BOEM Announces Sand Resource Data Acquisition Contract (USA)

As part of President Obama’s continuing commitment to help coastal communities recover from Hurricane Sandy, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has announced a $5 million procurement opportunity to collect data offshore from Maine to Miami, Florida, to identify sand resources for potential use in future coastal restoration projects.

The contract will be handled under a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA).

The objective of the BAA is to acquire geophysical and geological data to support identification, characterization, and delineation of Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) sand resources for use by coastal states in future coastal restoration, beach nourishment, and/or wetland restoration efforts.

“Identifying potential sand resources is an important step toward creating more resilient coastal communities and restoring and protecting coastal habitat,” said BOEM Director Tommy P. Beaudreau.

The selected contractor will coordinate with Atlantic coastal states to determine areas for offshore investigation that contain potential sand resources, and perform geophysical surveys and geological sampling.

This work will help identify areas of potential sand and gravel resources that are compatible with and in proximity to coastal areas where those resources are likely to be needed.

BOEM will distribute the data widely among coastal stakeholders.

This data acquisition effort is funded using part of the $13.6 million allocated to BOEM through the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013.

BOEM’s Marine Minerals Program is responsible for managing non-energy minerals for use in coastal resiliency and storm damage reduction projects, including beach nourishment and coastal restoration.

Sand is required for these restoration activities to assist in recovery from acute events such as Hurricane Sandy, as well as recurring erosion from currents, wave activity, tides, and human intervention affecting natural sediment transport along beaches, coastal communities, and state and Federal lands.

Over the past 20 years, BOEM has invested more than $30 million to identify non-energy resources on the OCS, conduct world-class scientific research, and lease OCS resources to coastal communities in need.

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Press Release, March 24, 2014