DRAFT Solicitation for SSA- 3DHP BAA DOIGFBXXXX and G23XXXX1 (1)

The National Map: Topographic Data Grants

DRAFT Solicitation for SSA- 3DHP BAA DOIGFBXXXX and G23XXXX1 (1)

OMB: 1028-0092

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U.S. Geological Survey
Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for 3D
Elevation Program (3DEP) and for 3D
Hydrography Program (3DHP)
DOIGFBO210044
Grants.gov Funding Opportunity Number: G22AS00013

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
I.

OVERVIEW INFORMATION

II.

3D ELEVATION PROGRAM (3DEP) OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION 7
A.

Introduction

Background

Opportunity Considerations and Clarifications

1. Contract Mechanism

2. Acquisition in Alaska

3. Publication of 3DEP Data for Federally Recognized Tribal Lands
D.

3DEP Lidar Base Specifications, Project Deliverables and Upgrade Options 11
1. Lidar Base Specifications

2. Quality Level Upgrades

3. Product and Service Upgrades

4. Exceptions for Non-Conventional Technologies

5. Project Boundaries, Coordinate Reference System, and Tiling Scheme

Objective

III.
3D HYDROGRAPHY PROGRAM (3DHP) OPPORTUNITY
DESCRIPTION

Introduction

Background

Objective

Opportunity Considerations and Clarifications

1. Contract Mechanism

1. Acquisition in Alaska

3DHP Specifications, READ Rules, and Project Deliverables

1. Elevation-Derived Hydrography Specifications and Representation,
Extraction, Attribution, and Delineation Rules

2. Additional Products

3. Project Boundary

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Project Coordinate Reference System

IV.

AWARD INFORMATION

ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

Eligible Applicants

B. Cost Share, Minimum Non-Federal Match for Cooperative Agreements,
Project Scope

1. USGS Appropriations Law: Cost Share Restrictions for Mapping Projects
Carried on in Cooperation with States and Municipalities
18
2. Cooperative Agreements: State and Local Contributions

Post-Employment Conflicts of Interest

APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

Application Submission

1. Geospatial Products and Services (GPSC) Proposals

2. Financial Assistance Proposals

Format and Content of Proposals

Submission Dates and Times

Late Submission and Withdrawal of a Proposal

PROPOSAL REVIEW INFORMATION

3DEP Criteria

1. Project Location

2. Areal Extent

3. Geographic Overlap with Federal Areas of Interest as Represented on
Attachment 3DEP- F, 3DEP-G, or 3DEP-H

4. Project Cost and Cost Share (funds contributed by applicant)

5. Maturity of Applicant’s Proposal and Maturity of Designated Funding
Sources

6. Technical Approach

7. Past Performance

3DHP Criteria

1. Project Location

2. Areal Extent

3. Geographic Overlap with Federal Areas of Interest as Represented on
Attachment 3DHP-F, 3DHP-G, or 3DHP-H

C.
VI.
A.

VII.
A.

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4. Project Cost and Cost Share (funds contributed by applicant)

5. Maturity of Applicant’s Proposal and Maturity of Designated Funding
Sources

6. Technical Approach

7. Past Performance

Review and Selection Process

Evaluation Factors

VIII.

AGENCY CONTACTS

IX.

GENERAL INFORMATION

A. Marking of Proposals and Disclosure of Proprietary Information Outside the
Government
31

Disclosure of National BAA Statistics

Government Obligation

Prohibition on Contractor Involvement with Terrorist Activities

Award Notices

System for Award Management

ATTACHMENTS

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OVERVIEW INFORMATION
Agency Name: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), National Geospatial Program,
12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, MS 590, Reston, VA 20192
Issuing Acquisition Office: USGS Office of Acquisition and Grants (OAG), 12201
Sunrise Valley Drive, MS 205, Reston, VA 20191
Lidar Data Acquisition Opportunity Title: 3D Elevation Program (3DEP)
Hydrography Data Acquisition Opportunity Title: 3D Hydrography Program
(3DHP)
Announcement Type and Date: Initial Announcement – August 16, 2021
CFDA Number: 15.817 National Geospatial Program: Building the National Map
Public Meetings: A public webinar to review submission procedures and discuss
3DEP specifications and product deliverables as identified in the current version of
the USGS Lidar Base Specification was held on Wednesday August 11, 2021.
Materials from the webinar are posted on: https://usgs.gov/3DEP/FY22BAA.
A public webinar to review submission procedures and discuss 3DHP specifications
and product deliverables will be held at a time to be determined if this BAA is
amended to support collection of 3D Hydrography Program Data. Materials from the
webinar will be posted on https://usgs.gov/NHD.
Questions: Submit questions to [email protected]
Response Dates: Proposals for lidar acquisition are due by 5:00 PM ET on Friday,
October 1, 2022. Proposals for 3DHP acquisition are due by 5:00 PM ET Friday
January 6, 2023. The BAA will remain open and proposals received after the initial
due date will be considered for review until June 1, 2023 or until such time as the
BAA is cancelled through an amendment or another BAA is issued; additional
selections will be made depending on availability of funding and evaluation of
proposals consistent with the evaluation criteria provided herein. Amendments to this
BAA, including potential support for collection of National Hydrography Program
updates derived from 3DEP data, may be issued if additional funding or
geographically targeted partnership opportunities become available during the open
period of this BAA.
Paperwork Reduction Act Statement: This information collection is authorized by
Executive Order 12906. Your response is required to obtain or retain a benefit. We
estimate it will take approximately 40 hours to lay the foundation for a lidar
acquisition project and 1 hour to prepare and submit a BAA application for either
3DEP or 3DHP. Applicants awarded cooperative agreements or cost-share contracts

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are required to submit status reports. Monthly progress reports will take
approximately 1 hour to prepare; the final report should take 20 hours to prepare.
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 USC 3501), an agency may not
conduct or sponsor and a person is not required to respond to a collection of
information unless it displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) control number. OMB reviewed and approved this information collection
through December 2023 and assigned OMB Control Number 1028-0092. You may
submit comments on any aspect of this information collection, including the accuracy
of the estimated burden hours and suggestions to reduce this burden. Send your
comments to: Information Collections Clearance Officer, US Geological Survey,
12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, VA 20192.
Summary of Program Changes:
Primary changes implemented between the 2022 and the 2023 3DEP Broad Agency
Announcement include:
II. 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) Opportunity Description
C.3. Opportunity Considerations and Clarifications, Publication of 3DEP Data
over Federally Recognized Tribal Lands:
Updated text to reflect the current DOI policy on publication of 3DEP data over
Federally recognized tribal lands
III. Added 3D Hydrography Program (3DHP) Opportunity Description
VI. Updated Application and Submission Information to include 3DHP
VII. Updated Proposal Review information to include 3DHP
IX. Attachments
Updated:
3DEP-A: 3DEP BAA Proposal Submission Tool
3DEP-B: Instructions for 3DEP Project Boundary Creation and Delivery Scheme
3DEP-C: Request for Preliminary Independent Government Cost Estimate
(IGCE)
3DEP-D: Applicant Validation of Funding Partners
3DEP-E: 3D Elevation Program: FY22 Status of 3DEP Quality Data
3DEP-F: 3DEP FY23 - FY25 Federal Areas of Interest
3DEP-G: 3DEP FY23 Consolidated High Priority Federal Areas of Interest
3DEP-H: 3DEP Agency Specific Multi-Year 3DEP Priority Areas for Data
Acquisition

