Questions_and_Answers_Radiochem_Lab_Decommissioning_0001.pdf

Reston Radiochemistry Lab Decommissioning

RFQ# 140G0123Q0208

Questions and Answers

1. Is this a brand new contract OR if there is (was) an incumbent performing these services.

Answer: This is a brand new contract.

2. Please clarify the regulatory framework for this project. Which agency has jurisdiction over this project and final approval? The license listed in Section I.B appears to be a

USGS radioactive material license which implies that the USGS is the governing body. If there is another regulatory body with jurisdiction/input/oversight, please identify the regulatory agency and role.

Answer: The USGS Radiation Safety Committee will provide final approval after the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has assessed the adequacy of the radiological decommissioning. The RUP cannot be closed until the NRC has completed their assessment.

3. The Final Status Survey Plan and Decommissioning Plan are used interchangeably in the

RFP. Commonly these are separate documents. Please confirm if it is the USGS’ intent to combine the content of these plans into one document, or if not, which document is intended to be created.

Answer: The “plans” can be synonymous, but a Final Status Survey REPORT is what the NRC will evaluate.

4. Based on the contractor licensing requirement in Section II.A, it appears that decommissioning work will be performed under the contractor’s license Radiation

Protection Program and suite of procedures as opposed to the laboratory’s. Is this correct?

Answer: Yes, the decommissioning work will be performed under the contractor’s license Radiation Protection Program and suite of procedures.

5. Is the goal to release the labs from the USGS license (full unconditional use and removal from the USGS license), or is this a “conditional” release?

Answer: The goal is to release the labs from the USGS license (full unconditional use and removal from the USGS license).

6. Were the listed radioisotopes of concern in Section I.B introduced in isotopic form or were they isolated / enhanced? If considered “natural,” is there a relative abundance or percent activity for the various radionuclides? Some of the radionuclides have very low release criteria based on the screening values as listed in NUREG-5512, Vol 3 Table 5.19 as referenced by NUREG-1757. Screening levels for the most limiting radionuclides may be difficult to measure directly with field instruments. Please provide clarification on the matrix, relative abundance, and chemistry/analytical processes associated with the radionuclides of concern.

Answer: See the Statement of Work (Appendix 1 – Historical Usage Survey), List of

Matrices and Additional Information, and 1B307 – Inventory of samples standards and wastes 5-31-2023.xslx.

7. Section II.A.2 details the instrumentation to be used, specifically liquid scintillation for all removable activity measurements, etc. As dual label solid state detectors are not authorized (2929 or 3030), what is the rationale for not using these standard instruments?

Also, what is the proposed purpose/benefit of using the portable tritium counters?

Answer: The Contractor may use appropriate instruments to ensure compliance with MARRSIM. Selection criteria and adequacy to be documented in FSSR.

8. Are lab benches, cabinets, and hoods to be surveyed as equipment and materials with no detectable activity / activity above background, or as structures following

MARSAME/MARSSIM?

Answer: All fixed/mounted lab benches, cabinets, and hoods are to be treated as structures following MARSAME/MARSSIM. Anything “portable” is to be treated as equipment.

9. Some materials have natural activity that will impact the survey with the low release limits. Items like some black benchtops, ceiling tile, concrete, and others have

“measurable” natural activity at levels above screening criteria, so how are these to be handled?

Answer: When appropriate, a custom screening process can be developed with selection criteria and adequacy to be documented in FSSR.

10. Are there non-radioactive lab chemicals that will need to be remediated? What will be the condition of the labs/contents on receipt for decommissioning / survey? What is the end-state of the laboratory equipment and materials (glassware, lab supplies, etc.) – Free release / reuse / non-rad disposal, rad disposal, etc.?

Answer: There will be no non-radioactive lab chemicals present that will need to be remediated. The labs will be cleared of all such chemicals, as well as all records and documentation prior to receipt for decommissioning. The end-state of the laboratory equipment and materials (glassware, lab supplies, etc.) is left to the discretion of the contractor (reuse and/or disposal). The USGS does not want the return of these items after decommissioning.

11. Are there historical radiological surveys of the laboratory rooms available for review?

Answer: Yes, surveys will be available for review after bidding. Please note that no surveys conducted after the conclusion of radiological work in these labs have detected contamination above required action levels.

12. The Solicitation asks for Open Market Time & Materials (T&M) discounted pricing in multiple places. However, Attachment A, page 3 of 38, item 2) requests a "breakdown of the total firm-fixed price for the period of performance." Please confirm that we are to supply T&M pricing and clarify the fixed pricing requirement.

