data collection, processing, and analyses; and, specialized geospatial services.

SPECIFIC TASKS:

These are the tasks and types of work that the Contractor SHALL be required to perform under individual Task Orders issued:

1. Existing Data Synthesis and Review of OCS Minerals, Minerals Use, and Associated Physical, Environmental, and Cultural Data:

Review and synthesize data and information regarding OCS minerals and the OCS marine environment in a narrative format, meta-analysis, and geospatial context. Work shall include literature reviews, recovery and digitization of archival data, and data compilation and assimilation. Identify areas of potential beach compatible sources of sand and gravel in proximity to coastal areas where they are likely to be needed. Identify potential hard/critical mineral resource locations to focus potential field data acquisition efforts. Determine whether data collection is best executed via reconnaissance data collection, or more detailed, site-specific data collection is needed at a given location.

2. Develop Data Acquisition and Processing Protocols and Guidelines:

Assist BOEM in the development of protocols and guidelines for geophysical, geological, and other data collection and processing for marine mineral resource evaluation or other related investigations. Work shall include evaluating existing geophysical and geological data collection and processing standards and protocols, particularly those in use by partnering agencies and institutions.

3. Develop Field Data Acquisition Plans:

Develop a Field Data Acquisition Plan addressing vessel selection and procurement, mobilization, and management (i.e., acoustically quiet for geophysical operations; able to accommodate multi-instrument deployment in a single pass; appropriately-sized working platform and outfitted for the nature of proposed operations); advanced positioning system when required); equipment deployment and operations; geophysical, geological, or other data acquisition objectives and approach; real-time horizontal and vertical geodetic referencing; motion, draft, lay-back and tidal corrections; speed of sound;

equipment calibration; any other signal processing necessary to achieve target data coverage and data quality; in-field data management; and required mitigation measures to avoid and minimize potential impacts to sensitive habitats, threatened and endangered species, archaeological resources and paleo-landforms, and other environmental resources during operations.

Vessel positioning shall use the global navigation satellite system and incorporate real-time kinematic or post-processed kinematic Global Positioning System (GPS), differentially corrected GPS, or clock and orbit corrected GPS. Individual tasks order statements of work shall indicate which specific positioning accuracy requirements of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) Standards for Hydrographic Surveys (S-

44) (2008), or future revisions, shall be met. Positioning requirements for individual task orders shall depend on the purpose, nature, and type of data acquisition and functional https://iho.int/uploads/user/pubs/standards/s-44/S-44_5E.pdf water depth (see C.4-4). Towed sensor positioning shall be determined using acoustic positioning systems, or fixed lay-back protocols. Horizontal positioning of towed sensors shall be better than 10 m.

Content for a Field Data Acquisition Plan shall include a description of the project area, the purpose of the proposed work, relevant previous work in the area, data collection methods and order (survey or field method, technology, data density), and data types to be obtained. This Plan shall be consistent with the Plan and Acquire phases of the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Science Data Lifecyle Model.

Any Field Data Acquisition Plan shall cross-reference the required Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan for Field Work (C.4-5). The Field Data Acquisition Plan shall also cross-reference other task order specific requirements related to the Project Management Plan: (1) environmental protection and compliance plan, (2) marine pollution control plan, (3) health and safety plan, and (4) Data Management Plan (described in C.6).

A qualified hydrographer/geophysicist shall define survey requirements not limited to acquisition methods and design, survey equipment and operational characteristics, survey limits and resolution, standards of acceptability, and feature detection and identification based on the local area conditions.

Upon request, Field Data Acquisition Plans shall be coordinated with key state and federal stakeholders identified by BOEM, such as the Interagency Working Group on Ocean and Coastal Mapping (IWG-OCM), or the Ocean Policy Committee and any subcommittee.

4. Acquire and Process OCS Mineral Data:

The contractor shall collect geophysical and geotechnical data for the primary purpose of characterizing offshore mineral resources, or characterizing the geologic framework and geomorphology, bottom habitats and potential archeological or cultural resources or unexploded ordnance (UXO). Data acquisition for a given task order may occur at reconnaissance or site-specific scale; specific requirements for survey extent and density shall be specified in individual task orders.