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Added:
3DEP-J: Estimated Timeline for 3DEP Data Validation
3DHP-A: 3DHP BAA Proposal Submission Tool
3DHP-B: Instructions for 3DEP Project Boundary Creation and Delivery Scheme
3DHP-C: Request for Preliminary Independent Government Cost Estimate
(IGCE)
3DHP-D: Applicant Validation of Funding Partners
3DHP-E: 3D Hydrography Program: FY22 Status of 3DHP Quality Data
3DHP-F: 3DHP FY23 - FY25 Federal Areas of Interest
3DHP-G: 3DHP FY23 Consolidated High Priority Federal Areas of Interest
3DHP-H: 3DHP Agency Specific Multi-Year 3DEP Priority Areas for Data
Acquisition

II.

3D ELEVATION PROGRAM (3DEP) OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION
A. Introduction
This Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) is issued to facilitate the collection of lidar
and derived elevation data for the 3D Elevation Program (3DEP). The BAA continues
the USGS’s long-standing approach to elevation data acquisition through a
combination of contracting through the USGS Geospatial Products and Services
Contracts (GPSC) and partner-managed acquisitions. The BAA is meant to provide
increased visibility to these existing processes for data acquisition partnerships to the
broadest possible stakeholder community.
Proposals are invited from applicants who wish to propose a partnership with 3DEP
to fund lidar data acquisition and the creation of lidar-derived elevation products.
Applicants may fund an acquisition project through the USGS Geospatial Products
and Services Contract (GPSC) or they may request 3DEP funds to apply towards a
lidar data acquisition project where the requesting partner uses their own contracting
vehicle. Federal agencies, state and local governments, tribes, academic institutions,
and the private sector are eligible to submit proposals. The Government will review
proposals based on the project’s alignment with the evaluation criteria identified in
section VII.A. of this BAA.
A synopsis of previous BAA Awards is available on https://usgs.gov/3DEP/BAA.
3DEP products and services, including data resulting from BAA projects can be
accessed via The National Map Data Download and Visualization Services:
https://apps.nationalmap.gov.
B. Background

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The goal of the 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) is to complete acquisition of
nationwide lidar (IfSAR in AK) to provide the first-ever national baseline of
consistent high-resolution topographic elevation data – both bare earth and 3D point
clouds.
The U.S. Geological Survey is designated by the Office of Management and Budget
(in 2002 through OMB Circular A–16) as the lead Federal agency for terrestrial
elevation data. The 3DEP is designed to fulfill that leadership responsibility and to
ensure that the needs of the Nation for high-quality 3D elevation data are being met.
3DEP takes a collaborative approach to acquiring data for the nation because this role
cannot be filled by the USGS alone. 3DEP includes many partners: Federal agencies
and State, Tribal, and local governments, who will work together to build on existing
programs to complete the national collection of 3D elevation data. Private sector
firms, under contract to the Government, are collecting the data and providing
essential technology solutions to manage and deliver these data and services. The
implementation model for 3DEP is based on multi-agency partnership funding for
acquisition, with the USGS acting in a lead program management role to facilitate
planning and acquisition for the broader community through the use of government
contracts and partnership agreements. 3DEP presents a unique opportunity to increase
collaboration among all levels of government, to leverage the services and expertise
of private sector mapping firms that acquire the data, and to create jobs now and in
the future.
3DEP is based on the results of the National Enhanced Elevation Assessment (NEEA)
which indicated an optimal benefit to cost ratio for Quality Level 2 (QL2) data
collected over 8-years to complete national coverage. 3DEP aspires to systematically
collect elevation data in the form of high-quality light detection and ranging (lidar)
data for the conterminous United States, Hawaii, and the U.S. territories, as well as
interferometric synthetic aperture radar (IfSAR) data for Alaska.
This Broad Agency Announcement is structured to result in awards that will support
one or more of the Department of Interior’s Secretarial Priorities. Applicants should
refer to Attachment I for the full list of the current Department of the Interior
Secretarial Priorities.
C. Opportunity Considerations and Clarifications
1. Contract Mechanism
Applicants may propose to use the existing USGS Geospatial Products and Services
Contracts (GPSC) to acquire data or applicants may propose to use a contracting
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vehicle for data acquisition that they manage and directly oversee. The USGS is
responsible for the final validation of all data supported by this opportunity regardless
of contract mechanism. Applicants who choose to manage and directly oversee their
data acquisition through a cooperative agreement, cost-share contract or purchase
order should reference USGS validation including corrections and resubmission of
the corrected data to the USGS in their acquisition contract.
a) Geospatial Products and Services Contracts (GPSC)
The USGS National Geospatial Program’s (NGP) preferred method of data
acquisition is through the GPSC, a multiple award acquisition vehicle that is designed
to utilize the teams of firms on the contract for services needed to accomplish 3DEP
data acquisition. The contracts include acquisition, processing, and quality assurance
of lidar and other source geographic data. These contracts are already in place and
have been awarded through a competitive process, consistent with the Competition in
Contracting Act and the Brooks Act. Firms on the GPSC have been selected based on
their qualifications and performance in providing the professional services needed for
3DEP. The GPSC is an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract that
provides for an indefinite quantity of services for a fixed time, above a specified
minimum. IDIQs help streamline the contract process and speed service delivery. To
ensure data quality and efficient development of standard products and services, the
USGS prefers that partners use the GPSC when possible and practical and expects to
allocate approximately 75% or more of the available funding to projects proposing to
use the GPSC.
The GPSC is also offered as a service for acquiring elevation data for external
organizations who are not seeking additional funding. Information on this service can
be found at https://usgs.gov/3DEP/GPSC.
b) Financial Assistance: Cooperative Agreement (Government) or Cost
Share Contract (Non-Government)
Applicants may request financial assistance to support a contracting vehicle for data
acquisition that the applicant manages and directly oversees. This assistance is
provided through a cooperative agreement or a cost-share contract, which is neither a
contract nor a grant. As a cooperative agreement, there will be substantial
involvement on the part of the USGS with the recipient’s organization to promote the
objectives of the program, monitor progress, and agree on milestones and
accomplishments for work performed as part of the agreement. The USGS expects to
allocate approximately 25% or less of the available funding to projects requesting
assistance awards.
2. Acquisition in Alaska
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Statewide IfSAR 3DEP coverage for Alaska was completed in Fiscal Year 2020.
However, proposals for lidar in Alaska will be considered for targeted acquisition
areas to include:
•
•
•

•

•
•

critical geographies identified by multiple agencies in the
original NEEA study
areas that overlap with Federal priorities as noted in Attachments 3DEP-F,
G or H.
Alaska coastlines extending to the 50-foot elevation line. Additional
extents may be considered in developed areas or areas of populated native
communities to support geo-hazard and flood related assessment and
mitigation.
flat geographies of the Yukon delta including all U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service (USFWS) refuge lands therein, and in north central Alaska
surrounding Barrow
the area of the Yukon River basin identified for native Alaskan village
flood risk
larger municipalities with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
regulated airport facilities and FAA's identified Alaska Peninsula flight
approach area. Primary transportation corridors to include existing and
proposed railways, highways, ports, and major river corridors.