Answer: The pricing should be time-and-materials and will be changed in RED in

Attachment A.

13. Does the USGS have a preferred format for the price proposal?

Answer: The contractor can provide pricing via excel spreadsheet or PDF as long as the time-and-materials pricing is broken down.

14. Are unit rates sufficient, or is USGS expecting a total cost estimate for the work based on

T&M rates?

Answer: T&M rates are required, but the USGS would also like the contractor to provide a total cost estimate based on the T&M rates provided.

15. Is the contractor required to provide the technical/past performance narrative information separately from the price information?

Answer: The contractor is not required to provide the technical/past performance narrative separately from the pricing information, but it is preferred.

16. Is the expectation to provide a firm-fixed price with a breakdown of the specified categories (to meet a pseudo time and materials), or strictly use the labor categories for time and materials with no firm-fixed price?

Answer: Answer: The pricing should be time-and-materials and will be changed in

RED in Attachment A. There will be no firm-fixed price.

17. If the intent is firm-fixed price with breakdown, is there a certain format preferred?

Answer: The intent is not firm-fixed price but time-and-materials. The format can be in excel or PDF as long as the cost breakdown is provided.

18. Can USGS provide a system diagram for the Fume Hood Exhaust ventilation, to include the HEPA filter, fan, and stack locations?

Answer: Fume hood diagrams will be provided to the Contractor ahead of any decommissioning effort.

19. Can the USGS provide a detailed inventory to include quantity and activity of the radioactive samples, standards, and liquids requiring disposal?

Answer: Yes, see List of Matrices and Additional Information, and 1B307 –

Inventory of samples standards and wastes 5-31-2023.xslx.

20. Please confirm that USGS will be responsible for any materials that are identified as not radioactive but are a hazardous material or a hazardous waste (ie: USGS will be responsible for any hazardous chemical waste)?

Answer: Yes, the USGS will be responsible for any materials that are identified as not radioactive but are a hazardous material or a hazardous waste. The USGS will remove all such materials from the contractor’s work area upon notification and dispose of them according to established procedures.

21. It is our understanding that a licensee such as a decommissioning contractor or a radioactive waste broker, cannot “adopt” another licensees’ radioactive waste for the purpose of waste disposal. Permits required of the “waste collector” will be provided by the contractor. Please confirm that USGS understands that it will need to be identified as the Generator of any radioactive waste?

Answer: Yes, the USGS understands that it will need to be identified as the

Generator of any radioactive waste (Exception: any wipes/swipes that the

Contractor takes offsite for radiologic testing. These also should not be returned to the USGS worksite for disposal as part of the decommissioning process.)

22. Will USGS provide an inventory of the radioactive materials?

23. Please clarify what, if any, site-specific orientation/training USGS would require

Contractor personnel to attend, and the duration of such training.

Answer: Site/building orientation not to exceed one-half hours’ time will be provided by the USGS.

24. Please confirm Contractor’s ability to utilize the rear loading dock area for deliveries/shipments in support of the decommissioning.

Answer: Use of the existing loading dock facilities will be shared with Government activities on a first-come-first-served, wait-your-turn basis. Loading dock A is available for use between the hours of 7:00 AM to 3:30PM. The loading dock and surrounding area shall not be used for storage of materials. Only for loading and unloading.

25. Please confirm the loading dock hours of operation.

Answer: Loading dock A is available for use between the hours of 7:00 AM to

3:30PM.

26. Please clarify Contractor’s use of USGS-owned dumpsters/receptacles for disposition of items and materials which have been cleared as non-rad/non-hazardous.

Answer: The Contractor may use the existing dumpsters on site. All trash must be separated into cardboard, recyclable metals, and general trash.

27. Please provide inventory listing of both radioactive material cabinets, including solid and liquid radioactive substances, such as check sources, solutions, environmental samples, etc.

28. Please provide an inventory of non-radioactive chemicals USGS expects to leave in the work area to be dispositioned by the Contractor.

Answer: There will be no non-radioactive chemicals left by USGS in the work area to be dispositioned by the Contractor.

29. Please confirm the amount (weight, volume) of lead-containing material (e.g., shielding blocks) USGS plans to leave in the work area to be dispositioned by Contractor.