Information to be derived, inter alia, includes seabed and subbottom characterization, composition (substrate) and geomorphology of the seabed, geochemical characterization of hard mineral deposits, geomorphic interpretation and characterization of shallow (< 100ft below seabed) stratigraphic framework, and thickness and volume of isolated and laterally contiguous sedimentary units (isopach maps). The following tasks are organized by phase of the USGS Science Data Lifecycle Model: Acquisition, Processing, and Analysis.

ACQUISITION:

Conduct geophysical, geological, and environmental investigations including the following:

https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2013/1265/pdf/of2013-1265.pdf https://iocm.noaa.gov/mandates.html https://iocm.noaa.gov/mandates.html

• Bathymetry – single-beam, interferometric swath, and multibeam o Collection of hydrographic data shall conform to IHO Standards Special

Order for depths up to 40 meters or Order 1a/1b for depths up to 100 m or Order 2 for deeper water, where total horizontal uncertainty and total vertical uncertainty meet water-depth specific requirement and feature detection requirements are satisfied.

o Adhere to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s Field Procedure Manuals, as applicable.

o Individual task orders may require a very high grid resolution (0.5 m) for select bathymetric products.

• Side scan sonar or interferometric backscatter providing a minimum of 100% coverage of the area(s) of interest.

• Sub-bottom profiler, chirp sonar, boomer, or equivalent electromechanical sources.

• Magnetometer or gradiometer; magnetometer sensitivity shall be no less than 1.0 gamma or nanoTesla. Sampling interval shall not be greater than one second.

• Vibracores, jetted samples, box cores, and grab samples when required o Collection protocols shall conform to American Society for Testing and

Materials (ASTM) D4823-95 (2019) – Standard Guide for Core Sampling Submerged, Unconsolidated Sediment, or an equivalent standard required and approved by BOEM.

• Underwater or drone still and video photography.

• Remote Operated Vehicles (ROVs) with sufficient sample storage and manipulator capability to sample hard substrate, as detailed in task order Statements of Work.

• Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) or Autonomous Surface Vehicle (ASV) geophysical surveying with ultra-short baseline (USBL) navigation and communication capability.

• Acoustic sound source verification, when required.

Perform geophysical surveys using electromechanical sources only deployed by vessel, AUV, or ASV. Electromechanical sources shall be limited to boomer (or an equivalent electromagnetic plate transducer), chirp sub-bottom profilers, side-scan sonars, and single beam, interferometric, or multibeam depth sounders. The fewest number of active geophysical sources possible shall be used in order to obtain the types and quality of geophysical data required in an individual task order.

• Geophysical data acquisition shall be monitored by a qualified hydrographer/geophysicist on the vessel in real-time to maximize data quality and make adjustments when needed. This requirement shall be specified in the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (C.4-5).

• Chirp or other subbottom geophysical data is considered acceptable if the acoustic reflectors and reflection characteristics (e.g., parallel, divergent, baselap reflections; reflection characteristics at unit top; erosional, channeling and prograding patterns) are resolvable and discrete and can be used for the purpose of stratigraphic interpretation and accurate volumetric calculations in the area(s) https://iocm.noaa.gov/standards.html https://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/publications/docs/standards-and-requirements/specs/hssd-2017.pdf https://www.astm.org/Standards/D4823.htm https://www.astm.org/Standards/D4823.htm of interest. Acceptable geophysical data (i.e., data meeting established standards of acceptability) shall demonstrate minimal acoustic ringing or distortion at the seafloor surface, or acquisition parameters that shall be adjusted so that acoustic multiples can be distinguished and or not obscure significant features.

• In an individual task order, BOEM may require the contractor to compare the quality of acquired data with existing local and regional geophysical data sets of the same type to evaluate acceptable quality; this shall be considered when preparing the Field Data Acquisition Plan (C.4-3) and Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (C.4-5).

• Factors leading to unacceptable data quality typically include: poor or incorrect acquisition parameters, source selection, and source settings; instrument positioning in water column; unsuitable speed over ground (SOG) acquisition speed (vector sum of vessel throttle, currents, tides, wind, etc.); and poor sea state or weather conditions. Incorporating weather or standby days into the Field Data Acquisition Plan (C.4-3) is preferable to collecting marginal or unacceptable data during poor weather conditions. Acceptable data can be collected in the conditions noted above; however, the qualified hydrographer/geophysicist shall fully document the acquisition protocols and parameter adjustments and verify real-time data quality through monitoring, recognizing these data sets shall be subject to stringent assessment prior to acceptance. These requirements shall be cross-referenced in the Field Data Acquisition Plan (C.4-3) and Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (C.4-5).

