Inactive

The purpose for amendment no. 2 is to respond to the following questions: Question-3: The cost of the effort is stated as $200k. I am assuming this is fixed price. There is a similar statement for the... The purpose for amendment no. 2 is to respond to the following questions: Question-3: The cost of the effort is stated as $200k. I am assuming this is fixed price. There is a similar statement for the Casco Bay RFP, but it was later decided that we only needed a statement of the proposed price since the effort is fixed price. Do we need to provide a cost breakdown, and if so how detailed does this need to be? Response –3: The funding limit for the RFP is $200,000. The award will be made for a fixed price. Proposals must include a statement of the total cost of the proposed effort. Question -4: The RFP states that planning will start in 2023 and testing will happen in Spring 2024. Since the award will likely come at the very end of 2023 or more likely 2024, will this timeline be shifted at all? Response –4: The timeline for the testing is related to delivery of the new vessel. The final timeline for the project and testing will be determined with the awardee. The purpose for amendment no. 0001 is to respond to the following questions: Question-1 : Would an AOR signed Face Page be included in the 12-page limit? Response –1: The signed face page will not be included in the 12-page limitation. Question -2 : Proposals must include a detailed cost breakdown that shows how Federal funds will be used for the project": Would 2 Budget Pages be included in the 12-page limit? Response –2: Yes, 2 budget pages will be included in the 12-page limitation. In addition to sending Mrs. Kelly Mitchell-Carroll at k.mitchell-carroll@dot.gov electronic proposals please include Mr. Christian Onwudiegwu at Christian.onwudiegwu@dot.gov on all email correspondence as well as all electronic proposals. Maritime Administration: Vessel-Generated Underwater Radiated Noise Comparison Study – Tug Study RFP No. 693JF724R000001 REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP): The Maritime Administration’s (MARAD) Maritime Environmental and Technical Assistance (META) program is issuing this request for proposals (RFP) for conducting a study comparing the underwater radiated noise (URN) signals from two tugs under regular operating conditions in San Diego Harbor and Port. Funding provided for this RFP is $200,000. Projects must be completed within an 18-month timeline. A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: The META program, under a new initiative, is exploring the connections between broader energy efficiency and decarbonization efforts within the maritime sector and the associated reduction of underwater radiated noise from vessels, including possible co-benefits. This RFP is designed to study incidental vessel generated underwater noise and is designed to investigate the potential noise benefits associated with new hybrid electric engine designs for vessels. The objective of the study will be to compare URN emissions from a tug currently operating with diesel propulsion versus a new-build, replacement e-tug operating on battery electric propulsion in the same environmental conditions (route, season, purpose). The study must measure the underwater sound pressure level of the vessels over several passes while engaged in varying operations in close-proximity to an underwater listening station(s) and using onboard noise sensors. In addition, the study should make use of and show alignment with, as appropriate, existing international standards and guidelines, class society notations, and/or indicators for measuring vessel URN. The study will contribute to broader international discussions regarding vessel URN and inform vessel owners and operators of any potential noise reductions that could be realized through changes to existing or new build engines and/or power sources. The tug operates year-round in San Diego Harbor, making approximately 6 round trips per day operating about 100 hours per month. The route, between origin and destination, is approximately 2.1 nautical miles and traverses a busy harbor. Study planning will be initiated in 2023 with the field effort conducted for both vessels in the spring of 2024. The successful applicant will work in collaboration with the tug operator to understand operational parameters of interest during the recording passes. Acoustic measurements will be generally incidental and not significantly alter existing tug routing or operations. Other recording passes under various operating conditions may be requested. B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMARION: MARAD understands there are different technologies and aspects that need to be considered for this type of project such as the status of ongoing vessel operations, the local shipping industry, the status of port operations, as well as other constraints. Overall, it is important that this study be based on a practical approach towards supporting the measurement of URN and serve as a reference for technology developers and relevant stakeholders’ planning to consider alternative energy solutions and integrating URN considerations for their existing or future fleets. Upon completion of the full comparison study, the awardee will be required to provide a detailed report no later than 18 months from the cooperative agreement award. The report must include methodology, results, and conclusions around URN measurements for each vessel, including a description of any variation in URN associated with differing operating conditions and associated onboard noise differences. Proposals must provide sufficient, verifiable, and detailed information that describes the: • Proposed general methodology for vessel URN measurement and interpretation to include specifications for key operating conditions and metrics that should be controlled for and/or optimized to support comparisons that are defensible and repeatable, including reference to existing guidelines, standards, and notations. • Proposed implementation plan including timeline (not to exceed 18 months) inclusive of kick off meetings to a site visit/planning meeting with MARAD and the tug operator, outreach to any other key stakeholders to ensure success of the proposal, interim progress report on final field design, field effort in spring 2024, and final report deliverables. • Expected field design should include parameters influencing site selection and mooring configuration for in-water instrumentation including fixed and time varying environmental features; detail any further specifications for field design to be considered in collaboration with MARAD and the tug operator that would be needed to finalize the design. Include reference to existing guidelines, standards, and notations. • Expected acoustic sampling including parameters of both vessel signatures and background noise influencing recording effort (calibration, sampling rates, duration of trial periods/number of passes, filtering, ancillary water-column data collection). • Expected URN measurements and interpretations (including comparison metrics) to include reference to existing guidelines, standards, and notations. • Proposed approach for stakeholder outreach in the area to ensure requirements for methodology can be successfully completed and will avoid conflicts with local waterway users. • Description of partnerships, collaborations, and/or processes that will ensure success of the proposal to include permit and state and local access requirements. The applicant’s capabilities, related experience, techniques, or unique combinations of these that are integral factors for achieving the proposal objectives. Additional information: To be considered for selection, the study must include a timeline for completion within 18 months from the time of award. The report will be publicly available and posted to the META webpage. MARAD reserves the right to fund some or none of the proposals received under this RFP. MARAD provides no funding for reimbursement of proposal development costs. Technical and cost proposals (or any other material) submitted in response to this RFP will not be returned. It is the policy of MARAD to treat all proposals submitted under this RFP as sensitive competitive information and to disclose their contents only for the purposes of evaluation. This announcement is an expression of interest only and does not commit MARAD to make any award. The total amount of funding will be up to $200,000. C. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION: 1. Eligible Applicants. MARAD is seeking to provide full funding through cooperative agreement(s) for the proposal that provide sufficient, verifiable and detailed data on how to reach the objective of this feasibility study. (please see section C.3) 2. MARAD will fund 100% of the total cost of the project. Proposals must include a detailed cost breakdown that shows how Federal funds will be used for the project. 3. Systems for Award Management (SAM) Requirements. MARAD will not make an award to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable unique entity identifier and SAM requirements and if an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time MARAD is ready to make an award, MARAD may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive an award and use that determination as a basis for making an award to another applicant. Please see Section D.3 for information on SAM requirements. MARAD will not make an award to any applicant with an exclusion in SAM. D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION 1. Address to Request Application Package. This RFP contains all the information needed to submit a proposal and be considered for award. No specific application form or other materials need to be obtained from MARAD. 2. Content and Form of Application. Proposals are limited to 12 pages and must be received within thirty (30) days of the publication of this notice. 3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM). Each applicant is required to:] (a) be registered and current in SAM before submitting its application; (b) provide a valid unique entity identifier in its applicant; and (c) continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active Federal award or an application or plan under consideration by a Federal awarding agency. MARAD will not make an award to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable unique entity identifier and SAM requirements and if an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time MARAD is ready to make an award, MARAD may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive an award and use that determination as a basis for making an award to another applicant. 4. Submission Dates and Times. The deadline for proposal submission is 12:00 PM EST on Monday, December 18, 2023. Please submit proposals in PDF format attached to an email. Send proposals to Kelly Mitchell-Carroll at K.Mitchell-Carroll@dot.gov. Do not send paper copies, or other media of the proposal via post office or delivery service. Proposals received by MARAD after the deadline will not be considered for award. An email will be deemed “received” by MARAD on the date and time the email was “sent” to the email address in Section D.7, below, as determined by MARAD’s servers. 5. Intergovernmental Review. This funding opportunity is not subject to Executive Order 12372, “Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.” 6. Funding Restrictions. Applicants are advised to review 2 C.F.R. Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards as supplemented by 2 C.F.R. Part 1201 for cost principles used to determine allowable costs of work performed under Federal awards. 7. Other Submission Requirements. Proposals must be submitted by the deadline set forth in Section D.4 above by electronic mail to Kelly Mitchell-Carroll at K.Mitchell-Carroll@dot.gov. Please include the Funding Opportunity Number and Title in the Subject Line. E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION 1. Review and Selection Process. MARAD has set-up an internal review team to evaluate all proposals that are submitted under this announcement. All eligible proposals will be evaluated within 3 weeks after the closing date. If the review team has any questions on an individual proposal, it will notify the applicant for clarification. The proposals will be evaluated against the following criteria: 1) Well-documented and context appropriate methodology for measuring vessel URN to achieve the objectives of the study. 2) Clear application of methods that will support comparisons between this study’s measurements and other efforts through implementation of common guidelines, standards, and/or notations. 3) Feasible, achievable, and cost-effective draft/proposed field design and full study implementation plan, including any proposed on-site and virtual meetings necessary. 4) The applicant’s capabilities, related experience, techniques, or unique combinations of these that are integral factors for achieving the proposal objectives. 5) Scope and extent of partnerships with the community and their role in the project. 6) Detailed project timeline with descriptions of key decision points and areas of uncertainty that have the potential to delay the project or extend timeline beyond the 18-month timeframe. F. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION 1. Federal Award Notices. The successful applicant(s) will be notified by MARAD’s Office of Acquisition via telephone; however; the telephone call is not the actual award or the authorization to begin performance. All awards will be made by a cooperative agreement signed by MARAD’s Agreement/Grants Officer. After an award, has been made a MARAD representative from the Office of Environment and Innovation will notify the awardee to set-up a kick-off meeting for the project. Unsuccessful applicants will be notified via email. 2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements. Applicants are advised to review 2. C.F.R. Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Costs Principles and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards as supplemented by 2 C.F.R. Part 1201, for applicable administrative and national policy requirements. For a copy of the general terms and conditions of the Federal award made under this RFP, please contact Kelly Mitchell-Carroll at K.Mitchell-Carroll@dot.gov. Federal awards made under RFP may include additional terms that are specific to the project, including without limitation awardee information, project description, funding details and appropriate data rights clauses. 3. Reporting. Applicants are advised to review 2 C.F.R. Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Costs Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards, as supplemented by 2 C.F.R. Part 1201, for applicable reporting requirements. Federal awards made under this RFP may include additional reporting requirements that are appropriate for the specific project to be funded by MARAD. G. FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACT For any questions relating to the technical or programmatic aspects of this RFP, please contact Alyson Azzara Environmental Protection Specialist, at Alyson.azzara@dot.gov. For any questions about the administration of this funding opportunity and any awards, please contact Kelly Mitchell-Carroll at K.Mitchell-Carroll@dot.gov H. OTHER INFORMATION Applicants must identify all proprietary information in its submission. MARAD is not obligated to make any Federal award as a result of this RFP