3. Publication of 3DEP Data for Federally Recognized Tribal Lands
The DOI Policy on Consultation with Indian Tribes and the DOI Policy on
Consultation with Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) Corporations
requires that DOI Agencies provide federally-recognized Indian Tribes or ANCSA
Corporations the opportunity to consult with the Agency before taking any action
affecting tribal or ANCSA Corporation interests. USGS has determined that the
acquisition and publication of airborne lidar for tribal lands requires tribal
notification. All BAA award recipients, regardless of contract mechanism used
(GPSC or Financial Assistance) are subject to this policy.
USGS will initiate and manage the tribal notification and consultation process on
behalf of all BAA award recipients shortly after award. USGS will identify any
tribal/ANCSA lands within the project boundary and send a notification letter to those
tribes. The BAA award recipients will receive a copy of the tribal notification letter.
If the tribe objects to public release of the products resulting from the lidar acquisition
for their lands, the data may not be published. All other project area data outside of
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the tribal land boundaries will be published. All non-federal entities must receive
written permission from the Tribe to receive a copy of the restricted data regardless of
their status as a funding partner. Entities who receive a copy may not further
distribute the restricted tribal data.
Additional language for projects on surveyor access to tribal lands:
USGS requests that the data acquisition contract contain language regarding access to
tribal lands by survey teams. The contract should state that the lidar vendor should
avoid sending survey teams onto tribal lands if possible. If the teams need to collect
data on tribal lands, the collection should be limited to federal, state, county, or
Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) road right of ways. If a project requires additional
points outside of these areas, the survey team will contact the tribe to determine their
procedures for access to tribal lands.
D. 3DEP Lidar Base Specifications, Project Deliverables and Upgrade Options
1.

Lidar Base Specifications

The deliverables for any given project must conform to the USGS product
specification for lidar and derived products in effect at the time of GPSC task order or
financial assistance award. Information on the current version of the USGS Lidar
Base Specification can be found at http://www.usgs.gov/3dep/lidarspec.
In addition to the requirements outlined in the USGS Lidar Base Specification, lidar
data and derived products must meet the current definition of Quality Level 2 (QL2)
as follows:
“Classified lidar point cloud data, with a minimum point density of 2 points per
square meter, a nominal lidar pulse spacing of no greater than 0.7 meter, and a
relative vertical accuracy of no greater than 10-cm root mean squared error
(RMSEz)”
Quality
Level

Source

QL0
QL1
QL2
QL3
QL4
QL5

Lidar
Lidar
Lidar
Lidar
Imagery
IfSAR

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Vertical
Accuracy
RMSEz
5 cm
10 cm
10 cm
20 cm
139 cm
185 cm

Nominal Pulse
Spacing (NPS)

Nominal Pulse DEM Post
Density (NPD) Spacing

0.35 m
0.35 m
0.7 m
1.4 m
N/A
N/A

8 points/m2
8 points/m2
2 points/m2
0.5 points/m2
N/A
N/A

FY23 BAA Solicitation

0.5 m
0.5 m
1m
2m
5m
5m

Page 11

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2. Quality Level Upgrades
The USGS anticipates awarding lidar projects for QL2 data. However, applicants can
propose projects for the acquisition of higher quality (QL1 or better) data. The USGS
will only contribute funds for the cost of QL2 data and any costs associated with the
upgrade to higher quality data will be borne solely by the applicant.

Product and Service Upgrades

For those applicants proposing to use the Geospatial Products and Services Contracts
(GPSC), additional products are available. Requests for additional products and
services should be documented in Attachments 3DEP-A and 3DEP-C to assure
inclusion in the Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE) and recognition of
the full project costs. The cost of the additional products and services will be
incorporated into partner funding agreement(s). The cost of additional products and
services are the sole responsibility of the applicant. 3DEP will not contribute funding
toward additional products and services. For applicants proposing to manage their
own contract for data acquisition, the cost of these products should not be included in
the 3DEP funding request.

4. Exceptions for Non-Conventional Technologies
Data collected using Geiger Mode and Single Photon lidar systems do not currently
meet the USGS Lidar Base Specification, which it was written to specifically address
conventional lidar systems. Submissions for the use of these technologies will be
considered and reviewed against the stated criteria as noted in section VI. A, with
noted exceptions to the lidar base specifications. All exceptions to the lidar base
specifications and other data anomalies resulting from the use of non-conventional
lidar systems will be discussed, documented, and agreed upon prior to final award.
Agreed upon exceptions to the Lidar Base Specification will be noted in the award
documentation.

5. Project Boundaries, Coordinate Reference System, and Tiling Scheme
A Defined Project Area (DPA) must be developed for all 3DEP BAA projects. The
DPA is defined as the Area of Interest (AOI) plus a 100-meter buffer around the AOI.
The full extent of the DPA must contain data produced to meet 3DEP specifications
and Task Order requirements. 3DEP BAA project deliverables will be delivered in
the coordinate reference system(s) (CRS) and tiling scheme of the applicant’s

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choosing. The CRS(s) must be registered with EPSG as outlined in the current Lidar
Base Specification.
Additional information and instructions for expanding a project boundary to create a
DPA are included in Attachment 3DEP-B: Instructions for 3DEP Project Boundary
Creation and Delivery Scheme.
A properly formatted vector GIS file that has been expanded to the DPA as described
in Attachment 3DEP-B must be used for project cost estimates and submitted as a
part of the proposal submission package.
E. Objective
This effort will result in high-resolution, public domain, lidar data and derived
elevation products, obtained through collaboration between the US government, tribal
organizations, state and regional agencies, academic institutions, and the private
sector.
III.

3D HYDROGRAPHY PROGRAM (3DHP) OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION
A. Introduction
Section III of this Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) is issued to facilitate the
collection of hydrography data for the 3D Hydrography Program (3DHP). The BAA
for hydrography data acquisition parallels USGS’s long-standing approach to
elevation data acquisition through a combination of contracting through the USGS
Geospatial Products and Services Contracts (GPSC) and partner-managed
acquisitions through partnerships with the broadest possible stakeholder community.
Proposals are invited from applicants who wish to propose a partnership with 3DHP
to fund derivation of hydrography data from 3DEP data for input to the 3DHP.
Applicants may fund an acquisition project through the USGS Geospatial Products
and Services Contract (GPSC), or they may request 3DHP funds to apply towards a
hydrography data acquisition project where the requesting partner uses their own
contracting vehicle. Federal agencies, state and local governments, tribes, academic
institutions, and the private sector are eligible to submit proposals. The Government
will review proposals based on the project’s alignment with the evaluation criteria
identified in section VII.B of this BAA.
This is the initial offering of a BAA for 3DHP. A synopsis of accepted projects will
be made available on https://usgs.gov/NHD. 3DHP products and services, including
data resulting from BAA projects will be accessed via The National Map Data
Download and Visualization Services: https://apps.nationalmap.gov.