Answer: The weight of lead to be dispositioned by the Contractor is estimated at

8,500 lbs total, broken down as follows - Detector 1: a solid piece weighing around

1900 lbs with some sheet lead; Detector 2: approximately 94 bricks (6” x 4” x2”)

~19.7 lbs each = 1852 lbs, circular lid (~17” diameter, ~4” thick) ~373 lbs; Detector

3: approximate 102 low level painted lead bricks (8” x 4” x 2”) ~26.2.lbs each = 2672 lbs; Canberra Model 727 lead shield ~280 lbs; Canberra 2404, alpha, beta, gamma detector ~1200 lbs; and 8 additional painted 8” x 4” x 2” lead bricks = 210 lbs.

30. Please confirm that USGS will remove non-impacted paperwork (e.g., lab notes, binders, manuals, etc.) from the work area prior to work start.

Answer: Yes, USGS will remove non-impacted paperwork (e.g., lab notes, binders, manuals, etc.) from the work area prior to work start.

31. Please confirm no existing base cabinets will require removal/relocation by the

Contractor.

Answer: No existing base cabinets will require removal and/or relocation by the

Contractor. The Contractor is only required to remove all movable lab contents.

32. Please specify which higher-value items USGS expects to undergo release surveys for return to the Government, such as balances, muffle furnace, etc. For example, the Count

Room contains items such as Canberra shield cave, LN2 Dewars, spare electronics, spectrometry parts, etc., which could have residual value to the Government.

Answer: No higher-value items will undergo release surveys for return to the

Government. The final disposition of all such items is left to the discretion of the

Contractor (reuse and/or disposal).

33. Please specify a preferred location for temporary storage of low-level radioactive waste

(LLW) containers until offsite shipment is arranged.

Answer: LLW containers can be temporarily stored in the Hot Rocks Shed on the

USGS property. It is located approximately 1,870 feet from the loading dock. Access to the storage shed must be coordinated with the radiation program manager.

34. Prior to the contractor commencing work, must the NRC approve our work plans and

Final Status Survey plan?

Answer: No, the NRC does not have to approve Contractor work and survey plans prior to commencing work. See Section II of the provided Statement of Work for a detailed explanation of the decommissioning procedures to be followed.

35. Is the purpose of this action to terminate the USGS permit at this location, or is it to merely release the laboratory from radiological controls?

Answer: The purpose of this action is to terminate the USGS permit (RUP #67) at this location.

36. If they can be removed, does the USGS want the Fume hoods, laboratory cabinets, and table to remain in place?

Answer: All fixed laboratory furniture (fume hoods, laboratory cabinets, benches) are to remain in place; all movable items are to be reused and/or disposed of at the

Contractor’s discretion.

37. Why does the one cave in this counting chamber have painted lead? Was the paint applied to manage contamination?

Answer: The bricks were painted to reduce the generation of lead dust during their regular operational manipulation.

38. Request interior photographs of the Radioactive Storage containers and a detailed description of the contents.

Answer: Yes, see Radon Generators.ppsx, Samples Cabinet.ppsx and Standards

Cabinet.ppsx.

39. Will the contractor be responsible for the removal of all non-radioactive chemicals?

Answer: No, USGS will be responsible for the removal of all non-radioactive chemicals.

40. Will USGS require the contractor to sign as the “Generator of Waste” for both radiological and non-radiological waste?

Answer: No. The USGS understands that it will need to be identified as the

Generator of any radioactive waste (Exception: any wipes/swipes that the

Contractor takes offsite for radiologic testing. These also should not be returned to the USGS worksite for disposal as part of the decommissioning process.) Non-radiological waste can be disposed on-site using the USGS dumpsters as outlined in question #26.

41. Does radiological spill history include any concerns for radioactivity in inaccessible areas? For example, liquid spill floor that could have spread to between or beneath floor tiles; liquid spill on walls that could have leaked behind cabinets or bench tops; or spills inside of sink that could have gone into the drain system.

Answer: There are no such concerns. The few spills that occurred were small amounts of low-level materials on sealed benchtops that were immediately cleaned up.

42. Are there any restrictions on access and use of the loading dock to transport radiological and hazardous (e.g., lead) waste?

Answer: The loading dock may be used for shipping radiological and hazardous waste. These materials may not be stored on the loading dock. There is a location on campus for temporary storage of radiological materials if needed (Hot Rocks Shed).

It is located approximately 1,870 feet from the loading dock. Access to the storage shed must be coordinated with the radiation program manager.

43. Can the contractor store waste in a designated and controlled area outside of the decommissioning area, e.g., adjacent hallways, loading dock, and/or parking lot?

Answer: LLW can be temporarily stored in the Hot Rocks Shed on the USGS property. It is located approximately 1,870 feet from the loading dock. Access to the storage shed must be coordinated with the radiation program manager.