B -- Develop Applications Guide for Determining the Yield Strength of In-Service Pipe by Evaluating Hardness

The Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration (PHMSA) intends to issue a purchase order on a sole source basis to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers to develop a user-friendly Applications Guide to assist pipeline operators in applying hardness testing and statistical procedures to determine minimum yield strength for in-service steel pipe of unknown specifications. The order will be issued using other than full and open competition procedures in accordance FAR 6.3and 41 U.S.C. 253(c) (1) only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Applications Guide will facilitate field use of the hardness testing procedure developed by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) with technical participation and cooperative financial support by PHMSA and various pipeline operators. The Applications Guide will reduce the need for the expensive and time-consuming tensile testing now required by the Federal pipeline safety regulations. This is not a request for competitive proposals but parties purporting to have the requisite credentials to furnish these supplies/services must provide in writing, factual information which clearly supports and demonstrates their ability in the development of an Applications Guide. This information MUST be emailed to [email protected] or faxed to his attention at (202) 366-7974 not later than 4:00 p.m. EDT on September 8, 2006. A determination not to compete this proposed action based on any response to this notice is solely within the discretion of the contracting officer.