The pre-proposal package may be obtained by providing a written = request by facsimile to
+1 (555) 000-0000 or a request by mail to the = address provided above. Telephone requests will not be honored. = Pre-proposals must be submitted in accordance with the instructions = contained in the pre-proposal package and shall not exceed six pages in = length. Pre-proposals are due no later than 03/31/02. The U.S. Dept. of = the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), is currently = requesting pre-proposals for demonstration activities sponsored by the = DWPR Program. Through this program, Reclamation is forming partnerships = with private industry, universities, local communities, and others to = address a broad range of desalting and water purification needs. The = overall objective of the program is to reduce the cost of desalting and = water purification technologies in order to augment water supply in the = United States. The Water Desalination Act of 1996, the authorizing = legislation for this program, defines the following important terms = (note the definitions are very broad and inclusive): (1) Desalination or = desalting means "the use of any process or technique for the removal = and, when feasible, adaptation to beneficial use, of organic and = inorganic elements and compounds from saline or biologically impaired = waters, by itself or in conjunction with other processes." (2) Saline = water means "sea water, brackish water, and other mineralized or = chemically impaired water." For fiscal year 2002, Reclamation is = soliciting pre-proposals in the Design, Construction, & Testing Plant & = Modules area for projects of 36 months duration or less (follow-on = funding may be available for future full-scale projects). For = demonstration agreements, and contingent upon Congressional funding, a = maximum amount of up to $1,000,000 will be awarded. Offerors (other than = academic institutions of higher education) must be willing to cost-share = 50% or more of the project cost, depending on the financial need of the = project. Offerors proposing to provide additional cost-share will be = given greater consideration. Cost-sharing may be made through cash or = in-kind contributions from the offeror, or third party non-Federal = participants. Cost-sharing is not mandatory from academic institutions, = but is strongly encouraged. The authorizing legislation for this program = provides for up to a total of $1,000,000 per year to be awarded to = academic institutions of higher education, including United = States-Mexico binational research foundations and inter-university = research programs established by the two countries, without any = cost-sharing requirement. No profit or fee will be allowed. Patent = rights for any developments will be retained by the research partner = (offeror) in accordance with provisions contained in the solicitation. = Reclamation's laboratory facilities are available for use on a cost = reimburseable basis. These include laboratory and pilot-scale equipment = at the Technical Service Center in Denver, Colorado, and the = state-of-the-art water treatment facility, the Water Quality Improvement = Center, in Yuma, Arizona. If you need detailed information on these = facilities and costs, please contact the above. Any responsible source, = to include individuals, academic institutions, commercial or industrial = organizations, private entities, public entities (including state and = local), or Indian Tribal Governments, may submit a pre-proposal which = will be considered by Reclamation. Foreign entities, other than United = States-Mexico binational research foundations and inter-university = research programs established by the two countries, are not eligible for = funding under the authorizing legislation for this program. Federal = agencies are not eligible to apply. Pre-proposals will be reviewed for = overall scientific and/or technical merit; results from earlier = successful pilot-plant investigations indicating the project is at = demonstration stage; potential contributions to Reclamation's DWPR = program objectives; qualifications of the proposer; and reasonableness = of the estimated project costs. Meritorious pre-proposers will be = encouraged to submit a full proposal. Submission of a pre-proposal is = not mandatory; however, offerors are strongly encouraged to do so in = order to receive the benefit of the initial pre-proposal screening = process. Solicitation packages for the full proposals will be issued on = or about 04/30/02, with a due date of approximately 45 days after = issuance. Brief descriptions of each area of interest and their = respective funding amounts are listed below. During fiscal year 2002, = Reclamation anticipates the award of one (1) demonstration financial = assistance agreement of 36 months duration or less, with Federal funds = of about $1,000,000 for the three year agreement., subject to the = content and quality of proposals received. TASK I - DESIGN, = CONSTRUCTION, & TESTING PLANTS & MODULES - The primary objective of this = emphasis area is to cost share the design, construction, and testing of = demonstration-scale systems and processes. Awards under this task can = result from successful pilot-scale investigations completed under the = DWPR program that demonstrated a high level of success and proved the = technology is ready for design, construction, & testing. However, any = researcher may submit a pre-proposal who can provide sufficient = documentation indicating a high level of prior successful pilot-scale = investigations have been accomplished and that the project is at design, = construction, & testing demonstration phase.
