693JK320NF0001 Questions and Answers.pdf

Pipeline Safety Research Competitive Academic Agreement Program (CAAP)

PHMSA Funding Opportunity Number 693JK320NF0001

1Q. Can the federal funding be used to perform pipeline inspections by the small business partner

(either UAS or hands-on inspections)?

1A. Federal funds may not be used to support or directly fund this activity as described by this question as discussed in Research Area #1. However, such inspection activity could be used as an in-kind cost sharing contribution in support of the project.

2Q. Is there a repository that contains inspection data of pipelines including but not limited to visual images, nondestructive evaluation, ground truth or validated NDE, pipeline rating, design and construction information, etc.?

2A. All information available from PHMSA concerning pipeline statistic and data are available here:

https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/data-and-statistics/pipeline/data-and-statistics-overview

3Q. How frequently should “the performance progress report” be submitted?

3A. Per section A.05 “Deliverables/Reporting Requirements” in the NOFO, performance progress reports are required on a quarterly basis.

4Q. Would PHMSA consider working the research team to persuade pipeline inspection agencies to share their inspection data? Due to the nature of the proposal, the research team would like to include as much data as possible in the investigation.

4A. Information shared on a voluntary basis between operatives occurs in the VIS working group:

https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/standards-rulemaking/pipeline/voluntary-information-sharing-system-working-group

5Q. The PHMSA website says the submission date is March 19th, but the submission date on the NOFO is

March 23rd. Which due date for submissions to this NOFO is correct?

A5. Submission to this NOFO are 11:59 EDT on March 23rd, 2020.

https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/data-and-statistics/pipeline/data-and-statistics-overview https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/standards-rulemaking/pipeline/voluntary-information-sharing-system-working-group https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/standards-rulemaking/pipeline/voluntary-information-sharing-system-working-group