SOURCES SOUGHT
A -- Technical Assistance in Support of Experimental Program on Zirconium Alloy Heat-up and Fire Propagation of BWR spent fuel during a postulated accident of water boil-off in a spent fuel pool. - Zirconium SkillSet Table
- Notice Date
- 12/19/2012
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541690
— Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services
- Contracting Office
- Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Office of Administration, Division of Contracts, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland, 20852-2738, United States
- ZIP Code
- 20852-2738
- Solicitation Number
- RES-13-Zirconium
- Archive Date
- 5/31/2013
- Point of Contact
- Jeffrey R. Mitchell, Phone: (301) 492-3639, Jennifer A. Defino, Phone: 301-492-3637
- E-Mail Address
-
jeffrey.mitchell@nrc.gov, Jennifer.DeFino@nrc.gov
(jeffrey.mitchell@nrc.gov, Jennifer.DeFino@nrc.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- Zirconium SkillSet Table This is a Sources Sought Synopsis. THERE IS NO SOLICITATION AT THIS TIME. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC) is conducting a market survey and analysis to determine the range of available contractors that exists and assess their capabilities to assist the NRC with scope of work described below. The NRC does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this request or to otherwise pay for the information solicited. The purpose of this announcement is to provide potential sources the opportunity to submit information regarding their capabilities to perform work for the NRC free of Organizational Conflict of Interest (OCOI). For information on NRC OCOI regulations, visit NRC Acquisition Regulation (NRCAR) Subpart 2009.5, entitled "Organizational Conflicts of Interest" (http://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/contracting/48cfr-ch20.html ). All interested parties, including all categories of small businesses (small businesses, small disadvantaged businesses, 8(a) firms, women-owned small businesses, service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses, and HUBZone small businesses) are invited to submit a response to the market research questions below and submit the capability information as described below. The capabilities package submitted by a vendor should demonstrate the firm's ability, capability, and responsibility to perform the principal components of work listed below. Submission of additional materials such as glossy brochures or videos is discouraged. Responses are due no later than Monday, February 4, 2013. The Government will not reimburse respondents for any costs associated with submission of the requested information. Telephone inquiries or responses are not acceptable. Responses should no longer than 15 pages in length. Responses should be sent via email to Jeffrey R. Mitchell Contracting Officer, at Jeffrey.Mtichell@nrc.gov. Responses may also be mailed to: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Attn: Jeffrey R. Mitchell; Mail Stop TWB-01-B10M 11555 Rockville Pike Rockville, MD 20852 The applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code assigned to this procurement is 541690 - Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services. The estimated period of performance will be 60 months. Background The NRC is responsible for the licensing and regulatory oversight of civilian nuclear power reactors in the United States. The Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES) furthers the regulatory mission of the NRC by providing technical advice, technical tools and information for identifying and resolving safety issues, making regulatory decisions, and promulgating regulations and guidance. RES conducts independent experiments and analyses, develops technical bases for supporting realistic safety decisions by the agency, and prepares the agency for the future by evaluating safety issues involving current and new designs and technologies. RES develops its program with consideration of Commission direction and input from the program offices and other stakeholders. The NRC is interested in a experimental program to obtain prototypic thermal hydraulic and zirconium ignition data associated with the postulated accident of water boil-off in a boiling water reactor (BWRs) spent fuel pool (SFP) during a partial drain of water inventory. Specifically, NRC is interested in this experimental program to obtain data for accident code validation and to assess the potential for propagation of zirconium fire under air/steam environment and mitigation strategies concerning fuel assembly management in the spent fuel pool. In addition to the radial and axial surface temperature profiles in the assembly during the accident, we are interested in measuring water level, mass flow rate, reaction rates and gas analysis of the gas coming out of the assemblies. The experiments will also analyze air ingress from the top into the assembly during the progression of the postulated accident. Previously, the NRC has conducted two similar experiments with prototypical BWR and PWR assemblies under air flow conditions. This new experiment is needed to validate accident codes and ensure code adequacy for the boil-off of water inventory on a BWR spent fuel pool (SFP) in the reactor during refueling. Results of this proposed experiment shall provide additional data to validate the severe accident computer codes, e.g., MELCOR. The boil-off of water inventory in a SFP is considered among the most