[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 72 (Tuesday, April 15, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18199-18200]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-9202]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

National Energy Technology Laboratory


Notice of Availability of a Financial Assistance Solicitation

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

ACTION: Notice of availability of a financial assistance solicitation.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the intent to issue Financial 
Assistance Solicitation No. DE-PS26-03NT41779 entitled Underground Gas 
Storage Technology Consortium. The DOE Gas Storage Program supports the 
Strategic Center for Natural Gas' 2020 Vision of the U.S. public 
enjoying benefits (affordable supply, reliable delivery, and 
environmental protection) from increased use of natural gas. A 
solicitation for this program is included in the current NETL 
procurement plan for release in FY 2003. The general purpose of the 
Natural Gas Storage Program is to develop advanced technologies to 
enhance operational flexibility and deliverability of the nation's gas 
storage system, and provide a cost-effective, safe, and reliable supply 
of natural gas to meet demand in new and expanded market regions.
    The purpose of this solicitation is to select an organization 
qualified to establish, solicit membership, and operate an Underground 
Gas Storage Technology Consortium that will foster broad industry 
interest and support for the development of cost-effective technologies 
to increase both the deliverability and injectability of the natural 
gas storage system, including conventional underground depleted oil and 
gas reservoirs, aquifer storage reservoirs, and salt cavern storage. 
Storage wells/fields often suffer a decline in productivity after 
several years of production and injection cycling. Current 
revitalization techniques usually provide only limited, temporary 
delivery restoration. Research supported by the consortium will focus 
on technologies to limit and remediate the progressive damage caused by 
the repeated injection and withdrawal of gas in existing and future 
facilities, as well as innovative reservoir development and management 
techniques that can maximize performance. It is anticipated that the 
Underground Gas Storage Technology Consortium will be gas storage 
industry driven and will emphasize the creation of a balanced research 
portfolio of practical solutions, short-term projects, and basic 
research to improve the performance of the Nation's gas storage 
infrastructure.

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 April 4, 2003. 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter E. Grandillo, Contract 
Specialist, MS 921-107, U.S. Department of Energy, National Energy 
Technology Laboratory, P.O. Box 10940, 626 Cochrans Mill Road, 
Pittsburgh, PA 15236-0940, E-mail Address: 
[email protected], Telephone Number: (412) 386-4997.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: DOE/NETL intends to select for award a 
single applicant to establish an Underground Gas Storage Technology 
Consortium to conduct deliverability enhancement and innovative 
reservoir development and management research. DOE anticipates that 
there will be broad participation from industry, academia, small 
business, and research and development organizations in the consortium.
    The agreement to establish and operate the consortium is expected 
to last 4\1/2\ years. The first budget period will be 18 months to 
allow creation of the consortium structure, solicit membership and 
establish an executive panel of industry experts, refine a technical 
approach for deliverability enhancement and reservoir management 
research, and select and award the first round of research projects. 
The initial

[[Page 18200]]

18-month budget period will be followed by 3 one-year budget periods. 
Depending on the structure and membership requirements for the 
consortium, special provisions may have to be made for smaller 
companies and academia participants. The executive panel of experts 
established from the membership of the consortium and DOE shall rate 
and prioritize potential projects. This panel must be impartial and 
must rotate membership on a predetermined schedule. Some panel members 
can be from academia, however, the makeup of the panel should be such 
that industry is the driver.
    DOE will maintain final authority in consortium project selection. 
No more than 10% of DOE funding provided to the consortium may be used 
for operating the consortium. However, any monetary requirements for 
membership will be maintained by the applicant for consortium 
operations. The consortium should select projects on an annual basis 
and no project should last more than two years without competing for 
additional funds.
    A cost-sharing cooperative agreement award is anticipated that will 
include substantial involvement between the DOE and the Recipient, 
including involvement in the technical and business management aspects 
of the consortium, and sharing of the responsibility for the technical 
direction of the consortium. The DOE will participate in establishing 
and approving a work plan, which will identify essential and 
significant milestones necessary for effective implementation of the 
deliverability enhancement and reservoir management goals of the 
consortium. This work plan will be used to determine whether or not to 
proceed with subsequent budget periods.
    This particular program is covered by section 3001 and 3002 of the 
Energy Policy Act (EPAct), 42 U.S.C. 13542 for financial assistance 
awards. The proposed calculation of the anticipated cost-sharing as a 
percentage of award value for projects funded through the Gas Storage 
Consortium is 30%. It is anticipated that $3,000,000 in federal funding 
will be available. However, not all of the necessary funds are 
currently available for this solicitation. The Government's obligation 
under any cooperative agreement awarded is contingent upon the 
availability of future appropriations.
    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. 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 Pittsburgh, PA, on April 4, 2003.
Dale A. Siciliano,
Director, Acquisition and Assistance Division.
[FR Doc. 03-9202 Filed 4-14-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P