• BOEM recognizes that geophysical data acquisition and processing for high resolution mineral resource delineation has advanced to where the full waveform record in addition to envelope record may be feasible and yield potential improvements in data quality and finer-scale application, analysis and interpretation. The Field Data Acquisition Plan (C.4-3) will be reviewed by BOEM with these trade-offs in mind, so the Plan shall address potential cost implications and implementation challenges and provide justification when full waveform is not feasible or applicable.

Acquire geological samples (e.g., pneumatic or electric vibracores, jet- or diver-assisted vibracores, jetted samples or probes, borings, box or other cores, grab samples, and ROV samples) to help validate geophysical data and provide information regarding the quality, quantity, or character of mineral resources for their intended use as sediment and/or mineral resources, or about the character of habitat and biological communities.

• Geological data acquisition shall be monitored by a qualified geologist/geotechnical engineer on the vessel in real-time to maximize data quality and make adjustments when needed. This requirement shall be specified in the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (C.4-5).

• Vibracores shall be strategically placed relative to geophysical data and other existing information, due to their relatively short maximum sampling length. This maximizes utility of the vibracores for ground-truthing geophysical data and characterizing the geology of the study area. Collection shall occur in bathymetric troughs, spaced along dipping geologic units or crests or flanks of resources, intersections of geophysical data transects, or placed to identify geophysical features. A well-planned sampling program can enhance geophysical and geological correlation and interpretation.

• Acceptable vibracores shall recover samples of nearly full penetration, commonly 17-20 feet unless a thinner deposit or feature is targeted, with minimal internal sample compaction or expansion. Acceptable vibracores shall also include accurate, calibrated penetrometer logs which are critical to geologic/geophysical correlation. Geologic recovery exceeding penetration depth (expansion) prohibits accurate geophysical correlation and is often an indication of acquisition performance failure, or an inadequate vibracore penetration sampling (refusal) protocol.

• The minimum acceptable recovery for an individual vibracore is 80% of target depth, or at least three attempts (including jetting when warranted).

• In an individual task order, BOEM may require the contractor to compare the quality of these data with similar existing local and geological or geotechnical data sets of acceptable quality; this shall be considered when preparing the Field Data Acquisition Plan (C.4-3) and Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (C.4-5).

• Sediment and hard mineral samples or subsamples shall have a unique sample identifier and corresponding sample location coordinates (latitude, longitude, and corrected water depth with reference to established horizontal and vertical datums). These requirements shall be developed for and cross-referenced in the Field Data Acquisition Plan (C-4.3) and Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (C- 4.5).

Prepare any geotechnical and geophysical survey field reports describing operations.

Upon request in an individual task order, provide photo- or video-documentation of operations and field work.

A qualified pilot shall supervise AUV, ASV, and ROV operations.

POST-PROCESSING OF GEOPHYSICAL DATA:

Post-processing of geophysical data shall be conducted, including but not limited to sound velocity corrections; vessel draft, tidal, layback, lag, slant-range, vessel and instrument motion, and variable speed compensation corrections. Upon request, post-processing may also include specialized signal processing, if applicable, including beam-angle corrections, time-varied gains (TVG) or acoustic-gain control (AGC), band-pass filtering, stacking, deconvolution, migration, or multiple removal corrections. Data shall be collected in a format that is consistent and compatible, such as SEG-Y format for sub-bottom profiling data. Precise file format to be employed can be negotiated between BOEM and the Contractor to ensure consistency and compatibility. As referenced in the Acquisition section above, full waveform acquisition and processing may be required.

Data recorded in the time domain used to image the seafloor or sub-bottom geologic framework may need to be converted to reference depths using established, or validated medium-specific sound velocities.