realistic and potentially the worst case scenario among spent fuel accidents that the current nuclear fleet may experience. The experimental program shall be divided in the following four phases. The first phase will result in the development of a waterproof spent fuel simulator suitable for use in the boiling water and steam environment required to simulate a partial LOCA. In this phase, both the top and bottom seal of the rod shall be tested with and without water. The conceptual design of the heater rod should allow pressurization to incorporate rod ballooning phenomena into the experiments. In addition, the first phase shall determine whether conventional nichrome heating elements, which have been successfully used for air oxidation ignition of zirconium in early experiments, are capable of surviving long enough at higher temperatures to produce steam oxidation ignition. If not, other heating elements will be required for these experiments. In the second phase, the outcome of the first phase will be incorporated. This phase will be divided in two parts. In both parts, test assemblies of approximately 9 prototypical BWR spent fuel rods will be used. In the first part, steam will be injected from the lower part of the assembly. In this part, separate effect tests will be performed to analyze the thermal response of the bundle for different decay heat and different steam mass flow rates. These series of tests will conclude with the ignition test at a specific decay power and steam mass flow rate. In the second part, the assembly will be partially filled with water and the steam will come from the water boil-off at the lower part of the assembly. Separate effect tests in this part will be also performed with different decay heats and different initial water levels. The final test of the second part will be also the ignition of zirconium cladding at a specific decay power and initial water level. In the second part, a system to inject steam shall be developed for the ignition test to keep supplying steam after ignition. The electrically heated rods are expected to rupture when ignition occurs and as a consequence stop heating up the water and producing steam. In addition, a spray cooling system shall be implemented and tested as a mitigating strategy during the separate effects and ignition tests. The gas coming out of the assembly will be analyzed during the ignition test, including hydrogen. In the third phase, a full length prototypical BWR 9x9 spent fuel single assembly will be used. The outcome of the first two phases will be used in this third phase. Separate effect tests shall be performed on this phase to represent various decay heat and water level. These series of tests will conclude with the ignition test at a specific decay power and initial water level. The spray cooling system, implemented and tested in the second phase as a mitigating strategy, shall be incorporated as part of this third phase. The system tested in the second phase to keep supplying steam after ignition shall be implemented in this third phase. The gas coming out of the assembly will be analyzed during the ignition test, including hydrogen. Contractors should demonstrate the capability to perform these experiments under safe conditions as potential explosions may occur in the experiment. In the fourth and last phase, a full length prototypical BWR 9x9 spent fuel in a 1x4 assembly arrangement shall be used, where the center assembly is heated and the peripheral assemblies are cold. Separate effect tests shall be performed on this phase to represent various decay heat and water levels. The last test shall be the ignition test at a selected water level and decay heat. The system to inject steam after ignition shall be used in this fourth phase. The composition of the flow coming out of the center assembly as well as of the peripheral assemblies shall be analyzed during the ignition test, including hydrogen. Contractors should demonstrate the capability to perform these experiments under safe conditions as potential explosions may occur in this phase of the experiment. Capability Sought The NRC is seeking to identify commercial organizations capable of providing technical assistance in performing experimental measurements in a controlled laboratory environment simulating the zirconium fire event during a postulated boil-off of water inventory accident on a BWR spent fuel pool. The facility shall be capable to test electrically heater rods at full assembly height to temperatures up to 2000 Kelvin, capable to manage safely the production of hydrogen as part of the chemical reaction when zirconium ignite in a steam environment. Specific capabilities of the test facility shall include: 1) electrically heated rods of a prototypical boiler water reactor (BWR) 9x9 full length assembly, 2) Instrumentation to provide axial and lateral temperature profiles across the assembly and experimental apparatus 3) instrumentation to measure steam/air mass flow rate, 4) a steam and water injection system that create pure superheated steam flow, 5) sensors for steam and water temperature measurement, 6) gas analyzer to quantify the composition of flow coming out of the assembly, 7) data acquisition system and 8) have a QA plan ready on the test equipment. NRC requires that the contractor has available staff and resources and provide access to experts with competencies, accrued knowledge, and highly specialized skills in the areas of, but not limited to nuclear engineering, two-phase