The Great Ships Initiative (GSI) offers research services in calendar year 2008 to developers of treatment systems designed to minimize the presence of live organisms, including microbes and viruses, in ballast water discharge from ships. Specifically, GSI offers:

General GSI Research Services: These research services evaluate treatment effectiveness against a range of taxonomic and size categories of ambient organisms at the bench, land-based and shipboard scales. They are applicable to candidate ballast treatment systems designed to surpass the standards contained in the IMO Convention and/or meet United States federal standards, once developed.

Estimated review and award time-frame

Applications submitted for General Research Services by:

- 5 PM EST April 4, 2008 qualify for May 15, 2008 award notification;
- 5 PM EST October 4, 2008 qualify for November 15, 2008 award notification.

Application materials

Request For Proposal (link to pdf)

RFP Application Form (link to pdf)

Submission process and a note on attachments

GSI will consider any complete applications that are submitted electronically using the “submit” button located at the end of the electronic application form (see application materials above). Clicking the “submit” button will automatically open the computer’s default email program and attach the application form to an already-addressed email. Attach supporting information and reference documents in PDF format to the same email prior to sending, or send attachments in a separate email(s) to nmays@nemw.org if the email is larger than 7 MB in size. Alternatively, send large applications in their entire form to nmays@nemw.org using a file delivery website such as http://www.yousendit.com/.

Clearly label all attachments with the application question to which they correspond and list them in the application in the spaces provided. To be considered, all applications must be accompanied by full author reference information and listed in the application form.

Applications will receive an email confirming their receipt within 48 hours of submission. Please email nmays@nemw.org if you do not receive this confirmation email. Also, please email nmays@nemw.org if you have any questions or problems submitting the application form and/or supporting attachments.

Award information

Assuming developers of qualified systems respond to this solicitation, the GSI will award:

- Bench-scale testing services to up to eight (8) candidate treatment systems;
- Full-scale land-based testing services at the GSI land-based test facility to up to five (5) candidate treatment systems;
- Shipboard testing services to no more than one (1) candidate system.

Candidate systems will be offered research services only if technical and programmatic criteria for receiving testing services are met.

Contact information and inquiries

Direct any questions regarding this solicitation or the application process by e-mail only to Allegra Cangelosi (acangelo@nemw.org). Applicant inquiries will be consolidated daily (without affiliation information) and responses sent to all interested applicants. To receive Daily Digests of these inquiries and our responses please contact Nicole Mays (nmays@nemw.org).