SOLICITATION NOTICE
99 -- Down Blend of Highly Enriched Uranium and Establishment of Reliable Fuel Supply
- Notice Date
- 11/8/2006
- Notice Type
- Solicitation Notice
- Contracting Office
- PO Box 5400 Albuquerque, NM
- ZIP Code
- 00000
- Solicitation Number
- DE-AC55-07NA25729
- Archive Date
- 5/8/2007
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) plans to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) to procure commercial down-blending services to down-blend 17.4 metric tons (MT) of highly enriched uranium (HEU) to low enriched uranium (LEU), and to store the LEU for use in the Reliable Fuel Supply (RFS) program. Based on the best currently available information, the HEU to be down-blended will have the characteristics described in the attached document. NNSA plans to issue the RFP late December 2006 or early January 2007 and execute a contract approximately April/May of 2007. NNSA anticipates it will begin shipments of HEU within two months of award. Shipments of HEU would be completed in approximately three years, with down-blending completed in approximately four years. NNSA???s Office of Fissile Materials Disposition will oversee the down-blending of the material. Consistent with Secretary Bodman???s remarks delivered to the IAEA General Conference on September 26, 2005, a substantial majority of the resulting LEU will be used to implement the RFS program, which is intended to ensure reliable access to nuclear fuel feedstock for power reactors in foreign countries that voluntarily choose not to pursue uranium enrichment and reprocessing technologies. This material will provide a significant reserve that will increase the confidence of countries voluntarily choosing not to pursue enrichment and reprocessing that they will not risk losing the benefits of nuclear power. The scope of work will require the contractor to down-blend approximately 17.4 MT of HEU to a 4.95 % uranium-235 assay. NNSA will transport the HEU to the designated facility. The contractor will be required to provide all equipment, materials, and services associated with down-blending the HEU to LEU, including providing uranium for blend stock. The contractor will also be responsible for transporting the LEU to a fuel fabricator(s) facility, or other licensed facility for storage and conversion of the LEU to uranium hexafluoride (UF6). As compensation for the down-blending, transportation and conversion to UF6, the contractor shall retain a fixed portion of the down-blended LEU for its own use or sale. The contractor will be required to demonstrate it meets or has the capability to meet the following requirements prior to beginning shipments: (1) hold Nuclear Regulatory Commission license(s) for the receipt, storage, processing and shipping of HEU and/or LEU, as appropriate; (2) receive shipments in accordance with the DOE Secure Transportation System requirements; and (3) possess other necessary federal, state, and local permits relevant to the proposed activities. Bidders that satisfy these requirements will be evaluated on the basis of: (1) their technical capabilities to accept HEU and to process the HEU in the time frames required; (2) making their relevant facilities eligible for an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) verification regime on the down-blending process; (3) providing LEU on NNSA???s schedule in the form of UF6; (4) Offeror???s past performance and relevant experience; and (5) Offeror???s business capabilities. The contract for down-blending services is anticipated to have a period of performance of five years and to cover all services through delivery to the storage facility and conversion to UF6. A property loan agreement will be executed to cover the storage of the LEU and its availability under the RFS. As compensation for the storage of the LEU, much of the material can be used by the contractor as working inventory. 40 metric tons of UF6, in the form of 4.95% assay UF6 must be retained and available for recall with 30 days notice from the Department. NNSA will retain the right to recall any or all of the stored LEU with 180 days notice. All LEU delivered to the Department will be in the form of UF6. A pre-proposal conference is anticipated to be held approximately one week after release of the RFP. Because of the multi-faceted nature of this contract, it is expected that teaming arrangements may be necessary to meet all elements of the contract. All inquiries related to this procurement should be referred to the Contracting Officer, Carol R. Elliott.
- Web Link
-
Click here for further details regarding this notice.
(https://e-center.doe.gov/iips/busopor.nsf/UNID/DF165634268C68C185257220005EF09E?OpenDocument)
- Record
- SN01178104-W 20061110/061108220354 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
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