DTPH5616RA00001_Announcement_-_Innovation_with_Inspecting_Unpiggable_Natural_Gas_Pipelines.pdf

DTPH5616RA00001

Pipeline Safety Research and Development

Research Announcement #DTPH5616RA00001

Innovation with Inspecting Unpiggable Natural Gas Pipelines

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) seeks individual research project proposals addressing new innovations for inspecting unpiggable natural gas transmission pipelines.

The formal title of this Research Announcement (RA) is Pipeline Safety Research and Development Announcement # DTPH5616RA00001. Any award (more than one award is anticipated) made under this RA will be classified under the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number 20.723. The vehicle for these awards will be an Other Transaction Agreement. To access the formal announcement, please download the PDF and attachments listed below Announcement Downloads & Links.

Please see attached document for a complete description of this Research Agreement for the U.S.

Department of Transportation, PHMSA.

CLOSING DATE: Proposals must be uploaded by 5:00 P.M. EDT on Monday May 30, 2016.

PHMSA encourages the widest participation, particularly involvement with universities and other academic institutions, as well as with individuals, corporations, non-profit organizations, small and small disadvantaged businesses, and State or local governments, or other entities.

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS: Contact PHMSA's Acquisition Services Division as listed in the solicitation document. Please email questions on solicitation content, issues, or procedures to Ben Patterson (Contract Specialist), ben.patterson@dot.gov, with a copy to Warren Osterberg, warren.osterberg@dot.gov. Please submit your questions NLT than 5:00 PM, EDT, April 29, 2016. Emails must reference Research Announcement (RA) number DTPH5616RA00001 in the subject line.

For questions or problems with the Registration or Application of the Web Site, please submit an email to rdsupport@cycla.com.

Background

Pipeline infrastructure in the United States (U.S.) is the primary means of transporting natural gas and moves the majority of hazardous liquid from production basins and ports to areas of consumption. The importance of energy pipelines to the U.S. economy and our standard of living requires that these assets must be safely maintained and appropriately expanded to sustain demand.

mailto:ben.patterson@dot.gov mailto:warren.osterberg@dot.gov mailto:rdsupport@cycla.com

Research must play a larger role in finding the solutions to national, regional and local pipeline operational safety and environmental challenges. Some of these challenges involve having the best technology to efficiently and effectively meet or exceed Federal and State regulatory requirements. Other challenges include keeping critical industry consensus standards fresh with the latest knowledge and know-how so that people, property and the environment are protected.

PHMSA and the pipeline industry recognize the role of research in removing mutual challenges and, since 2002, have coordinated and collaborated on more than 221 projects and invested approximately $87M of PHMSA funding, plus $83M worth of shared resources.

This research enterprise is having a tangible impact toward developing technology, strengthening consensus standards and creating and promoting general knowledge to decision makers. The following high level summary illustrates some of the performance measures used by PHMSA to indicate progress in addressing pipeline challenges.

The submission of 22 U.S. Patent applications;

The commercialization of 25 technology improvements;

The submission of 118 papers to public events and journals;

The public availability of 176 project final reports via the internet; and Over 18 million website visits since 2002 with over 1.1 million files being downloaded just since 2008.

More performance details are available at PHMSA's Pipeline Safety Research website http://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/rd/performance.htm.

Research Topic

Innovation with Inspecting Unpiggable Natural Gas Pipelines

PHMSA is seeking new innovation with regards to inspecting unpiggable natural gas transmission and distribution pipelines. These systems are not piggable by traditional Inline Inspection Devices for a variety of reasons such as smaller diameters, diameter changes, valves, sharp bends and back to back bends. Some technological successes have reached the market since 2010, but more tools and a wider variety of sensors are still needed that can scan 100% of the inner wall surface. Research is sought in developing technology to launch/retrieve and internally inspect natural gas pipelines for all known threats that can jeopardize the integrity of these systems. This includes scope on both the robotic platform to house inspection sensors as well as the sensors themselves. PHMSA will entertain submissions addressing inspection/ detection of any known integrity threat. PHMSA understands this topic may require multiple years and a large budget to be successful in both developing and with proving the technology. Historical experience in executing projects like these illustrate diverse consortium of partners are needed in order to involve research orgs, technology service providers and operators in order to mitigate technical and regulatory risk. This approach provides a clear path to commercialization.

http://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/rd/performance.htm

To review prior successes, please visit https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/rd/success.htm and review the related items under the Anomaly Detection/Characterization Programmatic Area.

Interested offerors may want to consider testing at the Pipeline Research Council International Technology Development Center (or a similar facility) if field testing as part of a projects’ research scope is a challenge for you to secure. Please visit http://prci.org/index.php/tdc/ for more information.