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B. Background
Building on the decades of experience developing and managing the National
Hydrography Datasets, the USGS is establishing the 3D Hydrography Program
(3DHP) initiative to completely refresh the Nation’s hydrography data. The 3DHP
will significantly improve the level of detail, currency, and inclusion of hydrography
data by deriving a 3D stream network and hydrologic units from accurate, highquality 3D Elevation Program (3DEP) data, as well as hydrologically enhanced
digital elevation and other surfaces to support applications like hydrologic and
hydraulic modeling.
The implementation model for 3DHP is based on multi-agency partnership funding
for acquisition which brings together Federal agencies and State, Tribal, and local
governments to work together to update the national collection of 3D hydrography
data. The U.S. Geological Survey is designated as the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) Circular A–16 lead Federal agency for hydrography. In this capacity,
the USGS manages and facilitates project planning and data acquisition for the
broader community through government contracts and partnership agreements.
Private sector firms, under contract to the Government, collect the data and provide
essential technology solutions to manage and deliver data and services. This
implementation model presents an opportunity to increase collaboration among all
levels of government, to leverage the services and expertise of private sector mapping
firms that acquire the data, and to create jobs now and in the future.

C. Objective
This effort will result in high-resolution, public domain, 3D hydrography data derived
from and aligned spatially to 3DEP elevation data, obtained through collaboration
between the US government, tribal organizations, state and regional agencies,
academic institutions, and the private sector.

D. Opportunity Considerations and Clarifications
1. Contract Mechanism
Applicants may propose to use the USGS Geospatial Products and Services Contracts
(GPSC) to acquire data or applicants may propose to use a contracting vehicle for
data acquisition that they manage and directly oversee. The USGS is responsible for
the final inspection/validation of all data supported by this opportunity regardless of
contract mechanism. Applicants who choose to manage and directly oversee their
data acquisition through a cooperative agreement or cost-share contract should

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include time and effort for USGS inspection/validation, including corrections and
resubmission of the corrected data to the USGS, in their acquisition contract.
c) Geospatial Products and Services Contracts (GPSC)
The USGS National Geospatial Program’s (NGP) preferred method of data
acquisition is through the GPSC, a multiple award acquisition vehicle that is designed
to utilize the teams of firms on the contract for services needed to accomplish data
acquisition. Detailed information about GPSC is available in section II.C.1.a of this
program announcement.
To ensure data quality and efficient development of standard products and services,
the USGS prefers that partners use the GPSC when possible and practical and expects
to allocate approximately 75% or more of the available funding to 3DHP projects
proposing to use the GPSC.
d) Financial Assistance: Cooperative Agreement (Government) or Cost Share
Contract (Non-Government)
Applicants may request financial assistance to support a contracting vehicle for data
acquisition that the applicant manages and directly oversees. This assistance is
provided through a cooperative agreement or a cost-share contract, which is neither a
contract nor a grant. As a cooperative agreement, there will be substantial
involvement on the part of the USGS with the recipient’s organization to promote the
objectives of the program, monitor progress, and agree on milestones and
accomplishments for work performed as part of the agreement. The USGS expects to
allocate approximately 25% or less of the available funding to projects requesting
assistance awards.
1. Acquisition in Alaska
USGS is supporting a statewide update of terrestrial hydrography data for Alaska
through existing collaborative Federal and State partnerships. Hydrographic features
and watershed boundaries are being derived from the Alaska IfSAR 3DEP elevation
data that was completed in fiscal year 2020. Because of this ongoing work, no
applications from Alaska will be accepted during this BAA opportunity.

E. 3DHP Specifications, READ Rules, and Project Deliverables
1. Elevation-Derived Hydrography Specifications and Representation,
Extraction, Attribution, and Delineation Rules
The deliverables for any given project must conform to the USGS Elevation-Derived
Hydrography (EDH) specification and Representation, Extraction, Attribution, and
Delineation (READ) Rules in effect at the time of GPSC task order or financial
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assistance award. Information on the current version of the USGS EDH
Specifications and READ Rules can be found www.usgs.gov/3DHP/HydroSpecs.
2. Additional Products
Additional products may be available for applicants proposing to use the Geospatial
Products and Services Contracts (GPSC). Requests for additional products and should
be documented in Attachments 3DHP-A and 3DHP-C to assure inclusion in the
Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE) and recognition of the full project
costs. The cost of additional products and services are the sole responsibility of the
applicant and will be incorporated into partner funding agreement(s). 3DHP will not
contribute funding toward additional products and will not validate or inspect
additional products for completion or accuracy. For applicants proposing to manage
their own contract for data acquisition, the cost of these products should not be
included in the 3DHP funding request.
3. Project Boundary
A Defined Project Area (DPA) must be developed from hydrologic units (HU)
contained in the Watershed Boundary Dataset (WBD) for all 3DHP BAA projects.
DPA representing political subdivisions such as state or county boundaries will not be
accepted. The DPA must be extracted from WBD data downloaded from
http://usgs.gov/NHD/DataAccess no more than one month prior to application
submission to ensure the boundary is derived from a current version of WBD. DPA
comprised of full 8-digit HU are preferred but combinations of 8- and 10-digit HU
will be considered where full 8-digit HU cross political boundaries such as state or
county lines or where partners demonstrate that 10-digit HU meet their needs.
A properly formatted vector GIS file representing the DPA must be used for project
cost estimates and submitted as a part of the proposal submission package.
The full extent of the DPA must contain data produced to meet Task Order
requirements and adhere to 3DHP specifications and READ Rules as described in
section 3.E.1 of this document.
4. Project Coordinate Reference System
3DHP BAA project products shall be produced in the NAD83(2011)/CONUS Albers
(EPSG 6350) coordinate reference system (CRS) to maintain national consistency.
Vector data products will not be delivered to project partners but will be conflated to
the national 3DHP dataset for access.

IV.

AWARD INFORMATION

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Awards made under this BAA are subject to the availability of funds and may be in
the form of a contract for data acquisition through the USGS Geospatial Products and
Services (GPSC) or a financial assistance award (cooperative agreement, cost-share
contract) or a purchase order. Multiple awards are anticipated.

ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION
A. Eligible Applicants
Single entities or teams from Federal agencies, state and local governments, tribes,
academic institutions, and the private sector are eligible to submit proposals.
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), Minority Institutions (MI),
Small Business concerns, Small Disadvantaged Business concerns, Women-Owned
Small Business concerns, Veteran-Owned Small Business concerns, Service-Disabled
Veteran-Owned Small Business concerns, and HUB Zone Small Business concerns
are encouraged to submit proposals and to join other entities as team members in
submitting proposals.

