NOI - Robotic Assistance

NOTICE OF INTENT TO ISSUE A SOLE SOURCE CONTRACT AS A RESULT OF AN UNSOLICITED PROPOSAL FOR ROBOTIC ASSISTIVE SMART TOUCH INSPECTION

This notice is issued in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 5.2,
Synopses of Proposed Contract Actions. The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), Bureau of
Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), Acquisition Operations Branch, is the
contracting office for this procurement. The purpose of this notice is to announce the
government’s intent to negotiate a sole source contract as a result of an Unsolicited Proposal
received entitled, “Robotic Assistive Smart Touch Inspection” with the University of Houston, 4302 University Dr. Room 316, Houston, TX 77204, based on the offeror’s demonstrated unique capability in accordance with FAR 6.302-1, only one responsible source.
The overall objective of the project is to develop state-of-the-art robotic and inspection technology called Smart Touch to overcome the current issues in subsea pipeline inspection and add an essential layer of safety. The Smart Touch technology will enable accurate robotic pipeline inspection. By utilizing autonomous robots for subsea pipeline inspection, the environment can be protected through rapid detection of potential leaks and structural failures.
The unsolicited proposal demonstrated the unique capabilities of University of Houston, as proven by the organization’s track record of being classified as an "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity" since its founding in 1927. University of Houston (UH) has built a prestigious engineering program which covers most of the areas in oil and gas industry. The UH Subsea System Institute has built a strong connection with local oil & gas industry. This effort is unique to UH as they submitted an unsolicited proposal of their qualifications for this.
UH & Oceaneering International join together offer remote operated vehicle (ROV) services, specialty oilfield subsea hardware, deepwater intervention and manned diving services, non-destructive testing and inspections, engineering and project management, and surveying and mapping services.
This is NOT a request for competitive quotes. This notice of intent is for informational purposes only. However, all responsible sources may submit a capability statement or proposal, which shall be considered by the agency if received by the Point of Contact (POC) listed below by 5:00 p.m. ET, July 14, 2023 (reference “Unsolicited Proposal for Robotic Assistance”). A determination by the Government not to compete this action based on this notice is within the discretion of the Government. POC: Cielo Ibarra, Contracting Officer, BSEE, Acquisition Operations Branch - VAE-AMD, 45600 Woodland Rd., Sterling, VA 20166. Any response to this notice shall be emailed to the Contracting Officer, Cielo Ibarra at Cielo.Ibarra@bsee.gov.