How to bid on pipeline safety R&D for PHMSA

What PHMSA is seeking

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration is inviting proposals for pipeline safety research projects funded through Other Transaction Agreements. PHMSA will assess each proposal’s merits and relevance to the announcement’s research focus areas.

This may suit firms and research organizations with relevant pipeline safety research capabilities. PHMSA may reject proposals that duplicate work already planned, completed, or validated under recent initiatives, and it may fund all, some, or none of the proposals.

Dates and deadline

Questions were due by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on October 9, 2026. Timely questions and responses are to be posted publicly on SAM.gov within two to three business days after the question deadline.

The complete proposal package must be uploaded through MIS by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on November 2, 2026. Late or incomplete submissions will not be considered.

Who this opportunity suits

This professional-services opportunity is for organizations able to propose and carry out research relevant to PHMSA’s pipeline safety R&D focus areas. Review the announcement’s topic areas and make clear how the proposed work fits them.

Offerors must be registered in SAM. PHMSA evaluates proposals using only the materials submitted, so include the information needed to explain the project and its relevance.

How to access and submit a proposal

Use “View original source” on the opportunity page to open the bid. If the first click takes you to the portal homepage, click it again to go to the opportunity. A free account may be needed to view documents.

Before submitting, register in SAM and complete the online registration to access PHMSA’s Pipeline Safety R&D Management Information System. If you have registered before, your credentials remain valid. To avoid duplicate accounts or resolve registration questions, email [email protected] before starting your submission.

Submit only through MIS. The full proposal package must include Appendices A and B and the proposal attachments. Submit the proposal and attachments as PDFs, except Attachment #3, “Technical and Deliverable Milestone Schedule,” which must be an editable Excel document.

Prepare a complete, focused response

Use the announcement and its posted question responses to check the requested content and submission instructions. Confirm that every required appendix and attachment is included and saved in the specified file format before uploading.

Explain the research plan and its connection to the relevant focus area, and check that the proposed work does not duplicate recent initiatives. Allow time to review the uploaded package before the deadline; PHMSA will not reimburse proposal development costs.