B10_FBO_Notice.1.pdf

Solicitation Number:

M17PS00064

Notice Type:

Synopsis

Classification Code:

B – Studies & Analysis

Office Address:

Department of the Interior, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE)

Acquisition Operations Branch, HQ, 45600 Woodland Road, VAE-AMD, Sterling, VA 20166

Subject: Study: Geotechnical Departure Guidelines

Response Date: 2:00 P.M. Eastern Time, 31 August, 2017

PLEASE READ THIS NOTICE CAREFULLY AS IT CONSTITUTES THE ONLY NOTICE

THAT WILL BE ISSUED. The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), Bureau of Safety and

Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), on behalf of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

(BOEM), has a requirement for a project entitled, “Geotechnical Departure Guidelines”. This procurement is being conducted in accordance with FAR Part 13, Simplified Acquisition

Procedures. This is not a small business set-aside. The solicitation number is M17PS00064 and the solicitation will be issued as a Request for Quotes (RFP). The Government anticipates awarding a Firm-Fixed-Price type contract as a result of this solicitation. The period of performance is anticipated to be 9 months from date of award. The North American Industrial

Classification Systems (NAICS) code is 541690, Other Scientific and Technical Consulting, with a small business size standard of $15.0 million. All potential offerors must be registered in the

System for Award Management (SAM) (www.sam.gov) in order to receive Government contracts.

Current BOEM regulations 30CFR 585.626(a)(4) require submittal of a full geotechnical survey of a proposed facility in the Construction Operations Plan (COP). The geotechnical survey must include the results of adequate in situ testing, boring, and sampling at each foundation, and deep borings at each edge of the project area and as needed to define the vertical and lateral variation of the seabed conditions and to provide relevant geotechnical data required for project design.

The COP also requires a geologic survey, which typically includes a geophysical survey. The geotechnical survey data is used to ground truth the geophysical survey data and together the surveys are used to prepare a geologic model of the site, define the sediment conditions, and assess shallow and geologic hazards.

The granting of a departure from the full geotechnical survey requirement of the COP requires an evaluation and decision by BOEM as stated in 30 CFR 585.103. The departure must be considered necessary to facilitate the project, as well as ensure worker safety and protect the environment.

Currently there are no guidelines to assist BOEM in determining whether a departure request meets these regulatory requirements. If a departure from the full geotechnical survey requirement is requested, the lease holder will likely propose a staged geotechnical survey. The scope of a preliminary survey will need to be evaluated to determine if the other COP requirements as well as the departure requirements can still be met. These other COP requirements would include assessment of the geologic hazards, ground truthing of the geophysical surveys, and providing the geotechnical parameters for preliminary design.

The purpose of this study would be to prepare guidelines to assist BOEM in making a decision on such a departure request, and on approving the scope of a staged geotechnical survey. This would be an independent third party evaluation that would balance the regulatory and industry needs. Recognizing that each project will have different details and requirements, the guidelines should be specific enough to allow decisions to be made in an unbiased manner based on the project details and also meet the regulatory intent while providing for more cost effective and efficient projects. However rigid prescriptive guidelines that do not allow flexibility are not favored.

HOW TO COMPETE FOR THIS CONTRACT: If you are interested in participating in this acquisition, please see attached RFQ No M17PS00064 for instructions. Responses shall be sent electronically to: charles.cernat@bsee.gov. The close date is 31 August 2017 at 2:00 p.m. (est).

All correspondence must reference “Solicitation No. M17PS00064” in the subject line.

mailto:charles.cernat@bsee.gov