Conduct field/laboratory processing and characterization using industry-standard (e.g., applicable ASTM or International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards) or equivalent government-accepted methods for characterization and analysis of sediment samples (e.g., grain size distribution, sorting, roundness; percent organics, percent carbonate/shell material; mineral content; moisture content; bulk density; color; and other factors) within the context of goals outlined in the associated Field Data Acquisition Plan (C.4-3) (e.g., characterization necessary to facilitate eventual borrow area delineation and identification for restoration-quality sediment from potential source areas).

In general, all geological or geotechnical data shall be sampled, described, processed, and classified using taxonomy and protocols that are consistent with the Unified Soil Classification System (ASTM D2487-17) and the Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard (2012) - Substrate Component. This requirement may be modified for an individual task order; the laboratory methods used shall consider the end classification since the number and size of sieves used in mechanical sieving, or the design of a particle-size analyzer approach, could be implicated.

Individual task orders may require unique processing or characterization methods depending on the area(s) of interest and potential federal- or state-specific requirements.

Example ASTM, ISO, or government standards include the following:

Standard- Setting Institution

Standard

Example

ASTM

ASTM D4220/D4220M – 14 (Standard Practices for Preserving and Transporting Soil Samples - Active)

ASTM D2487-17 (Standard Practice for Classification Of Soils for Engineering Purposes - Active)

ASTM D2488-17e1 (Standard Practice for Description and Identification of Soils - Active)

ASTM D422-63 (Standard Test Method for Particle-Size Analysis of Soils - Withdrawn 2016)

ASTM D1140-17 (Standard Test Methods for Determining the Amount of Material Finer than 75-μm (No. 200) Sieve in Soils by Washing - Active)

Example ISO ISO 14688-1 (Geotechnical investigation and testing — Identification and classification of soil — Part 1: Identification and description - Active)

ISO 14688-2 (Geotechnical investigation and testing — Identification and classification of soil — Part 2: Principles for a classification - Active)

ISO 17892-4 (Geotechnical investigation and testing — Laboratory testing of soil — Part 4: Determination of particle size distribution - Active) https://www.astm.org/Standards/D2487.htm https://www.astm.org/Standards/D2487.htm https://www.fgdc.gov/standards/projects/cmecs-folder/CMECS_Version_06-2012_FINAL.pdf https://www.fgdc.gov/standards/projects/cmecs-folder/CMECS_Version_06-2012_FINAL.pdf https://www.astm.org/Standards/D4220.htm https://www.astm.org/Standards/D4220.htm https://www.astm.org/Standards/D2487.htm https://www.astm.org/Standards/D2487.htm https://www.astm.org/Standards/D2488.htm https://www.astm.org/Standards/D2488.htm https://www.astm.org/Standards/D422 https://www.astm.org/Standards/D422 https://www.astm.org/Standards/D1140.htm https://www.astm.org/Standards/D1140.htm https://www.iso.org/standard/66345.html https://www.iso.org/standard/66345.html https://www.iso.org/standard/66346.html https://www.iso.org/standard/66346.html https://www.iso.org/standard/55246.html https://www.iso.org/standard/55246.html

ISO 19901-8 (Petroleum and natural gas industries — Specific requirements for offshore structures — Part 8: Marine soil investigations – Active)

Example Government

USACE Geotechnical Investigations, EM 1110-1-1804 (2001). (see ASTM standards)

USACE Laboratory Soils Testing, EM 1102-1-1906 (1986).

USGS East-Coast Sediment Analysis: Procedures, Database, and GIS Data (see Poppe et al., rev. 2014)

Florida Department of Environmental Protection Offshore Sand Search Guidelines (2010)

Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) Geotechnical Standards (2017); LA CPRA General Guidelines: Exploration for Sediment Resources for Coastal Restoration (2016)

Any lab(s) performing the above methods shall be accredited (e.g., USACE Engineer Regulation 1110-1-261, or USACE Engineer Regulation 1110-1-8100). The Project Management Plan (C.5) shall address any unique requirements specified in an individual task order.

Sediment sample descriptions shall include shell identification, sedimentary structures, trace fossils, or burrowing, and other indicators of the depositional environment, including physical characteristics and bedding. Hard mineral geological descriptions shall include substrate lithology, deposit lithology, and degree of active fluid flow for hydrothermal systems. Hard mineral samples shall be processed as appropriate for the sample type (e.g., Hein et al., 2017 for ferromanganese crusts) to quantify the bulk chemistry, mineralogy, trace element chemistry, and physical properties. Core photographs, visual geological description logs (core/borehole logs consistent with ENG Form 1836), subsurface data (gINT files), penetrometer logs, and field and laboratory notes shall be submitted to BOEM.

