Combined Synopsis/Solicitation
Core Research Program Technology Transfer & Commercialization Advancement
Department of Transportation · Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
AI summaryThe Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA, part of the Department of Transportation) wants proposals to take already-proven pipeline safety technology (TRL 7, a working prototype tested in the field) to a market-ready commercial product within 12 months. This is a research announcement that will lead to fixed-price milestone Other Transaction Agreements, not a standard FAR contract, and bidders must pay at least half the cost themselves with non-Federal cash. The SAM.gov record lists Washington, DC. More in the summary
AI summary Beta
Summary of the version posted Oct 1, 2026. The notice was amended Oct 27, 2026. Check what else changed on SAM.gov. This summary may miss requirements: 1 of 9 attachments weren't read (Attachment 3 - Deliverable-T2 Milestone Schedule 693JK326RA002.xlsx). Check the attachments on SAM.gov.
The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA, part of the Department of Transportation) wants proposals to take already-proven pipeline safety technology (TRL 7, a working prototype tested in the field) to a market-ready commercial product within 12 months. This is a research announcement that will lead to fixed-price milestone Other Transaction Agreements, not a standard FAR contract, and bidders must pay at least half the cost themselves with non-Federal cash. The SAM.gov record lists Washington, DC.
Who can bid (7)
- Prime must be a responsible source; foreign entities and federal, state and local governments cannot be the prime (they may only be subcontractors or partners)
- Active SAM.gov registration with a UEI before submitting; also PHMSA MIS registration
- Technology must already be at TRL 7 (full-scale prototype validated in the field or a high-fidelity simulated pipeline environment) when you apply
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- Firm executed letters of commitment for at least 50% non-Federal cost share, in cash or direct cash-equivalent
- A Technical Advisory Panel with at least two to three active pipeline or facility operators, named in the proposal, plus at least two independent academic members who sign NDA/COI forms
- An accounting system with a government audit report or approval letter, identifying the approving Federal agency
- Signed Title VI non-discrimination assurances and a cost-share certification under 2 CFR 200
How to submit: Upload through the PHMSA R&D MIS portal (primis.phmsa.dot.gov); register there first and contact rd-support@dot.gov for help. Questions go by email to Stephen Jones with a copy to Tremayne Terry., due 5:00 p.m. EST on Monday, November 16, 2026 (questions due 5:00 p.m. EST Friday, October 23, 2026; submissions portal opens Wednesday, October 28, 2026). What to include is under Full summary below. Check the solicitation's instructions on SAM.gov.
Things to watch (11)
- Serious: 50% cash cost share required. You must fund at least half the project with non-Federal cash or cash-equivalents backed by signed letters, and work already paid by other Federal awards does not count, which is a heavy burden for a small business.
- Serious: Technology must already be TRL 7. This is not a bid to build something new; you need a proven field-tested prototype now, and a commercial product by month 12.
- Serious: No fee or profit allowed. The award is a cost-sharing arrangement, so no fee or profit can be built into the price for you, consultants or subcontractors.
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- Worth checking: Equipment and construction not funded. Any test apparatus you need must come from your own funds or the cost share.
- Worth checking: All-or-nothing quarterly payments. You are paid only for fully completed milestone items and cash flow can stall if one item slips.
- Worth checking: Consultant and subcontractor cap. Consultants plus subcontractors together cannot exceed half of the Federal share, which limits teaming.
- Worth checking: Government accounting audit report needed. A new or small firm may not have an official audit report or approval letter for its cost accounting system.
- Worth checking: Heavy partner requirements. You must line up named pipeline operators and independent academics for the advisory panel, collect signed NDA/COI forms, and deliver the academic review comments.
- Minor: Evaluation text is inconsistent. The announcement says six equally weighted criteria but then lists seven categories, so how the score is built is unclear.
- Minor: Terms are a draft OTA, not a FAR contract. Submitting a proposal means accepting the terms of the draft agreement, including patent march-in rights, public-access data rules and detailed reporting.
- Minor: No reimbursement for proposal costs. PHMSA may fund all, some or none of the proposals and pays nothing toward preparing yours.
Read from the notice and 8 attachments. 1 of 9 not read. Show which files.
- 693JK326RA002_RA T2_Notice FINAL.docx (read)
- Attachment 1 - Team Project Activities 693JK326RA002.docx (read)
- Attachment 2 - Project Deliverables 693JK326RA002.docx (read)
- Attachment 4 - Budget Summary 693JK326RA002.pdf (read)
- Attachment 5 - Additional Info 693JK326RA002.docx (read)
- Attachment 6 - Title VI Non Discrimination Assurances (DOCR)_FINAL (1).docx (read)
- Attachment 7 - Research Topic 693JK326RA002 (1).docx (read)
- Attachment 8 - FY26 Basic Agreement Template - RA T2 DRAFT.docx (read)
- Attachment 3 - Deliverable-T2 Milestone Schedule 693JK326RA002.xlsx: not read (the AI doesn't read this file type yet): open it on SAM.gov
Full summary
What they want
- A project that moves a pipeline safety technology from TRL 7 to TRL 8 or 9 (commercially deployable) in 12 months or less
- A Transition-to-Practice plan covering IP, licensing, competitor analysis and manufacturing or deployment after the project
- A market and regulatory review, including standards-body (SDO) paths such as API, ASME or NACE
- A Technical Advisory Panel (TAP) with pipeline operators and at least two academic members
- Field testing with a pipeline operator or service provider partner, backed by co-funding or transition letters
- Quarterly reports plus final deliverables: final report, public research brief, technology transfer brief, final TRL assessment, academic review comments, virtual de-brief and a conference or publication
- A 20-page proposal PDF plus Attachments 1 to 6, co-funding letters and an accounting-system audit report
- Contract type
- Research Announcement leading to fixed-price Other Transaction Agreements with quarterly payable milestones (not a FAR contract); PHMSA intends to make multiple awards
- Period of performance
- Maximum 12 months
- Place of performance
- Washington, DC, USA (per the SAM.gov record); where the work is done is not stated
- Estimated value
- Not stated
- How they'll choose
- Independent Merit Review Panel scores proposals against equally weighted criteria; no price-based method is described
- Offers due
- 5:00 p.m. EST on Monday, November 16, 2026 (questions due 5:00 p.m. EST Friday, October 23, 2026; submissions portal opens Wednesday, October 28, 2026) (from the version posted Oct 1, 2026; amended since)
- How to submit
- Upload through the PHMSA R&D MIS portal (primis.phmsa.dot.gov); register there first and contact rd-support@dot.gov for help. Questions go by email to Stephen Jones with a copy to Tremayne Terry.
