SOURCES SOUGHT
A -- Maintenance of NRC Computer Codes III
- Notice Date
- 5/22/2018
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541715
— Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology)
- Contracting Office
- Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Acquisition Management Division, Acquisition Management Division, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland, 20852-2738, United States
- ZIP Code
- 20852-2738
- Solicitation Number
- RES-2018-004
- Archive Date
- 10/31/2018
- Point of Contact
- Jeffrey R. Mitchell, Phone: (301) 415-5074
- E-Mail Address
-
jeffrey.mitchell@nrc.gov
(jeffrey.mitchell@nrc.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- THE U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (NRC) is issuing this Sources Sought Synopsis as a means of conducting market research or as a market survey to determine the availability of potential qualified vendors with the technical capability to provide all management, supervision, administration, and labor for code maintenance, code development, debugging, version control, technical support, user support, and code user training for the following NRC computer codes: TRACE, RELAP5, and the PARCS code suite (includes PATHS, TRIPEN /AGREE, and GenPMAXS ). Services are to be provided to the NRC in Rockville, Maryland. The applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code assigned to this procurement is 541715. TRACE is an acronym for TRAC/RELAP Advanced Computational Engine RELAP is an acronym for Reactor Excursion and Leak Analysis Program PARCS is an acronym for Purdue Advanced Reactor Core Simulator. PATHS is an acronym for PARCS Advanced Thermal Hydraulic Solver TRIPEN is an acronym for Triangular Polynomial Expansion Nodal method AGREE (Advanced Gas Reactor Evaluation) is a 3-D gas dynamics and heat transfer code. GenPMAXS is the code for generating the PMAXS cross section interface file THERE IS NO SOLICITATION AT THIS TIME. This request for sources and vendor information does not constitute a request for proposal; submission of any information in response to this market survey is purely voluntary; the Government assumes no financial responsibility for any costs incurred. 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 conflict of interest (COI). For information on NRC COI regulations, visit NRC Acquisition Regulation Subpart 2009.5 (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. 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. The package should also include past performance/experience regarding projects of similar scope listing the project title, general description, the dollar value of the contract, and name of the company, agency, or government entity for which the work was performed. 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. Submission of additional materials such as glossy brochures or videos is discouraged. Background The NRC is responsible for the licensing and regulatory oversight of civilian nuclear power reactors and nuclear materials 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 providing regulations and guidance. RES conducts independent experiments and analyses, develops technical bases for supporting realistic safety decisions made by the agency, and in addition prepares the agency for the future by evaluating safety issues of current and new designs and technologies. RES develops its program with consideration of Commission direction and input from the program offices and other stakeholders. In support of the above activities, RES has responsibility for the development, testing, assessment, maintenance, and user support of the NRC's thermal-hydraulic (T/H) and neutron kinetics computer codes. These codes are • TRACE is NRC's flagship thermal-hydraulics analysis tool. It is a modernized thermal-hydraulics code designed to consolidate the capabilities of NRC's 4 legacy safety codes - TRAC-P, TRAC-B, RELAP, and RAMONA. It is able to analyze large/small break LOCAs and system transients in both PWRs and BWRs. The capability also exists to model thermal hydraulic phenomena in both 1-D and 3-D space. It also includes the ability to model 3-D kinetics through integration with the Purdue Advanced Reactor Core Simulator (PARCS) code. • RELAP5 is a one dimensional (1-D) best-estimate T/H code that is primarily used for small-break loss of coolant accidents (SBLOCAs) and other transients. This code no longer gets significant use at NRC. • PARCS is a computer code that solves the time-dependent two-group neutron diffusion equation in three-dimensional Cartesian geometry using nodal methods to obtain the transient neutron flux distribution. PARCS is able to predict the fission and decay heat power in a nuclear reactor under normal, off-normal, and accident conditions, in addition to cycle burnup distributions; peak pin powers; reactivity components; shutdown margin; and Xenon/Samarium densities. PARCS has been coupled to TRACE and RELAP5 for transient, three dimensional neutron kinetic calculations. As such, PARCS exists both as a coupled product, integrally linked to TRACE, and a stand-alone code suite that includes such tools as PATHS for T-H feedback during Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) steady state calculations, TRIPEN/AGREE for analysis of prismatic gas cooled reactor designs, and GenPMAXS for generating the cross section interface file to PARCS from lattice physics codes. The NRC has transitioned from RELAP5 to TRACE & PARCS as its primary thermal-hydraulic analysis and neutron kinetics tools. As such, RELAP5 code development activities are at