When requested, provide specialized sampling and age dating, such as radio carbon dating, optically-stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating, or sediment deposition or accumulation rate estimation.

Provide other specialized data processing related to ROV samples, acoustic investigations, remote sensing, and other spatial data.

Provide raw and processed data to BOEM; data to be delivered to BOEM as stipulated in C.4-6 and any task order-specific data management plan (C.6).

ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATIONS:

The contractor shall correlate geophysical and geological data to improve analyses and interpretations required for resource delineation and study of geologic or environmental https://www.iso.org/standard/61145.html https://www.iso.org/standard/61145.html https://www.publications.usace.army.mil/Portals/76/Publications/EngineerManuals/EM_1110-1-1804.pdf https://www.publications.usace.army.mil/Portals/76/Publications/EngineerManuals/EM_1110-2-1906.pdf https://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/openfile/of2005-1001/ https://floridadep.gov/sites/default/files/offshore-sand-search-guidelines.pdf https://floridadep.gov/sites/default/files/offshore-sand-search-guidelines.pdf http://coastal.la.gov/engineering-and-design-standards/ http://coastal.la.gov/engineering-and-design-standards/ https://www.publications.usace.army.mil/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=TcbIVVHliCM%3d&tabid=16438&portalid=76&mid=43543 https://www.publications.usace.army.mil/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=TcbIVVHliCM%3d&tabid=16438&portalid=76&mid=43543 context. Prepare geophysical and geological interpretations and interpretative maps of the near-surface geologic framework and seafloor conditions, and provide interpretive information about sedimentary architecture, shallow hazards (such as presence of munitions of explosive concern or buried cables), archaeological resources, and sensitive benthic habitats. Provide interpretative or analytical products related to geophysical, geological, and environmental data.

This may also require task-order specific visualization, statistical analyses, spatial analyses, and if appropriate, modelling or image analyses.

5. Prepare Quality Assurance Surveillance Plans and Submit Related Quality Control Reports:

This requirement specifically applies to the conduct of field work and or lab work related to the acquisition of geophysical data and geological samples, and subsequent lab-based handling, processing or analysis. All other measures of quality assurance or quality control are addressed in the Data Management Plan (C.6).

For task orders requiring field work and or lab or sample processing, the contractor shall prepare a Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) that describes performance objectives and methods that shall be used to monitor performance against those objectives. The QASP provides the government an on-going framework to establish quality expectations, monitor quality, and demonstrate how the contractor is meeting or exceeding performance standards or quality levels.

Through the QASP, the contractor shall establish standards of acceptability (Acceptable Quality Levels) for:

• tolerances for operating geophysical and geological equipment (e.g., resolution or penetration) and acquiring data (e.g., range resolution);

• recovery of geological samples (e.g., vibracore penetration; sample compaction, expansion, loss);

• suitability, accuracy, and signal quality of acquired geophysical data such that intended purposes can be achieved (e.g., quality of raw data collection, penetration depth when warranted);

• tolerances and accuracy of navigation and positioning, motion, vertical, and layback control; and

• sample results that depend on effective and consistent execution of sample preparation, laboratory methods, and processing.

The QASP, prepared by the Contractor and approved by the Government, shall address “what” service or quality level is expected, as opposed to “how” the contractor plans to acquire the geophysical and geological data (e.g., that is provided in the Field Data Acquisition Plan (C.4-3). The contractor shall recommend those Acceptable Quality Levels to the Government in a draft QASP, and the Government will subsequently comment on the draft QASP and, after revision, approve the final QASP.

The QASP shall identify the methods that shall be used to undertake quality surveillance, which may involve random monitoring and sampling, periodic inspection, and third-party validation, if warranted. Moreover, the QASP shall describe the quality assurance documentation and analysis that shall be performed to document and analyze surveillance information. The QASP shall identify the scope and frequency of quality assurance measurement and control reporting (i.e., Quality Control Reports) to the Government to determine and document that Acceptable Quality Levels have been met or exceeded.