- Page limits
- Maximum 20 single-sided pages for the main proposal body; the title page, public summary page, Appendix A (resumes), Appendix B (other related proposals) and separate attachments do not count
What they'll judge offers on
- Technical Maturity & Baseline Validation (TRL 7 baseline)
- Commercialization Outcome & Transition-to-Practice (TRL 8-9 target), including IP pathways
- Market Readiness & Competitor Landscape, including regulatory and standards pathways
- Implementation Strategy & Project Design (12-month plan, human factors)
- Partnership Depth & Cost-Share Commitment
- Impact Potential & Return on Investment
- Commercialization Track Record & Historical Performance (listed as Category 7)
What to include when you submit
- Submit one compiled PDF with a title page (i), a public summary page (ii), the body in five required sections, Appendix A (resumes) and Appendix B (other related proposals, or N/A)
- Typed, double-spaced, 12-point font, 8.5 x 11 pages with 1-inch margins; plain language required
- Attachment 1: Team Project Activities
- Attachment 2: Project Deliverables Schedule
- Attachment 3: Technical and Deliverable Milestone Schedule, as an editable Excel file
- Attachment 4: Budget Summary Sheet
- Attachment 5: Additional Budget Information and Rate Schedules
- Attachment 6: signed Standard Title VI Non-Discrimination Assurances
- Separate executed letters of co-funding commitment for the 50% non-Federal share
- Separate copy of the most recent government audit report or letter approving your cost accounting system
- Put 'RA #693JK326RA002 Inquiry' in the subject line of any question email
- Consultants need resumes, at least two invoices to non-Government customers, and a signed certification statement
Not in the notice text
- Total funding available and the expected size of each award (not stated)
- How many awards will be made (only 'multiple')
- Contents of Attachment 3, the milestone schedule spreadsheet, which was not read
- The middle of the draft Basic Agreement template (Attachment 8) was left out, so some of its terms (data rights and parts of the patent article) are unseen
- Attachments 1 and 2 are marked SAMPLE and show a leak detection example, so they are only format guides
- Where the work must take place (SAM.gov lists Washington, DC only)
- How the 'six' equally weighted criteria map to the seven categories listed
Eligibility and how to respond
- No set-aside: any business, large or small, can bid unless the notice says otherwise.
- How to submit, from the AI summary: Upload through the PHMSA R&D MIS portal (primis.phmsa.dot.gov); register there first and contact rd-support@dot.gov for help. Questions go by email to Stephen Jones with a copy to Tremayne Terry. Check it in the notice before you send anything.
- Architect-engineer services tied to buildings or construction are usually bought under the Brooks Act: the agency ranks firms on qualifications from an SF 330 first, then negotiates a price with the top firm. How A/E contracts work.
- Service contracts usually set minimum pay rates (the Service Contract Act). Price the labor with the SCA price calculator.
Notice details
- Posted
- Oct 27, 2026
- Notice type
- Combined Synopsis/Solicitation
- Office
- 693JK3 Acquisition Services Div., Washington, DC
- Product/service code
- R425 · Support – Professional: Engineering/Technical
- Business type
- Engineering, architecture & research (FedReady's grouping, from NAICS 541330)
- Versions
2 versions have been posted, newest first.
- Oct 27, 2026 · Amendment 0001 (this version)Due Nov 16, 2026
- Oct 1, 2026 · Combined Synopsis/SolicitationDue Nov 16, 2026
- Attachments
Past awards and competition
Who has won work like this before, the likely incumbent, and what similar contracts paid, from USAspending.gov.
Before you respond
- How to respond to a solicitation (8 steps)
- How to read a government solicitation
- How to price a government contract
Terms on this notice: Solicitation
Full notice text from SAM.gov
The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) Research and Development (R&D) Core Research Program announces this competitive solicitation for proposals focused strictly on Technology Transfer (T2) and Commercialization Advancement. The core objective of this Research Announcement is to accelerate the transition of high-impact pipeline safety innovations from advanced laboratory and operational prototypes to full-scale commercial deployment and operational field implementation across the Nation's energy transportation infrastructure. This solicitation specifically targets mature technologies at high Technology Readiness Levels (TRL 7–9) to bridge the critical 'implementation gap' by resolving final technical, regulatory, operational, credentialing, and market hurdles. Funding will only be awarded for projects that demonstrate a clear, definitive path to producing deployable technology, commercial products, or integrated service system ready for immediate market availability and pipeline operator adoption upon project completion.