[Federal Register: April 15, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 72)]
[Notices]
[Page 18199-18200]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr15ap03-60]
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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:
Peter.Grandillo@NETL.DOE.GOV, 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 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