Finally, the QASP shall identify measures that may be adopted to improve quality control provided adverse quality findings, including data recollection. The QASP shall identify relevant points of contact and the Contractor’s preferred process/schedule to resolve instances where Acceptable Quality Levels are not met, or marginal or unacceptable performance is identified and requires corrective action.

The QASP is inherently related to the Field Data Acquisition Plan (C.4-3) and QA/QC Plan for data management, part of Data Management Plan (C.6) provided under the Project Management Plan (C.5). Although complementary to the Field Data Acquisition Plan and QA/QC Plan of the Data Management Plan, the QASP shall not duplicate the same information. Data reduction, computer-based post-processing or analysis, and any interpretation of geophysical and geological data and data preservation shall be addressed in context of the Data Management Plan and related QA/QC procedures. Only data collected in the field and or created through laboratory procedures is uniquely discussed in the QASP given the following traits: the opportunity to collect the data properly or perform a lab procedure properly is limited, initial acquisition or lab methods are typically expensive and time-consuming, and the downstream value of all subsequent phases of data development and management typically depend on the initial quality of field or lab data.

6. Organize, Format, Document, and Submit Digital Data (Preserve):

The following tasks are related to the preservation of the data to ensure long-term viability and accessibility consistent with the USGS Science Data Lifecycle Model.

Submit all spatial data referenced to the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83) within the continental US and to the World Geodetic System 1984 (WGS 84) outside of the continental US, including Hawaii and Pacific Territories. Geospatial data can be submitted in a Geographic Coordinate System or in projected Coordinate System if approved by BOEM for the data type and location. Vertical (and tidal) datums shall be discussed and approved by BOEM for each task order.

Provide all collected geophysical survey data following the specifications below:

A. Navigation Data:

The navigation post-plot of the surveyed area including survey lines, line numbers or other designations, navigational shot points or event markers, and other relevant attributes shall be submitted to the Government in an ArcGIS readable format (e.g., Microsoft Excel (.xls), Comma separated value (.csv), Text file (.txt), Database (.dbf) or Shapefile (.shp)).

B. Survey Area Location and Proposed Project Elements:

The survey area location and proposed project elements including relevant attributes shall be submitted in an ArcGIS readable format (e.g., Microsoft Excel (.xls), Comma separated value (.csv), Text file (.txt), Database (.dbf) or Shapefile (.shp)).

C. Magnetometer or Gradiometer Data:

The information used to create a table of magnetic anomalies and charting of magnetic anomalies shall be submitted in an ArcGIS readable format (e.g., Microsoft Excel (.xls), Comma separated value (.csv), Text file (.txt), Database (.dbf) or Shapefile (.shp)). The following attributes shall be included in the table of magnetic anomalies:

● Anomaly ID

● Survey Area/Block

● Survey line number

● Gamma intensity of each identified anomaly (peak gradient amplitude)

● Duration (m)

● Characterization of the anomaly as a dipole, positive (+) or negative (-) monopole, or complex signature, based on the magnetic traces

● Instrument height above the seafloor

● Horizontal position, indicated as coordinates of the interpreted location of each unidentified anomaly in decimal degrees to 5 decimal places, based on magnetic traces and contoured data

● Vertical position, indicated as estimated depth using half-width rule, Euler equation, or other means as described in the methodology section

● Association with side scan sonar contacts or sub-bottom profiler features

● Recommended avoidance distance, if applicable

Additionally, the complete, unprocessed magnetometer or gradiometer dataset shall also be submitted. This shall include the processed data, as well as the unprocessed data for each individual total field magnetometer instrument in the gradiometer configuration, if applicable. These data shall be submitted in a tabular data format recognized by ArcGIS (i.e., Comma separated value (.csv), Text file (.txt), Database (.dbf) or Shapefile (.shp)).

At a minimum, the following items shall be included within the data table(s):

● Easting/Longitude

● Northing/Latitude

● Time, in UTC

● Raw Magnetic Readings for each instrument

● Gradiometer Altitude

● Survey Line Number/Name

Each of these components shall occupy a single field within the table. For example, easting or longitude data shall be within a single column in the data table. This table shall include a column for an easting amount, or longitude in decimal degrees; the table shall not include separate columns for degrees and another for…