Solicitation process
GSI
solicits applications for treatment systems in need of incubation/evaluation
research services. The RFP
solicitation process targets vendors of promising
ballast water treatment systems relevant to vessels capable
of plying the Great Lakes-St.Lawrence Seaway System.
Applications
will be reviewed up to four times per year. Awards of research
services are based upon results from an objective review process
involving third party engineering and biological science experts,
and advice from the GSI
Advisory Committee. Criteria for selection
include the merits of the technology itself, and the extent
to which the GSI is able support research and development of
the treatment system. NEMWI then offers a suite of GSI research
services to successful applicants that is most appropriate to
the state of system development per the reviewer comments. The
NEMWI then negotiates a contract with the applicant for the
provision of the GSI research services, detailing the nature
and extent of research offered, time-line, any stipulations
or contingencies, and intellectual property terms.
Click
here
to go to the GSI's solicitation webpage.
Research
services
The
GSI offers research services to incubate/evaluate prospective
treatment systems in terms of operational and biological performance
through three scales of testing: bench,
land-based, and shipboard (facilities).
Each scale is dedicated to addressing specific evaluation
objectives, with protocols
as consistent with IMO and federal requirements as practicable.
Relationship
to treatment approval processes
The GSI seeks
to maximize relevancy of its research output to regulatory processes
nationally and internationally. Accordingly, the land-based
research services offer information consistent with IMO guidelines
and standards. Though domestically, regulations and standards
are not yet in place, the GSI plans also to strive toward a
direct role in providing information in support of domestic
treatment approval for regulatory agencies as one of its research
services. Meanwhile, the GSI will help ready treatment systems
for successful vetting by official channels once they are established.
