RFI: Definition of Permanent Barriers

The Department of the Interior's Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement is issuing a Request for Information on the Definition of Permanent Barriers in offshore well integrity systems with responses due by July 31, 2026. This is market research only; no contract will be awarded from this announcement.

BSEE seeks industry feedback on a draft Statement of Work and wants to identify entities with expertise to perform an 18-month study compiling existing data on permanent barrier technologies used globally. The research will review available barrier technologies, establish minimum qualification criteria, develop a structured database of specifications organized by application, and create a scorecard framework for evaluating barrier effectiveness. Work will not involve original testing but will compile existing performance data from literature and Original Equipment Manufacturers; the contractor may include test conclusions if necessary. Deliverables include a Project Management Plan, comprehensive literature review identifying available technologies, an OEM survey with technical specifications, detailed minimum-acceptable-parameter guidelines for each barrier type, a specifications database, a performance scorecard, monthly progress reports, participation in quarterly progress meetings and formal peer review (up to 15 hours ad hoc support and a 2-hour close-out meeting), a draft journal article with graphical abstract suitable for publication, and final reports posted publicly on the BSEE website with Digital Object Identifiers and Open Researcher and Contributor Identification numbers. All deliverables must comply with Section 508 accessibility standards and DOI scientific integrity policies.

Respondents should address technical requirements, OEM survey methodology, organizational qualifications and independence, research team structure and execution capability, estimated schedules, and rough order-of-magnitude cost. Submissions must not exceed 10 pages (12-point font) in PDF or Word format and include company name, UEI, SAM.gov registration status, mailing address, contact information, website, business size, and authorized point of contact. Email responses to william_rilee@ios.doi.gov by 9:00 AM Eastern Time on July 31, 2026.