A--RFI: Definition of Permanent Barriers

The Department of the Interior, through the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, is seeking industry input via a Request for Information to define technical standards for permanent barriers used in offshore oil and gas well integrity systems. This effort aims to establish minimum performance criteria for barrier technologies by compiling global data, reviewing OEM-submitted information, and creating a structured, publicly releasable database that supports regulatory evaluation under 30 CFR 250.206. The work requires an 18-month period of performance with specific deliverables including a final research report, draft journal articles, a graphical abstract meeting strict size and resolution specifications, a barrier evaluation scorecard, and a comprehensive database of barrier types and operating envelopes. All outputs must be non-proprietary, 508-compliant, and submitted in editable formats such as Word and Excel, with proprietary data provided in both restricted and sanitized versions for government use and public release. Respondents must hold an active Unique Entity Identifier, declare their size status, and comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act if collecting information from 10 or more individuals. Deliverables become the property of BSEE upon submission, and all materials must be marked appropriately for Controlled Unclassified Information and copyright. The Request for Information is purely for market research and does not obligate the government to award a contract; no solicitation, evaluation factors, or contract value are specified. Responses must be submitted electronically by July 31, 2026, no later than 9:00 AM Eastern Time, to the designated point of contact, with format requirements limited to a 10-page document in Word or PDF using 12-point font.