B. Cost Share, Minimum Non-Federal Match for Cooperative Agreements, Project
Scope
Applications for simultaneous or consecutive acquisition of 3DEP and 3DHP will not
be accepted.
The 3DEP and 3DHP implementation models are based on multi-agency partnership
funding for acquisition. Applicants must commit to funding a portion of the project
(cost share) to be considered for a BAA award. Project cost share is an evaluation
factor against which proposals are rated (section VII.A.4 (3DEP) and section VII.B.4
(3DHP)). The greater the applicant’s cost share, the higher the score for this factor.
The average 3DEP BAA Award covers 30% (range 2% to 50%) of the total project
cost. In FY22, 3DEP project awards ranged from $120,000 to $2.7M with an average
award of $850,000. No average 3DHP BAA awards information is available for this
initial offering of a BAA for 3DHP. BAA awards must comply with the following
federal guidelines:
1. USGS Appropriations Law: Cost Share Restrictions for Mapping Projects
Carried on in Cooperation with States and Municipalities
Appropriations law dictates that the USGS may not pay more than one-half the cost
of topographic mapping (which includes lidar and derived elevation products,
including hydrography mapping) carried on in cooperation with States and
municipalities (43 USC 50). The 3DEP program will review the entire proposed

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funding package (both applicant partners and BAA funding partners) to assure that
the USGS contribution does not exceed 50%. Note that this law limits the USGS
contribution to the project but does not limit the total contribution by the federal
government. Multiple federal agencies may contribute to a project and collectively
these federal agencies may contribute greater than 50%. Contracting procedures
require that this law be cited in the BAA announcement. This should not be
construed as an offer from the USGS to fund 50% of a proposed project. The greater
the applicant’s cost share, the greater the score for this factor in the evaluation and the
greater the likelihood that the proposal will be selected.

2. Cooperative Agreements: State and Local Contributions
For State or local applicants proposing a Financial Assistance award through
Cooperative Agreements: Pursuant to 2 CFR § 200.306, State and local applicants
requesting an award in the form of a cooperative agreement must contribute a
minimum of 25% State and/or local funds to the collective applicant cost share. State
and local applicants are encouraged to develop funding consortiums that include
Federal partners however Federal agency contributions may not represent more than
75% of the applicant’s cost share. For example, if a State and/or local applicant is
proposing a total applicant cost share of $100,000, a minimum of $25,000 of those
funds must come from non-Federal sources. For all applicants, Federal and nonFederal contributions to the cost-share are specified in Attachment 3DEP-A: 3DEP
BAA Proposal Submission Tool. For applicants requesting cooperative agreements,
Federal and non-Federal cost share must also be specified in the grants.gov
application package.

C. Post-Employment Conflicts of Interest
There are certain post-employment restrictions on former Federal officers and
employees, including special government employees (Section 207 of Title 18,
U.S.C.). If a prospective applicant believes a conflict of interest may exist, the
situation should be emailed to the Contracting Officer, prior to expending time and
effort to prepare a proposal.

VI.

APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION
A. Application Submission
Procedures for submitting a BAA proposal vary based on the contract mechanism the
applicant proposes to use. Instructions for submitting an application to acquire data

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through the Geospatial Products and Services contract are provided in section V.A.1.
Instructions for applicants requesting financial assistance for data acquisition
managed by the applicant are provided in section V.A.2.
1. Geospatial Products and Services (GPSC) Proposals
All project proposals must include a vector GIS file defining the location and
coverage area of the project represented by a polygon in shapefile, geopackage, or
KML/KMZ format. GIS files must be formatted as described in sections II.D.5 and
III.E.3 and Attachment 3DEP-B: Instructions for 3DEP Project Boundary Creation
and Delivery Scheme or Attachment 3DHP-B: Instructions for 3DHP Project
Boundary Creation
Applicants may suggest a GPSC contractor for the project by identifying a “suggested
source” in the space provided in Attachment 3DEP-A or Attachment 3DHP-A. If a
suggested source is identified, the applicant must also provide a rationale for the
suggestion in the space provided. Greater consideration will be given to suggested
GPSC contractors that provide substantial direct input into the development of the
proposal. USGS is not obligated to award the project to the suggested source.
e) Required GPSC application materials for 3DEP
Acquisition proposals for 3DEP projects to be contracted through the USGS GPSC
must be submitted directly to the Contracting Officer Vickie Floyd by emailing
required documents and forms to [email protected]. The email subject line should
contain the following: State, Last name of primary applicant, BAA Number
DOIGFBO210044 – 3DEP proposal (e.g. VASmithDOIGFBO210044 – 3DEP
proposal). It is very important that the proposal email indicates which part of this
BAA is being applied for (i.e. 3DEP or 3DHP)
Required documents, forms, and files to submit:
• Attachment 3DEP-A: 3DEP BAA Proposal Submission Tool
• Attachment 3DEP-C: Request for Preliminary Independent Government Cost
Estimate (IGCE) as appropriate
• Attachment(s) 3DEP-D: Applicant Validation of Funding Partners for each
funding partner
• A vector GIS file defining the location and coverage area of the project formatted
as described in Attachment 3DEP-B: Instructions for 3DEP Project Boundary
Creation and Delivery Scheme
These are the only documents required for projects proposing to use the GPSC for
acquisition. All required 3DEP forms are available for download at:
https://usgs.gov/3DEP/FY22BAA.

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f) Required GPSC application materials for 3DHP
Acquisition proposals for 3DHP projects to be contracted through the USGS GPSC
must be submitted directly to the Contracting Officer Vickie Floyd by emailing
required documents and forms to [email protected]. The email subject line should
contain the following: State, Last name of primary applicant, BAA Number
DOIGFBO210044 – 3DHP proposal (e.g. VASmithDOIGFBO210044 – 3DHP
proposal). It is very important that the proposal email indicates for which BAA
opportunity the application is submitted (i.e., 3DEP or 3DHP).
Required documents, forms, and files to submit:
• Attachment 3DHP-A: 3DHP BAA Proposal Submission Tool
• Attachment 3DHP -C: 3DHP Request for Preliminary Independent Government
Cost Estimate (IGCE) as appropriate
• Attachment(s) 3DHP -D: Applicant Validation of Funding Partners for each
funding partner
• A vector GIS file defining the location and coverage area of the project formatted
as described in Attachment 3DHP -B: Instructions for 3DHP Project Boundary
Creation and Delivery Scheme
These are the only documents required for projects proposing to use the GPSC for
acquisition. All required forms are available for download at: https://usgs.gov/NHD.