a very low level, limited to bug fixes and porting features from RELAP5 into TRACE. Additional responsibility of RES includes maintenance of a thermal-hydraulic data repository which contains the results of experiments, tests, and assessments used to demonstrate applicability of NRC codes to their intended uses. Activities here include converting raw data files into the NRC's Platform Independent Binary (PIB) format and adding new information to the database in a structured format. The NRC makes the above codes available to approved domestic users via a User Support Group, and foreign users participating in the international Code Applications and Maintenance Program (CAMP). The use of the codes by these organizations provides calculations and assessments needed to validate and improve the codes. Semi-annual international conferences are conducted by the NRC to discuss code results and related issues. Training workshops at the beginner, intermediate, and advanced level are periodically performed to train internal and external users on the use of these codes. Capability Sought The NRC is seeking to identify commercial organizations capable of providing support in the maintenance, development, assessment, and training of TRACE, RELAP5, and PARCS code suites, maintenance of its reactor safety databank, and program management of the Thermal Hydraulic User Group and Code Applications and Maintenance Program (CAMP). Specific capabilities needed include: • the ability to efficiently resolve code bugs and modeling issues in TRACE, RELAP5 and PARCS (in both coupled and stand-alone forms), • the ability to effectively train others in the use and application of TRACE, RELAP5 and PARCS (in both coupled and stand-alone forms), • the ability to develop and apply new numerical methods, modeling features, and constitutive models/correlations for TRACE, RELAP5 and PARCS (in both coupled and stand-alone forms), • the ability to develop and maintain the interface between PARCS and lattice physics codes like SCALE, CASMO, HELIOS, Serpent, and WIMS. • the ability to perform code-to-data and code-to-code benchmarks and validation for TRACE, RELAP5 and PARCS (in both coupled and stand-alone forms), • the ability to provide program management support for the CAMP program and domestic user group, and • the ability to convert experimental data from its raw electronic format to NRC-specific binary formats. • the ability to maintain and develop distribution packages in CD form for each code suite • the ability to distribute NRC codes domestically and internationally, including the management of license keys and invoicing of user fees. • the ability to maintain and deploy a user-support website and a user-support hotline. SCALE is an acronym for Standardized Computer Analyses for Licensing Evaluation Although written in capital letters, the names HELIOS and CASMO are not acronyms. WIMS is an acronym for Winfrith Improved Multigroup Scheme Mandatory Qualifying Criteria The vendor shall be proficient in the principles of nuclear engineering as applied to reactor core analysis, lattice physics analysis, thermal-hydraulic analysis and nuclear system heat transfer, numerical methods and nuclear-thermal hydraulic methods development, and software engineering. Evidence of technical competence shall include appropriate education levels, a history of peer reviewed publications and technical reports, and past performance on projects of similar scope and complexity. The organization would need to provide a very broad technical expertise, including: a) extensive expertise in research and model development in thermal hydraulics/reactor physics and reactor safety analysis involving studies of two-phase flow, heat transfer, phase change, coolant channel dynamics, and various other phenomena related to reactor safety, b) comprehensive knowledge and understanding of advanced two-phase fluid numerical methods and two-phase fluid model construction, c) extensive knowledge in software engineering principles, quality assurance, and use of version control systems, d) strong ability to program and debug software using modern programming languages (with an emphasis on Fortran 95 and 2003), e) a detailed understanding of the code architectures for TRACE, RELAP5, and PARCS (in particular) as well as an awareness of modern two-phase fluid code architectures, in general, f) extensive experience in the use of TRACE. RELAP5, and PARCS and proven ability to perform reactor transient analysis for a broad range of reactor transient types, g) experience using the SNAP graphical user interface to develop complex input & post-processing models for TRACE, RELAP, and PARCS. h) understanding of FISMA computer security requirements with regard to data handling and computer system maintenance. i) proficiency with generating cross sections using lattice physics codes like SCALE, HELIOS, CASMO, etc. In addition, the organization and its contractors must have demonstrated knowledge of historical and current nuclear reactor thermal-hydraulic related systems code issues. The contractors should have in-depth knowledge in this technical area in order to independently identify and resolve issues. The contractor principle investigators should also be technically competent and credible to participate in technical discussion and questions during periodic ACRS reviews and presentations. The investigators must have appropriate levels of engineering education and experience commensurate with this level of research, and exhaustive knowledge of current and advanced BWR, PWR, non-LWR, and small modular reactor system designs and issues. 