[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 40 (Thursday, February 28, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9258-9259]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-4778]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


National Energy Technology Laboratory; Notice of intent to issue 
a Financial Assistance Solicitation (PS)

AGENCY: National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), Department of 
Energy (DOE).

ACTION: Notice of Intent to Issue a Financial Assistance Solicitation.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the intent to issue Financial 
Assistance Solicitation No. DE-PS26-02NT41434 entitled ``Deep Trek 
Program Solicitation.'' The general goal of this research and 
development effort is to support development of new and/or innovative 
technologies that are required to meet the needs of the U.S. natural 
gas industry in gaining improved access to natural gas resources at 
depths beyond 20,000 feet. The ``Deep Trek Program Solicitation'' 
supports the DOE/NETL's Strategic Center for Natural Gas' 2020 Vision 
of increased benefits to the U.S. public from an affordable supply, 
reliable delivery, and increased environmental protection from an 
increase in natural gas usage. Industry input on the solicitation 
objectives was obtained during a workshop in Houston, Texas on March 
20-21, 2001. The objective of this solicitation is to increase the 
overall effective rate-of-penetration (ROP) for deep drilling, 
including technologies such as ``Smart'' systems and materials for the 
hostile environment normally found at depths beyond 20,000 feet.

DATES: The solicitation will be available on the ``Industry Interactive 
Procurement System'' (IIPS) Web page located at http://e-center.doe.gov 
on or about March 12, 2002. Applicants can obtain access to the 
solicitation from the address above or through DOE/NETL's Web site at 
http://www.netl.doe.gov/business.

ADDRESSES: The solicitation and any subsequent amendments will be 
published on the DOE/NETL's Internet address at http://www.netl.doe.gov/business and on the IIPS Web page located at http://e-
center.doe.gov. Comments and/or questions prior to the issuance of the 
solicitation shall be forwarded to the mailing address or e-mail 
address provided below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kelly A. McDonald, MS I07, U.S. 
Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory, 3610 
Collins Ferry Road, P.O. Box 880, Morgantown, WV 26507-0880. E-mail 
Address: [email protected]. Telephone Number: (304) 285-4113.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: It is anticipated that this action will 
consist of a single solicitation with multiple closing dates. It is 
also anticipated that a pre-application process will be used. After 
consideration of the technical discussion of the pre-application, each 
applicant will be notified as to whether the applicant can submit a 
subsequent comprehensive application. The program solicitation will 
focus on the following two specific topic areas:
    1. Improved economics in deep well drilling, including, but not 
limited to: (1) Innovative drilling hardware concepts to improve rate-
of-penetration (ROP) in deep hostile environments, with a focus on 
material science, electronics, software development and advanced 
drilling fluid technology advancements; and, (2) Improvements in 
diagnostic capability during drilling operations.
    2. Improved economics in deep well completions, including, but not 
limited to: Drilling and completion fluid optimization for deep wells.
    It is anticipated that the work performed under this action will 
consist of three (3) phases similar to the following:

Phase I--Feasibility Concept Definition;
Phase II--Prototype Development or Research, Development, and Testing;
Phase III--Field/System Demonstration and Commercialization.