PHMSA anticipates making multiple awards for individual research projects. The mechanism for all awards will be fixed price type "Other Transaction Agreements." It is expected that total funding for awards resulting from this RA is estimated up to $2M. Additional funds beyond what Congress has appropriated may be provided if it supports actions that increase the likelihood of commercialization. The strategy of such additional project funding will be determined with the awardee if their execution of the awarded research identifies the need for such scope modifications. Payments will be made not more often than quarterly and will be based on work completed (and approved by the Government) under the fixed price task.

Additional details will be provided in the full proposal request letter.

Research Cost Sharing

The Congress, pursuant to the Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 2002, 49 U.S.C. 60101 (P.L.

107-355), as amended by P.L. 112-90, authorized PHMSA to engage in research and development projects/programs (in conjunction with and jointly funded by the private sector) which further technological innovation. This RA seeks to meet that objective.by seeking R&D proposals to improve inspection of unpiggable natural gas transmission pipelines.

The following research area will be resource shared with a minimum of 50% cash funding coming from any non-federal source. PHMSA will fund up to 50% of the proposed project costs at award. Individual project proposal submissions are welcome.

How to Submit Proposals

This FedBizOps notice constitutes the solicitation per FAR 6.102(d)(2). A formal Request for Proposal (RFP) or other type of solicitation regarding this announcement will not be issued.

The procedure for submitting a white paper is as follows:

1) Prior to submitting a White Paper, each organization must first complete an online Registration Form (LINK) to access PRIMIS. Credentials from past registration will still be valid. For questions or problems with the Registration or Application of the Web Site, please submit an email to rdsupport@cycla.com.

2) Submit proposals electronically; only electronic submissions will be accepted.

Additional instructions regarding the preparation and electronic submission of the proposals are available on the website identified above.

https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/rd/success.htm http://prci.org/index.php/tdc/ https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/matrix/RfpHome.rdm?rfp=59

Application Requirements

It is highly recommended that you review the evaluation criteria before development of your full proposal and then specifically address each one in the body of your proposal. Please note that the fifth review criterion is employed for consolidated proposal submissions only. Also note that the vehicle for any future awards will be an Other Transaction Agreement and will be made on a fixed-price basis, only completed project items will be reimbursed.

For this Research Announcement and for subsequent pipeline safety related research and development announcements, PHMSA has implemented a completely paperless and online submittal system. As of this date, your organization has been registered and has submitted one or more white papers into this automated system. As noted earlier, your white paper on the above subject has been found acceptable and worthy of further consideration. Your next step will be to prepare and submit a full proposal through the online system. The electronic system will notify you via an email message when you may formally submit your proposal online. It is anticipated that you will have system access to submit your proposal ten (10) to fourteen (14) days prior to the closing date for the proposal submission May 30, 2016.

The proposal submission system will have specific requirements that must be followed:

The system will accept one proposal file in the following formats: Microsoft Word and Adobe

PDF;

Other attachments uploaded separately, include the Deliverable Milestones, Budget Summary, and Resumes are acceptable in the following formats: Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Adobe PDF.

The system will require you to select/identify certain characteristics of the proposed research and to “block paste” in several sections of your proposal. If you eventually receive an award for the project, this information will be used for Research and Development program purposes and for various project related items.

The full proposal must follow the guidelines described in attachments one (1) through seven (7).

Attachment 1, discusses the general guidelines, including proposal length (20 single sided pages, double-spaced, 12 point font, 1” margins on all sides, 8 ½ x 11 paper), four (4) evaluation criteria, and proposal format. Pay particular attention to the “Proposed Work Plan and Budget” section described under “Proposal Format” to ensure that you address each area. Also, note the requirement for the mandatory minimum 50% Resource Share. The Federal Government will fund no more than 50% of the total cost of each project. Firm letters of commitment for Cost Sharing should be provided with the proposal. No award will be made to a proposal without having all commitment letters.

Also attached with this RA are the following:

Attachment 2, a Budget Summary sheet that includes required information that should be completed and submitted with the budget section for the proposal;

Attachment 3, a sample of the Awardee Team Project Activities;

Attachment 4, a sample of the Project Deliverables; and Attachment 5, a sample of the Technical and Deliverable Milestone Schedule;

Attachment 6, Additional Information.

Attachment 7, Standard Title VI Non-Discrimination Assurances

Your proposal (including a transmittal/title letter appropriate signature – not part of the 20-page limitation) must be input into the online system no later than May 30, 2016 at 5:00 PM Eastern Time. Please contact Ben Patterson at (202) 366-5102, or ben.patterson@dot.gov with any administrative and/or acquisition related questions on this subject. For questions or problems with the Registration or Application of the Web Site, please submit an email to rdsupport@cycla.com.

mailto:ben.patterson@dot.gov mailto:rdsupport@cycla.com