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 conflict of interest (COI). For information on NRC COI regulations, visit NRC Acquisition Regulation Subpart 2009.5 (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. 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. The package should also include past performance/experience regarding projects of similar scope listing the project title, general description, the dollar value of the contract, and name of the company, agency, or government entity for which the work was performed. 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. Submission of additional materials such as glossy brochures or videos is discouraged. HOW TO RESPOND TO THIS SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE If your organization has the capability and capacity to perform, as a prime contractor, one or more of the services described in this notice, then please respond to this notice and provide written responses to the following information. Please do not include any proprietary or otherwise sensitive information in the response, and do not submit a proposal. Proposals submitted in response to this notice will not be considered. 1. Organization name, address, emails address, Web site address and telephone number. 2. What size is your organization with respect to NAICS code identified in this notice (i.e., "small" or "other than small")? If your organization is a small business under the aforementioned NAICS code, what type of small business (i.e., small disadvantaged business, woman-owned small business, economically disadvantaged woman-owned small business, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, 8(a), or HUBZone small business)? Specify all that apply. 3. Although no geographic restriction is anticipated, if responding organizations are located outside the Washington Metropolitan area (Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia), indicate how the organization would coordinate with the NRC program office located in Rockville, Maryland to provide the support services. 4. Separately and distinctly describe which of the required capabilities listed above that your organization possesses and indicate your organization's role (prime contractor, first tier subcontractor, and/or supplier) in related contracts. Please also provide the contract number, contract type, customer name, address and point of contact phone number and email address, contract value, thorough description of supplies and services included in the scope of that contract, indication of how they differ from the required capabilities described in this notice, period of performance (for services) or delivery date (for products), and any other relevant information. 5. For Electronic and Information Technology (EIT) product offerings relevant to this requirement provide completed Voluntary Product Accessibility templates or other documentation that addresses compliance with the applicable standards (add website link) for those products. For any federal customers that your agency has provided information technology services within the required capabilities areas, indicate how your company complies with applicable Section 508 standards (see buyaccesible.gov). 6. For any federal customers that your agency has for the required capabilities, indicate how your company complies with applicable environmental laws and Federal regulations (See NRC's Green Purchasing Plan at: http://pbadupws.nrc.gov/docs/ML1219/ML12191A130.pdf). 7. Indicate whether your organization offers any of the required capabilities described in this notice on one or more of your company's own Federal Government contracts (i.e., GSA Federal Supply Schedule contract or Government wide Acquisition Contracts) that the NRC could order from and, if so, which services are offered. Also, provide the contract number(s) and indicate what is currently available for ordering from each of those contract(s). 8. Provide a standard, non-proprietary commercial price list or similar standard non-proprietary commercial pricing information for how your company sells, as a prime contractor, required capabilities described in this notice that your organization has experience providing. Also, indicate what is included in that pricing. 9. Is your organization currently performing or have in the past performed same or similar services as those listed above for any of the licensees regulated by the NRC? If so, which licensees? See http://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/regulatory/licensing.html for more information on NRC licensing. 10. Has your organization previously faced organizational conflict of interest issues with NRC? If so, what were they and how were they mitigated or resolved? Interested organizations responding to this Sources Sought Synopsis are encouraged to structure capability statements in the order of the area of consideration noted above. All capability statements sent in response to this notice must be submitted electronically, via e-mail, to Jeffrey R. Mitchell, at Jeffrey.Mitchell@nrc.gov, either MS Word or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), by June 22, 2018 at 1:00 PM EST. DISCLAIMER AND NOTES : 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. 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-2018-004/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: Contractors Facility, United States
- Record
- SN04930634-W 20180524/180522230910-6df24469e9685e3f398612a882864cbe (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)
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