2. Financial Assistance Proposals
Acquisition proposals for projects requesting Financial Assistance awards (projects
acquired through the applicant’s contract) must be submitted electronically through
the grants.gov portal at http://www.grants.gov. A grant application package is
available for download through the portal under CFDA number 15.817 National
Geospatial Program: Building the National Map/Funding Opportunity Number
G22AS00013
Project proposals must include a vector GIS file defining the location and coverage
area of the project represented by a polygon in shapefile, geopackage, or KML/KMZ
format. GIS files must be formatted as described in Attachment 3DEP-B: Instructions
for 3DEP Project Boundary Creation and Delivery Scheme or Attachment 3DHP-B:
Instructions for 3DHP Project Boundary Creation.
In addition to the application package available through grants.gov, a detailed budget
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breakdown may be required. The information provided in this document expands on
the information provided in the SF-424A and may be required if the proposal is
awarded. A grant specialist will contact the applicant to obtain detailed information if
the proposal is accepted for award.
NOTE: Prospective grantees (for cooperative agreements) must complete several
steps to enable submission through grants.gov. Starting early is extremely important
as it may take several weeks to complete the processes necessary to apply through the
portal.
a) Required Financial Assistance documents, forms, and files to submit for 3DEP
Required documents, forms, and files to submit:
• Proposal Narrative
o Attachment 3DEP-A: 3DEP BAA Proposal Submission Tool
o Attachment(s) 3DEP-D: Applicant Validation of Funding Partners for
each funding partner
• Standard Form 424 Application for Federal Assistance
• Standard Form 424A Budget Information Non-Construction Programs
• Standard Form 424B Assurances Non-Construction Programs
• Detailed budget breakdown – Optional (may be required)
• A vector GIS file defining the location and coverage area of the project formatted
as described in Attachment 3DEP-B: Instructions for 3DEP Project Boundary
Creation and Delivery Scheme

Attachment 3DEP-A: 3DEP BAA Proposal Submission Tool and Attachment 3DEPD: Applicant Validation of Funding Partner(s) for proposal submission are also
available for download at: https://usgs.gov/3DEP/FY22BAA.
Attachments 3DEP-A and 3DEP-D constitute the narrative portion of the application
and must be included as part of the application package. Financial Assistance
proposals are required to provide details about the technical approach for acquiring
and performing quality assurance of the lidar data and in the space provided in
Attachment 3DEP-A.
b) Required Financial Assistance documents, forms, and files to submit for 3DHP
Required documents, forms, and files to submit:
• Proposal Narrative
o Attachment 3DHP-A: 3DHP BAA Proposal Submission Tool

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•
•
•
•
•

o Attachment(s) 3DHP-D: Applicant Validation of Funding Partners for
each funding partner
Standard Form 424 Application for Federal Assistance
Standard Form 424A Budget Information Non-Construction Programs
Standard Form 424B Assurances Non-Construction Programs
Detailed budget breakdown – Optional (may be required)
A vector GIS file defining the location and coverage area of the project formatted
as described in Attachment 3DHP-B: Instructions for 3DEP Project Boundary
Creation

Attachment 3DHP-A: 3DHP BAA Proposal Submission Tool and Attachment 3DHPD: Applicant Validation of Funding Partner(s) for proposal submission are also
available for download at: https://usgs.gov/NHD
Attachments 3DHP-A and 3DHP-D constitute the narrative portion of the application
and must be included as part of the application package. Financial Assistance
proposals are required to provide details about the technical approach for acquiring
and performing quality assurance of the lidar data and in the space provided in
Attachment 3DHP-A.

B. Format and Content of Proposals
Applicants must complete and submit required documents listed for each submission
type above.
The applicant is asked to provide detailed information including:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Contact Information
Project Summary
Project Synopsis (suitable for publication in list of BAA awards)
A vector GIS file (polygon in shapefile, geopackage, or KML/KMZ format)
defining the location and coverage area of the project*
Project Timeline
Data Specifications and Data Deliverables
Technical Approach (where applicable)
Suggested Source (where applicable)
Project Cost and Finances
Funding Partners

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•

Past Performance

* NOTE: The submission tool is designed to be used for a single geographic area.
Applicants must submit a separate proposal for each distinct project area to be
considered. Each submission will be evaluated against the criteria identified in section
VII.A for 3DEP and section VII.B for 3DHP.
Applicants can not apply for simultaneous collection of 3DEP and 3DHP data at this
time.
C. Submission Dates and Times
Proposals for lidar acquisition are due by 5:00 PM ET on Friday October 1, 2022.
Proposals for 3DHP acquisition are due by 5:00 PM ET on Friday January 6, 2023.

D. Late Submission and Withdrawal of a Proposal
Applicants are responsible for submitting electronic proposals through the proper
mechanism described in Sections VI in sufficient time to enable receipt by the
Government office designated in this BAA by the submission deadline. If the
electronic submittals are received after the date and time specified for receipt of
offers, the submittal will be considered “late” and will not be reviewed as part of the
initial awards process. Proposals may be withdrawn by written notice received at any
time. Withdrawals are effective upon receipt of notice by the Contracting Officer.
The BAA will remain open and proposals received after the initial due date will be
considered for review until June 1, 2024 or until such time as the BAA is cancelled
through an amendment or another BAA is issued; additional selections will be made
depending on availability of funding and evaluation of proposals consistent with the
evaluation criteria provided herein.

VII.

PROPOSAL REVIEW INFORMATION
A. 3DEP Criteria
1. Project Location
The “Project Location” selection criterion is designed to support Secretarial Priorities
as identified in Attachment I.
a)
Preference will be given to geographic areas
(1)
With no existing lidar coverage (IfSAR in AK)

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(2)
(3)
(4)

With existing data where the data quality level is QL3 (QL4 or
QL5)
With existing data where the data are more than 8 years old
With existing data where significant changes to the landscape have
occurred and are documented in the proposal

2. Areal Extent
The “Areal Extent” selection criterion recognizes the cost savings associated with
larger projects and is designed to support Secretarial Priorities as identified in
Attachment I.
a)
3DEP prefers projects greater than 1,500 square miles.
b)
Projects smaller than 1,500 square miles may be considered
(1)
To fill in gaps in coverage
(2)
Where project AOI defines a complete geophysical or political unit
(3)
For projects that represent significant cost share by the applicant
(4)
Where the total area of a project is reduced due to overlap with
another BAA proposal
3. Geographic Overlap with Federal Areas of Interest as Represented on
Attachment 3DEP- F, 3DEP-G, or 3DEP-H
Federal Agencies have provided their priorities in accordance with the current goals,
objectives, and priorities of their agencies. DOI agencies have submitted priorities in
alignment with the Department of Interior Secretarial Priorities (Attachment I).
Recognition of “Geographic Overlap” as a selection criterion supports the selection of
awards over geographic areas of interest of recognized value to the current
administration.
a)
3DEP has the goal of nation-wide coverage so welcomes submissions
from across the nation.
b)
General preference is given to projects that overlap identified Federal
areas of interest as noted in Attachment 3DEP-F: 3DEP FY23 – FY25
Federal Areas of Interest
c)
Additional preference is given to projects that overlap areas designated in
Attachment 3DEP-G: 3DEP FY23 Consolidated High Priority Federal
Areas of Interest as Federal Agency areas of Interest Seeking Partnerships
– High Priority
d)
3DEP Federal funding partners may give additional preference to projects
that overlap their individual agency requirements identified in Attachment
3DEP-H.
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4. Project Cost and Cost Share (funds contributed by applicant)
The “Project Cost and Cost Share” selection criterion recognizes the importance of
engaging with, building trust, and identifying mutual areas of interest and common
goals between the Federal, state, and local communities. This criterion will support
the Department of Interior Secretarial Priorities as identified in Attachment I.
a)
The cost of lidar acquisition varies based on geographic extent, terrain,
and vegetative cover. Applicants must include an ESTIMATED cost of
their project by means of:
(1)
An Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE) received from
the USGS Geospatial Products and Services Contracts (GPSC)
Commercial Partnership Team (CPT). Applicants should follow
the instructions and submit Attachment 3DEP-C: Request for
Preliminary Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE) as
soon as possible and no later than by 5:00 PM ET on Friday
September 3, 2021 to receive the estimate in time to meet the
October 1, 2021 submission deadline.
(2)
An estimate received from a lidar acquisition contractor. The
USGS will complete an independent review during the evaluation
period to determine if the proposed cost estimates reflect valid
industry cost for the specific geographic area and reflect a good
value to the government.
(3)
An estimate from another source accompanied by an explanation
of how the cost estimate was derived to enable an evaluation of the
proposed project costs. The USGS will complete an independent
review during the evaluation period to determine if the proposed
cost estimates reflect valid industry cost for the specific geographic
area and reflect a good value to the government.
b)