    The maximum period of performance for all three (3) phases is 
estimated at forty-eight (48) months. The goal of this procurement is 
to work toward a demonstration of concepts at a commercially scalable 
size. It is recognized that each applicant may propose varying scopes 
of effort for one or more of the three (3) phases, and consequently, an 
applicant is not required to perform all Phase I activities if 
significant work on Phase I type activities has been previously 
completed. If the applicant proposed to initially proceed to Phase II 
or III efforts, information must be included in their application which 
demonstrates the merit of the previous research and reference to the 
results. For successful applicants proposing to Phase II or III, the 
cost of work performed by the applicant to satisfy the Phase I or II 
requirements prior to the execution of the resulting agreement will not 
be considered when calculating cost share. Due to the nature and 
objective of this solicitation, it is anticipated that a mixture of 
applications will be accepted with staggered beginning dates, and it is 
therefore anticipated that any applicant selected for award shall 
proceed on it's own schedule, independent of any other application. The 
schedule will be based on the best estimate of the time it will take 
the team to complete the three (3)-phase effort and address the 
solicitation objective.
    DOE anticipates multiple cooperative agreement awards under each 
topic area resulting from this solicitation, and no fee or profit will 
be paid to a Recipient or Subrecipient under the awards. This 
particular program is covered by Section 3001 and 3002 of the Energy 
Policy Act (EPAct), 42 U.S.C. 13542. EPAct 3002 requires a cost-share 
commitment of at least 20 percent from non-Federal sources for research 
and development projects and at least 50 percent for demonstration and 
commercial projects. Depending on the phase and maturation stage of the 
agreement, cost-share expectations will range from 20 to 50 percent. 
This particular program is also covered by section 2306 of EPAct, 42 
U.S.C. 13525. In order for a company to be eligible for an award under 
this solicitation, the company's participation must be in the economic 
interest of the U.S. and the company must either be a U.S.-owned 
company or incorporated in the U.S. with its parent company 
incorporated in a country that (i) affords to U.S.-owned companies 
opportunities, comparable to those afforded to any other company, to 
participate in any joint venture similar to those authorized under the 
Act; (ii) affords to U.S-owned companies local investment opportunities 
comparable to those afforded to any other company; and (iii) affords 
adequate and effective protection for the intellectual property rights 
of U.S.-owned companies. This eligibility requirement also applies to 
all companies participating in any joint venture, ``team'' arrangement, 
or as a major subcontractor. The solicitation will contain as part of 
the application package the applicable EPAct representation form(s). In 
addition to EPAct, applicant's must incur at least 75

[[Page 9259]]

percent of the direct labor cost for the project (including 
subcontractor labor) in the U.S.. At current planning levels, and 
subject to the availability of funds, DOE expects to provide up to 
approximately $3,400,000 to support work under this solicitation. 
Applications which include performance of Federal agencies and agents 
(i.e. Management and Operations (M&O) contractors and/or National 
Laboratories) as a team member will be acceptable under this 
solicitation if the proposed use of any such entities is specifically 
authorized by the executive Federal agency managing the M&O or National 
Laboratory, and the work is not otherwise available from the private 
sector. Such work, if approved, would be accomplished through a direct 
transfer of funding from the NETL to the M&O contractor and/or National 
Laboratory. Even though participation of an M&O and/or National 
Laboratory may be appropriate, their participation cannot exceed 
thirty-five (35) percent of the applicant's total estimated project 
cost.
    Once released, the solicitation will be available for downloading 
from the IIPS Internet page. At this Internet site you will also be 
able to register with IIPS, enabling you to submit an application. If 
you need technical assistance in registering or for any other IIPS 
function, call the IIPS Help Desk at (800) 683-0751 or e-mail the Help 
Desk personnel at center.doe.gov">IIPS_HelpDesk@e-center.doe.gov. The solicitation will 
only be made available in IIPS, no hard (paper) copies of the 
solicitation and related documents will be made available.
    Prospective applicants who would like to be notified as soon as the 
solicitation is available should subscribe to the Business Alert 
Mailing List at http://www.netl.doe.gov/business. Once you subscribe, 
you will receive an announcement by e-mail that the solicitation has 
been released to the public. Telephone requests, written requests, e-
mail requests, or facsimile requests for a copy of the solicitation 
package will not be accepted and/or honored. Applications must be 
prepared and submitted in accordance with the instructions and forms 
contained in the solicitation. The actual solicitation document will 
allow for requests for explanation and/or interpretation.

    Issued in Morgantown, WV, on February 15, 2002.
Randolph L. Kesling,
Director, Acquisition and Assistance Division.
[FR Doc. 02-4778 Filed 2-27-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P