The Great Ships Initiative (GSI) is currently offering research
services to developers of treatment systems designed to minimize
the presence of live organisms, including microbes and viruses,
in ballast water discharge from ships. To further the efficiency
of the research and development process for ballast treatment
developers, during calendar year 2009, the GSI is partnering
with the Maritime
Environmental Resource Center (MERC) in the
Chesapeake Bay to offer a highly comprehensive suite of research
services spanning fresh, brackish and salt water source water
systems. Qualified and interested applicants to GSI (or MERC)
will be considered for research services at either or both GSI
and MERC. The goal of this collaborative approach is to further
the efficient and effective transition of treatments from concept
and prototype to certification and routine operational use through
combining and coordinating complementary resources and expertise
at the respective research sites. To apply for these combined
research and independent evaluation services, please continue
reading.
Note: If you
have an application pending to GSI or MERC for research services
in 2009, you do not need to reapply for consideration in response
to this joint call.
Specifically,
GSI and MERC jointly offer:
General Research
Services: These research services evaluate treatment effectiveness
against a range of taxonomic and size categories of ambient
organisms in fresh and brackish water at the bench, land-based
and shipboard scales. They are applicable to candidate ballast
treatment systems designed to surpass the standards contained
in the IMO Convention and/or meet United States federal standards,
once developed.
Estimated
Review and Award Time-Frame
Applications
submitted for General Research Services by:
- 5 PM EST
October 31, 2008 qualify for November 24, 2008 award notification;
- 5 PM EST December 19, 2008 qualify for January 23, 2009
award notification.
Submission
Process and a Note on Attachments
GSI and MERC
will consider any complete applications that are submitted electronically
using the “submit” button located at the end of the
electronic application form (see application materials above).
Clicking the “submit” button will automatically open
the computer’s default email program and attach the application
form to an already-addressed email. Attach supporting information
and reference documents in PDF format to the same email prior
to sending, or send attachments in a separate email(s) to nmays@nemw.org
if the email is larger than 7 MB in size. Alternatively, send
large applications in their entire form to nmays@nemw.org
using a file delivery website such as http://www.yousendit.com/.
Clearly label
all attachments with the application question to which they
correspond and list them in the application in the spaces provided.
To be considered, all applications must be accompanied by full
author reference information and listed in the application form.
Applications
will receive an email confirming their receipt within 48 hours
of submission. Please email nmays@nemw.org
if you do not receive this confirmation email. Also, please
email nmays@nemw.org
if you have any questions or problems submitting the application
form and/or supporting attachment.
Award
Information
Assuming developers
of qualified systems respond to this solicitation, the GSI and
MERC will award:
- Bench-scale
testing services to up to eight (8) candidate treatment systems
in fresh, brackish or full saltwater;
- Pilot-scale testing services at the GSI land-based test
facility (freshwater) or MERC ship-based test facility (brackish
water) to up to five (5) candidate treatment systems;
- Active shipboard testing services to no more than two (2)
candidate systems.*
*Contingent
upon available resources.
Candidate
systems will be offered research services only if technical
and programmatic criteria for receiving testing services are
met.
Contact
Information and Inquiries
Direct
any questions regarding this solicitation or the application
process by e-mail only to Allegra Cangelosi (acangelo@nemw.org).
Please put "GSI and MERC Application Question" in
the subject line. Applicant inquiries will be consolidated
daily (without affiliation information) and responses sent
to all interested applicants. To receive Daily Digests of
these inquiries and our responses please contact Nicole Mays
(nmays@nemw.org).
© Great Ships Initiative 2008.