Preference is given to applicants that offer larger contributions to the total
cost of their project

5. Maturity of Applicant’s Proposal and Maturity of Designated Funding
Sources
The “Maturity” selection criterion recognizes the importance of engaging with,
building trust, and identifying mutual areas of interest and common goals between the
Federal, state, and local communities. This criterion will support the Department of
Interior Secretarial Priorities as identified in Attachment I.
a)
Applicants are required to provide validation of all funding partners listed
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in their proposal via Attachment 3DEP-D: Applicant Validation of
Funding Partner(s). Applicants with “Guaranteed” funding receive a
higher score.

6. Technical Approach
A solid “Technical Approach” which results in acquisition, processing, and delivery
of 3DEP compliant data to all stakeholders including release of the data to the public
domain is the key to the satisfaction of all other goals and objectives.
a)
Projects making use of the GPSC as the acquisition mechanism receive
full score for technical approach
b)
Applicants proposing to manage their own contract will be evaluated on
the applicant’s approach to data acquisition and required project
deliverables. All products must meet the minimum 3DEP standards and
specifications as defined in Section II D.
7. Past Performance
a)

Applicant’s history of financial management of projects of similar
financial scope

For applicants proposing to manage their own contract, past performance
may also apply to the contractor the applicant proposes to use to acquire
the data

B. 3DHP Criteria
1. Project Location
The “Project Location” selection criterion is designed to support Secretarial Priorities
as identified in Attachment I.
a)
Preference will be given to geographic areas
(1)
With published 3DEP data
(2)
Where 3DEP data is being acquired but is not yet published
(3)
Projects will not be considered where no 3DEP data is available or
in progress at the time of application
2. Areal Extent
The “Areal Extent” selection criterion recognizes the cost savings associated with
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larger projects and is designed to support Secretarial Priorities as identified in
Attachment I.
a)
Preference will be given to projects that include only complete 8-digit
hydrologic units.
b)
Projects with combinations of 8-digit and 10-digit hydrologic units where
projects extend across state lines. Multi-state funding coalitions are
encouraged to fund full 8-digit hydrologic units across state lines.
c)
Projects comprised of 10-digit hydrologic may be considered
(1)
To fill in gaps in coverage
(2)
For projects that represent significant cost share by the applicant
(3)
Where the total area of a project is reduced due to overlap with
another BAA proposal
3. Geographic Overlap with Federal Areas of Interest as Represented on
Attachment 3DHP-F, 3DHP-G, or 3DHP-H
Federal Agencies have provided their priorities in accordance with the current goals,
objectives, and priorities of their agencies. DOI agencies have submitted priorities in
alignment with the Department of Interior Secretarial Priorities (Attachment I).
Recognition of “Geographic Overlap” as a selection criterion supports the selection of
awards over geographic areas of interest of recognized value to the current
administration.
b)
3DHP has the goal of nation-wide coverage so welcomes submissions
from across the nation.
e)
General preference is given to projects that overlap identified Federal
areas of interest as noted in Attachment 3DHP-F: 3DHP FY23 – FY25
Federal Areas of Interest
f)
Additional preference is given to projects that overlap areas designated in
Attachment 3DHP-G: 3DHP FY23 Consolidated High Priority Federal
Areas of Interest as Federal Agency areas of Interest Seeking Partnerships
– High Priority
g)
3DHP Federal funding partners may give additional preference to projects
that overlap their individual agency requirements identified in Attachment
3DHP-H.
4. Project Cost and Cost Share (funds contributed by applicant)
The “Project Cost and Cost Share” selection criterion recognizes the importance of
engaging with, building trust, and identifying mutual areas of interest and common
goals between the Federal, state, and local communities. This criterion will support
the Department of Interior Secretarial Priorities as identified in Attachment I.
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The cost of hydrography data acquisition varies based on geographic
extent and terrain. Applicants must include an ESTIMATED cost of their
project by means of:
(4)
An Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE) received from
the USGS Geospatial Products and Services Contracts (GPSC)
Commercial Partnership Team (CPT). Applicants should follow
the instructions and submit Attachment 3DHP-C: Request for
Preliminary Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE) as
soon as possible and no later than by 5:00 PM ET on Friday
December 2, 2022 to receive the estimate in time to meet the
January 6, 2023 submission deadline.
(5)
An estimate received from a hydrography data acquisition
contractor. The USGS will complete an independent review during
the evaluation period to determine if the proposed cost estimates
reflect valid industry cost for the specific geographic area and
reflect a good value to the government.
(6)
An estimate from another source accompanied by an explanation
of how the cost estimate was derived to enable an evaluation of the
proposed project costs. The USGS will complete an independent
review during the evaluation period to determine if the proposed
cost estimates reflect valid industry cost for the specific geographic
area and reflect a good value to the government.

Preference is given to applicants that offer larger contributions to the total
cost of their project

5.
Maturity of Applicant’s Proposal and Maturity of Designated
Funding Sources
The “Maturity” selection criterion recognizes the importance of engaging with,
building trust, and identifying mutual areas of interest and common goals between the
Federal, state, and local communities. This criterion will support the Department of
Interior Secretarial Priorities as identified in Attachment I.
b)
Applicants are required to provide validation of all funding partners listed
in their proposal via Attachment 3DHP-D: Applicant Validation of
Funding Partner(s). Applicants with “Guaranteed” funding receive a
higher score.

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Technical Approach

A solid “Technical Approach” which results in acquisition, processing, and delivery
of 3DEP compliant data to all stakeholders including release of the data to the public
domain is the key to the satisfaction of all other goals and objectives.
c)
Projects making use of the GPSC as the acquisition mechanism receive
full score for technical approach
d)
Applicants proposing to manage their own contract will be evaluated on
the applicant’s approach to data acquisition and required project
deliverables. All products must meet the minimum 3DHP standards and
specifications as defined in Section III E.
7.

