B--Sand, Sediment, & Critical Mineral Investigation

Request for Information (RFI) / Sources Sought

This RFI is issued by the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) on behalf of the Bureau of Energy Management (BOEM) to identify interested small businesses capable of performing geophysical survey, geological sampling, and laboratory analysis. The goal is to collect industry feedback on a Draft Statement of Work (SOW) for the Sand, Sediment, and Critical Mineral Investigation in Federal Waters Offshore Louisiana (Ship Shoal). This RFI is for market research only and not a solicitation for proposals.

BOEM intends to expand its National Offshore Sand Inventory (NOSI) and National Offshore Critical Minerals Inventory (NOCMI) by acquiring and analyzing offshore geological and geophysical data in the Ship Shoal region, federal waters offshore Louisiana. The planned effort includes geophysical surveys, vibracore sampling, deeper coring, laboratory analysis, and data interpretation.

• Geophysical Survey: Collection of 365 line miles of data, including bathymetry, sub-bottom profiling (CHIRP), boomer/sparker systems, magnetometer, and side-scan sonar. Results will be used to clear proposed sampling locations.
• Vibracore and Deep Core Sampling: Collection of 30 vibracores (30 ft penetration) and 10 deeper cores (50 ft penetration).
• Laboratory Analysis: Analysis of grain size and critical mineral content from collected samples.

Respondents are requested to provide:

• Company Information: Name, address, UEI, small business category, and point of contact.
• Demonstrated Capabilities: Experience in offshore geophysical surveys, coring operations, marine logistics, laboratory analysis (grain size, critical minerals), and data processing/interpretation.
• Past Performance: Up to three relevant projects completed in the past ten years, including scope, location, methods, results, and references.
• Capacity and Availability: Ability to mobilize, staffing, equipment access, vessel readiness, and estimated scheduling.

BOEM seeks comments on the clarity, feasibility, and efficiency of the draft SOW, specifically regarding:

• Technical requirements (instrumentation, line-mileage, core depth/quantity)
• Data standards and deliverables
• Operational feasibility (offshore conditions, logistics)
• Cost and schedule considerations

Responses should be submitted electronically in PDF or Word format, 12-point font, not exceeding 10 pages, and emailed to the point of contact in the official posting. No proprietary or classified information should be submitted.

This RFI is for information and planning purposes only and does not obligate BOEM to issue a solicitation or award a contract.

Statement of Work (SOW) / Performance Work Statement (PWS)

This SOW outlines a project to identify sand and sediment resources, including potential critical mineral deposits, in federal waters offshore Louisiana, specifically within the Ship Shoal area. The goal is to contribute to the National Offshore Sand Inventory (NOSI) and the National Offshore Critical Minerals Inventory (NOCMI).

• Conduct geophysical and geological (G&G) investigations.

• Acquire approximately 483 line miles of geophysical survey data (bathymetry, sub-bottom profiling, magnetometer, side-scan sonar).

• Conduct vibracore sampling (approx. 30 vibracores to 30 ft depth) and deeper coring (approx. 10 cores to 50 ft depth).

• Perform grain size analysis on each core (approx. 4 samples per core).

• Conduct critical minerals analysis on core samples (approx. 2 samples per core).

• Develop geophysical and geotechnical investigation plans.

• Identify and quantify resources.

• Prepare completion investigation reports and format data for the Marine Minerals Information System (MMIS).

• Geophysical data quality must meet specific requirements for archaeological clearance surveys and ISO 19901 standards.

• Data preservation must ensure long-term viability and accessibility per the USGS Science Data Lifecycle Model.

• Core recovery target is 80% for vibracores.

• Laboratory tests include Vane Shear, LPSA, Visual Percent Shell, and Carbonate Content analysis.

• Period of Performance: 2 years from the date of contract award.

• Location: Federal waters offshore Louisiana, specifically the Ship Shoal area.

• Coordination with BOEM Gulf of America Region (GOAR) for investigation area refinement and plan development.

• Adherence to mitigation protocols and procedures.

• Vibracore placement must be cleared for archaeological resources.

• Data submission in specified formats (e.g., ArcGIS readable, SEG-Y, GIS shape files, FGDC/ISO metadata).

• Reporting requirements include draft and final reports with maps, logs, and data tables.