flow, heat transfer, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, and electrical engineering. NRC requires qualified technical specialists with extensive expertise in the technical areas described. Mandatory Qualifying Criteria The contractors should be technical experts in their field, with extensive research experience. The contractors should have in-depth knowledge in their technical area in order to identify and resolve issues. The contractors should also be technically creditable to respond to technical questions domestic and international presentations based on their in-depth knowledge resulting from their education and research experience. Commercial organizations that are interested in supporting our technical assistance requirements please address the market research questions below and provide capability information on your staff's qualifications and your firm's corporate experiences and qualifications on similar contracts or efforts. In addition, to provide an overview of your company's capabilities please complete the attached spreadsheet for those technical areas for which your firm has expertise. When completing the spreadsheets, please provide specific entries for potentially available qualified candidates. In each of the technical areas of expertise and education, if it applies, enter the candidates' relevant years of work experience, research experience, national code committee (IEEE, ASME, ASTM, etc...) experience, and degree title. If your organization has the potential capacity to perform these contract services, please provide the following information: 1) Organization name, address, email address, website address and telephone number? 2) How long has your company been in operations? 3) What type of business is your company (i.e., small, 8(a), service-disabled veteran-owned, etc.)? 4) How many people does your company employ, including consultants? Please break down the mix between the two categories. 5) Describe teaming arrangements your company has formed to perform scopes of work outside your core competencies. Describe both the type of work and how you managed it. 6) Which GSA Multiple Award Schedules or Governmentwide Acquisition Contracts, if any, does your organization possess? When do they expire? 7) Does your organization have a Defense Contract Audit Agency (or other cognizant audit authority) approved accounting system? 8) Does your organization have agreed upon indirect rate agreement with any government agency? 9) Has your company previously faced organizational conflict of interest issues with NRC? How were they resolved? 10) List any companies or government agencies your company either plans to or has performed work for related to civilian nuclear reactors. Describe the work performed. 11) Although no geographic restriction is anticipated, if responding organizations are located outside the Washington Metropolitan area, indicate how the organization would coordinate with the NRC program office located in Rockville, MD. 12) Provide a tailored capability statement addressing the particulars of this effort, with appropriate documentation supporting claims of organizational and staff capability. Organizations responding to this market survey should keep in mind that only focused and pertinent information is requested. If significant subcontracting or teaming is anticipated in order to deliver technical capability, organizations should address the administrative and management structure of such arrangements. Taking into account the magnitude of the scope of this effort, organizations also should address the capacity of their financial infrastructure to coordinate and deliver contract performance. 13) Complete the attached spreadsheet for those technical areas for which your firm has expertise. Government Evaluation The Government will evaluate market information to ascertain market capacity to: 1) Potentially provide the services consistent in scope and scale with those described in this notice and otherwise anticipated; 2) Potential capacity to secure and apply the full range of corporate financial, human capital, and technical resources required to successfully perform similar requirements; 3) Potential capability to implement a successful project management plan that includes: compliance with tight program schedules; cost containment; meeting and tracking performance; hiring and retention of key personnel; and risk mitigation; and 4) Potential to provide services under a performance based service acquisition contract. DISCLAIMER AND NOTES: This market survey is being conducted through the FedBizOpps to reach the widest possible audience and to gather current market information. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization's potential capability and capacity to perform the subject work. The Government may provide access to the information contained in the response to a contractor providing acquisition planning and strategic technical assistance support to the Government. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a pre-solicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in Federal Business Opportunities. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/NRC/OA/DCPM/RES-13-Zirconium/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: Contractors Site, United States
- Record
- SN02952214-W 20121221/121219234759-8c14cccb360c2b40a4c7f7e66442f3dd (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
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