Past Performance

Applicant’s history of financial management of projects of similar
financial scope

For applicants proposing to manage their own contract, past performance
may also apply to the contractor the applicant proposes to use to acquire
the data

C. Review and Selection Process
Each proposal will be evaluated based on the overall value and benefit to the
government in consideration of the project’s ability to support the current Department
of the Interior’s Secretarial Priorities (Attachment I). Submission benefits will be
judged on project location and areal extent of proposed data acquisition; cost realism
(cost per square mile for defined geographic area); cost share (funds contributed by
applicant); maturity of applicant’s proposal and designated funding sources; technical
approach; and past performance as applicable and related to the subject of this BAA.
All things being equal, the USGS prefers projects that will be acquired through the
GPSC because it is a standardized process that ensures data quality and standardized
product and service development. As stated in II C.1.a and III D.1.a, the USGS
expects to allocate approximately 75% or more of the available funding to projects
proposing to use the GPSC.
D. Evaluation Factors
For both 3DEP and 3DHP, the most important factors are project location, geographic
overlap with areas identified by Federal agencies as areas of interest for lidar

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acquisition, project cost and cost share (funds contributed by applicants), and
technical approach. These factors are equally valued. Secondary factors include areal
extent and maturity of applicant’s proposal and (maturity of) designated funding
sources. These factors carry less weight than the five factors noted as most important
but are of higher consideration than past performance. Past performance is the factor
with the least weight.

VIII.

AGENCY CONTACTS
Interested parties are encouraged to submit comments or questions via email to
Vickie Floyd at [email protected] and include BAA DOIFBO210044/G22AS000134
in the subject line. Comments or questions submitted should be concise and reference
the relevant part and paragraph of the BAA. All questions and responses will be
publicly posted as FAQs to https://usgs.gov/3DEP/BAA and https://usgs.gov/NHD
during the open period of the BAA. Please take caution when submitting questions
containing proprietary or sensitive information.

IX.

GENERAL INFORMATION
A. Marking of Proposals and Disclosure of Proprietary Information Outside the
Government
The proposal submitted in response to this BAA may contain technical and other data
that the applicant does not want disclosed to the public or used by the Government for
any purpose other than evaluation of the proposal. Public release of information in
any proposal submitted will be subject to existing statutory and regulatory
requirements. If proprietary information which constitutes a trade secret, proprietary
commercial or financial information, confidential personal information, or data
affecting the national security, is provided by the applicant in a proposal, it will be
treated in confidence, to the extent permitted by law, provided that the following
legend appears and is completed on the front of any proposal documentation
submitted to the Government: “For any purpose other than to evaluate the proposal,
this data must not be disclosed outside the Government and must not be duplicated,
used, or disclosed in whole or in part, provided that if an award is made to the
applicant as a result of or in connection with the submission of this data, the
Government must have the right to duplicate, use or disclose the data to the extent
provided in the agreement. This restriction does not limit the right of the Government
to use information contained in the data if it is obtained from another source without
restriction. The data subject to this restriction is contained in page(s) ____ of this
proposal.” Any other legend may be unacceptable to the Government and may
constitute grounds for removing the proposal from further consideration without

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assuming any liability for inadvertent disclosure. The Government will limit
dissemination of properly marked information to within official channels. In addition,
the pages indicated as restricted must be marked with the following legend: “Use or
disclosure of the proposed data on lines specifically identified by asterisk (*) are
subject to the restriction on the front page of this proposal.”
The Government assumes no liability for disclosure or use of unmarked data and may
use or disclose such data for any purpose.
By submission of a proposal, the applicant understands that proprietary information
may be disclosed outside the Government for the sole purpose of technical
evaluation. The USGS OAG will obtain a written agreement from the evaluator that
proprietary information in the proposal will only be used for evaluation purposes and
will not be further disclosed or utilized.

B. Disclosure of National BAA Statistics
Understanding the national needs for enhanced elevation data allows the USGS and
the 3DEP and 3DHP stakeholder communities to define programs that best meet the
needs of the nation.
The collective body of work that is submitted to the USGS though the BAA is a
critical indicator of the near-term geographic priorities, the level of funding needed to
support these requirements, and the resources partners are able to contribute to the
acquisition of lidar data and derived products. The USGS will collate and may make
publicly available collective proposal statistics to include total funds requested, total
square miles requested, and a graphic showing all proposed areas of interest (in
graphic and shapefile format). Individual applicant information will not be
associated with these collective statistics.
This information will be used for analyses and program development.
C. Government Obligation
Applicants are cautioned that only an appointed Contracting Officer may obligate the
Government to the expenditure of funds. Applicants who make financial or other
commitments for a research effort in the absence of an actual legal obligation signed
by a Contracting Officer do so at their own risk.
D. Prohibition on Contractor Involvement with Terrorist Activities

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The applicant acknowledges that U.S. Executive Orders and Laws, including but not
limited to Executive Order 13224 and Public Law 107-56, prohibit transactions with,
and the provision of resources and support to, individuals and organizations
associated with terrorism. It is the legal responsibility of the applicant to ensure
compliance with these Executive Orders and Laws.
E. Award Notices
Notification of acceptance of proposals for 3DEP will be emailed to applicants
beginning around November/December 2022. Notification of acceptance of proposals
for 3DHP will be emailed to applicants beginning around February/March 2023.
Staggered notification of awards is likely as award notifications are dependent upon
the availability of Federal funds. Unsuccessful applicants will be notified after all
available funding has been expended. Applicants whose proposals are accepted for
funding will be contacted by a Contract Specialist before award to discuss additional
information required for award. This may include representations and certifications,
revised budgets or budget explanations, certificate of current cost or pricing data, and
other information as applicable to the proposed award. If the submission proposes the
use of the GPSC services, a 3DEP/3DHPand/or GPSC representative will contact the
applicant to continue the Task Order estimation process. During this process, the final
funding amount from both the Offeror organization and USGS will be determined.
The period of performance for the Task Order will also be finalized. A contract or
cooperative agreement signed by a Contracting Officer is the authorizing award
document.
F. System for Award Management
Successful applicants must be registered in the System for Award Management
(http://federalcontractorregistry.com/) and have an active DUNS number.
X.

ATTACHMENTS
3DEP-A: 3DEP BAA Proposal Submission Tool
3DEP-B: Instructions for 3DEP Project Boundary Creation and Delivery Scheme
3DEP-C: Request for Preliminary Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE)
3DEP-D: Applicant Validation of Funding Partners
3DEP-E: 3D Elevation Program: FY22 Status of 3DEP Quality Data
3DEP-F: 3DEP FY23- FY24 Federal Areas of Interest
3DEP-G: 3DEP FY23 Consolidated High Priority Federal Areas of Interest
3DEP-H: 3DEP Agency Specific Multi-Year 3DEP Priority for Data Acquisition

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3DEP-J: Estimated Timeline for 3DEP Data Validation
3DHP-A: 3DHP BAA Proposal Submission Tool
3DHP-B: Instructions for 3DHP Project Boundary Creation and Delivery Scheme
3DHP-C: Request for Preliminary Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE)
3DHP-D: Applicant Validation of Funding Partners
3DHP-E: 3D Elevation Program: FY22 Status of 3DHP Quality Data
3DHP-F: 3DHP FY23- FY24 Federal Areas of Interest
3DHP-G: 3DHP FY23 Consolidated High Priority Federal Areas of Interest
3DHP-H: 3DHP Agency Specific Multi-Year 3DHP Priority for Data Acquisition
I: Department of the Interior Secretarial Priorities

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File Type	application/pdf
Author	Buto, Susan G
File Modified	2022-08-03
File Created	2022-08-03