RA12 Notice

Pipeline Safety Research and Development (R&D)
Research Announcement #693JK326RA001
89598511874500

Introduction/Background
Through this Research Announcement (RA), the Office of Pipeline Safety, at the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), an operating administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation, solicits applications for research projects awarded and funded as Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs).

A comprehensive administrative and technical review will be conducted to determine the merits of the proposals and their relevance to the topic areas of focus. All proposals will be evaluated using only the materials provided in each proposal. PHMSA will reject proposals that duplicate work already planned, completed, or validated under recent initiatives.

All research topics require resource sharing. For research topics developing technology, the mandatory minimum cost share is 50 percent from non-Federal sources. For research topics developing knowledge, the mandatory minimum cost share is 20 percent from non-Federal sources. Firm letters of commitment for resource sharing should be provided with the proposals. Proposals that do not contain all letters of commitment will not be awarded.

A Technical Advisory Panel (TAP) is required for all awarded projects. TAPs will be utilized to make technical recommendations to PHMSA about project execution. Project work scope and results must be tailored toward U.S. regulations and policy on pipeline safety.

TAPs must comprise at least two to three pipeline/facility operators, having assets relevant to the proposed project scope, which must be fully identified in submitted proposals. TAPs can also include subject matter experts and other organizations as appropriate. Research project award recipients will format their Non-Disclosure Agreement form utilizing the definition in footnote 1 and pledge that TAP members will not publicly share any project deliberations. TAP member signed forms will be submitted to PHMSA to document this requirement.

Specifically, addressing research quality, TAPs will also include a minimum of two representatives from academia. These academic TAP members will adhere to a Non-Disclosure Agreement/Conflict of Interest requirement with signature asserting that they will not publicly share any project deliberations. In addition, TAP members from academia must be contractually independent from working on any related subject matters with PHMSA regulated companies. They must have the requisite educational background related to the project subject matter. TAP members from academia will participate throughout the project execution along with the full TAP, but most importantly review the draft final report and supply any technical comments for the research project principal investigator to address in the final reporting. The submitted comments based on the academic review will be submitted to PHMSA as a deliverable to document the requirement. Research project award recipients will format their Non-Disclosure Agreement/Conflict of Interest form utilizing the definition in footnote 1 and pledge that TAP members will not publicly share any project deliberations. TAP member Non-Disclosure Agreement/Conflict of Interest signed forms will be submitted to PHMSA to document this requirement.