A -- SELECTION OF NEW ENVIRONMENTALLY-FRIENDLY HYDROPOWER TURBINE DESIGNS

Notice Date

October 15, 2001

Contracting Office

U.S. Department Of Energy, Idaho Operations Office, 850 Energy Drive -- MS1221, Idaho Falls, ID 83401-1563

ZIP Code

83401-1563

Solicitation Number

DE-RP07-02ID14262

Response Due

December 6, 2001

Point of Contact

Kathleen M. Stallman, 208-526-7038, T. Wade Hillebrant, Contracting Officer, 208-526-0547

E-Mail Address

Click here to contact the agency point of contact (stallmkm@id.doe.gov)

Description

The Department of Energy is soliciting proposals to move the DOE Advanced Hydropower Turbine System (AHTS) Program to the next stage. The initial goals of the AHTS program established in cooperation with the hydropower industry were; to stimulate the design, testing, field demonstration, and deployment of a new generation of hydropower turbines that not only retain the life expectancy and efficiency of existing turbines but also have enhanced environmental performance, such as fewer effects on fish through resolving fish passage, water quality, and instream flow issues in turbine design; and to demonstrate that the new generation of turbines can be compatible with today's environmental standards, be commercially viable, and successfully balance environmental, technical, operational, and cost considerations. To move this program to the next stage, the Idaho Operations Office of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has developed two separate, but related solicitations. Solicitation 1-The purpose of this solicitation is to select one or more existing conceptual turbine designs to advance development to the final design stage, installation, and testing. This will limit the designs/manufacturer from which proposers under the second solicitation can choose. The conceptual turbine designs of interest under the first solicitation are those with enhanced environmental performance relative to existing technology. All qualified hydropower turbine manufacturers who have existing conceptual designs ready for development and field-testing are eligible to compete in the first solicitation. If selected, the awardee(s) will work with DOE and other awardees to develop a standard information package that will be used in the second solicitation. The package will provide turbine specifications and other non-proprietary information of existing, conceptual turbine designs and any additional technical information necessary for a site developer to choose a conceptual design. Solicitation 2 -The second solicitation will result in site selection, final engineering designs, installation of a full size prototype turbine, testing (both engineering and biological), O&M monitoring, and generation. Site developers will be limited to only the designs/manufacturers that were awarded under Solicititation 1. Under the second solicitation, proposers are expected to negotiate and contract directly with the awardee(s) of their choice under the first solicitation. DOE will stipulate in the second solicitation that the turbine manufacturer as well as the awardee will work with DOE to develop testing and monitoring plans. There is no guarantee that the proposers in the second solicitation will select an awardee's design. Please note that this document requests proposals for the first solicitation only. The second solicitation will be issued after awardees are selected for the first solicitation. Qualified proposers responding to this first solicitation must: own the rights to the existing environmentally-friendly turbine design capable of producing hydroelectricity; provide a minimum cost share of 50% for the formulation and filling out of a standard format for turbine specifications and drawings; have turbine designs of 1 MW or greater that address fish passage, water quality, instream flow, or other important environmental issues and the designs are adaptable for new site development and retrofitting existing sites; and have an organization/team with the capability of manufacturing/fabricating the proposed turbine at any of the size ranges identified in the proposal. Applicants may be for-profit organizations, not-for-profit organizations, state and local government entities, Indian tribes, and institutions of higher learning. DOE National Laboratories are not eligible to participate in this solicitation in any way. For this first solicitation, proposers must address the following elements in their proposal: Describe the right of ownership to the conceptual turbine design and the authority of the proposer to develop the design including patent information. Describe the background and developmental history of the conceptual turbine design. Describe the conceptual turbine design and site characteristics needed for turbine operation, including head range, flow range, capacity limitations, and civil works requirements. Include drawings, sketches, photographs, etc. Explain how the conceptual design improves on the environmental performance of existing turbine systems. Fully describe structural components and/or operating conditions that are expected to confer fish passage, water quality, instream flow, or other environmental benefits. For improved fish passage designs, estimate water velocities and pressure regimes (e.g., plots of estimated velocities and pressures vs. passage time or distance) over the full range of head and flow. As appropriate, describe structural modifications that would reduce the probability of strike (reductions in the number or size of obstructions within the turbine) or turbulence (e.g., alternative draft tube designs). For water-quality-enhancing turbines, quantify expected improvements in water quality (e.g., increases in dissolved oxygen concentrations) over the full range of hydraulic head and flow. Explain how the conceptual design could be used to retrofit existing civil works. Identify the steps required (including civil construction, fabrication, installation, operation and testing) to produce, from the conceptual design, a completed turbine ready for market. Describe the potential resources, applications, and the domestic market penetration for the conceptual turbine design. Describe the experience of the organization/team in the design, manufacturing, installation and testing of hydropower turbines. Identify key personnel and staff members of the team who will be involved in the project. Describe their technical qualifications, including the extent of their experience and engineering and environmental aspects of hydropower turbine design, fabrication, and testing. Provide resumes. Describe the manufacturing/fabrication facility. Successful contractors will meet with DOE and develop a common format for the turbine specification and drawings that will be included in the second RFP. For a copy of the RFQ contact Kathleen Stallman by e-mail at stallmkm@id.doe.gov or fax: (208) 526-5548. All responsible sources may submit a proposal and shall be considered by the agency. Proposals are due by 2 p.m. MST, December 6, 2001.

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20011017/ASOL007.HTM (W-288 SN5106K8)