SRNL Notice of Intent-Request for Information-Sources Sought.pdf

NOTICE OF INTENT / REQUEST FOR INFORMATION / SOURCES SOUGHT

Solicitation Number: 89303320REM000063

Title: Office of Environmental Management, Savannah River National Laboratory

Management & Operating Requirement

THIS IS A NOTICE OF INTENT (NOI), REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI),

AND SOURCES SOUGHT ONLY. No solicitation exists at this time. This

NOI/RFI/Sources Sought is released pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part

10, Market Research, and FAR 15.201, Exchanges with Industry before Receipt of Proposals, for the purposes of public engagement and conducting market research.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Environmental Management (EM), is currently in the acquisition planning phase for a potential new Management & Operating (M&O) contract for the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL). SRNL is located within the Savannah

River Site (SRS), a 310-square-mile site in South Carolina. EM intends to issue a Request for

Proposals (RFP) to solicit proposals to operate SRNL under a discrete M&O contract for the

Laboratory.

This is a NOI, RFI, and Sources Sought only. EM may issue a RFP as described herein or may elect a different path forward, in light of the responses to the RFI or other information.

Background. SRNL is a government-owned, contractor-operated laboratory that operates as a

Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC). SRNL is a multi-program

National Laboratory that serves as the EM corporate laboratory, performing a wide spectrum of research-and-development (R&D) activities ranging from basic science to applied research to support cleanup activities across the DOE complex. The laboratory also performs a variety of national security, nonproliferation, homeland security and energy security missions for DOE and other federal agencies. In Fiscal Year 2019, SRNL executed over $289 million in direct customer support. Its customer base includes EM, National Nuclear Security Administration

(NNSA), other DOE Secretarial Offices, DOE Site Offices, other Federal Agencies through

Strategic Partnership Projects (SPP), and Non-Federal Entities through Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADA).

While SRNL currently performs a broad range of R&D for a diverse customer base, DOE believes that SRNL has the potential to perform more diversified missions. Such potential diversification, over time, could include a broader scope of basic research, operation of additional scientific infrastructure or user facilities (including potential reutilization of existing

SRS facilities), and additional development and prototyping projects for DOE and non-DOE customers.

SRNL is currently operated for DOE under an existing M&O contract that also encompasses operation of a variety of non-SRNL activities at SRS. That M&O contract is administered by

EM. As EM focuses on completing its cleanup mission, DOE is seeking to position SRNL for an enduring mission and to maximize the realization of SRNL’s potential as a National

Laboratory to benefit the Department, the American scientific discovery and innovation ecosystem, the local communities near the Laboratory, and the American taxpayer at large.

Notice of Intent. EM intends to issue a RFP to solicit proposals to operate SRNL under a discrete M&O contract for the Laboratory. The establishment of a separate EM-managed M&O contract for SRNL is expected to enhance the ability of the Laboratory to pursue its enduring mission by focusing the contractor on its R&D missions, increasing SRNL’s flexibility to pursue more diversified R&D projects, attracting additional expertise in the operation of R&D facilities, and clarifying the status and mission of SRNL for planning and budgetary purposes. In addition, the establishment of a separate M&O contract for SRNL is expected to facilitate greater engagement with and involvement by the academic community, especially in the southeastern

United States.

Request for Information. One objective of this notice is to gather input from interested parties and stakeholders about opportunities to enhance the enduring mission of SRNL and the means of realizing those opportunities. Such input will assist EM in its formulation of the anticipated

RFP.

EM invites comments on and responses to the following statements and questions:

a. In FY 2019, SRNL employed approximately 10 post-doctoral scientists and the Laboratory has routinely provided a variety of internships for graduate and post-graduate students. How might SRNL enhance its engagement with the academic community, including faculty and students at academic institutions in the southeastern United States and elsewhere?

b. What opportunities might exist for SRNL to leverage the scientific, research, and development infrastructure of other institutions in its proximity to enhance SRNL’s R&D initiatives?

c. In what potential ways could SRNL play a more significant role as a catalyst for innovation, education, and economic development in the southeastern United States?

d. SRNL has performed R&D to develop innovative solutions to DOE’s environmental management and waste disposal challenges since 1951. What opportunities might exist to enhance SRNL’s ability to perform that mission?

e. SRNL plays important roles in supporting NNSA, including its role as the recognized center for excellence for tritium science. How might SRNL’s expertise in tritium science be leveraged to advance other R&D missions (including R&D sponsored by DOE’s Office of

Science)?

f. SRNL also serves DOE’s national security, non-proliferation, and environmental management missions through the exercise of the Laboratory’s expertise and resources in nuclear forensics and the handling of nuclear materials. What opportunities might exist to employ such expertise and resources for a broader range of R&D, beyond national security, non-proliferation, and environmental management purposes?

g. SRNL is located within the 310-square-mile SRS reservation. SRS supports diverse natural habitats including pine and hardwood forest communities, riverine environments, and hundreds of individual wetland areas. How might SRNL’s access to these environmental resources be leveraged to advance scientific discovery?

h. Are there apparent obstacles or impediments to diversification and enhancement of the R&D performed by SRNL and, if so, how might those obstacles or impediments be addressed?

Sources Sought. Another purpose of this notice is to solicit input from interested parties with the specialized capabilities necessary to meet the requirements of the elements of the SRNL scope for the potential competitive procurement. This market research will assist DOE with identifying interested and capable sources, and may assist in the development of its acquisition strategy. Key market research goals include identifying and minimizing barriers to competition, and identifying risks.

The EM Consolidated Business Center (EMCBC) has created a procurement website where additional information is provided which may be viewed at https://www.emcbc.doe.gov/seb/sr_national_lab/. Information posted on the EMCBC procurement website will be updated as it becomes available; therefore, interested parties should monitor the EMCBC procurement website for additional information. DOE may or may not respond to or post on the EMCBC procurement website any verbal/written questions or comments pertaining to this RFI package.

Due to the preliminary stage of this planning activity, there is only a preliminary Statement of

Work (SOW) available at this time. The preliminary SOW is attached for information.

In furtherance of its market research, EM invites parties with potential interest in participation in the anticipated RFP to submit capability statements. Capability statements should include the following information as appropriate:

(1) Describe your ability and experience relating to paragraphs 2.2.1, 2.2.2 and 2.2.3 of the preliminary SOW.

(2) Identify 3-5 DOE, other Government, and/or commercial experiences in the last five years that are relevant to this sources sought notice [include contract number, role in the effort (i.e., prime contractor or subcontractor), key partnerships and/or teaming partners (if any), period of performance, dollar value, scope, client, and contracting agency contact information].

(3) Identify major challenges and risks (technical, regulatory, schedule, financial, funding availability, human capital, transition and any others) in performing the scope provided in the preliminary

SOW. Identify how your organization would mitigate any risks (including recommendations for

DOE) such that there is reasonable assurance of successful performance. Describe any concerns that would prevent your company from proposing on the potential procurement. Based on the preliminary SOW, identify key information to augment and/or address in a subsequent RFP (if any).

(4) This work will require significant interface with other National Laboratories, other DOE contractors, the regional academic community, etc. Discuss your experience regarding such interfaces.

(5) This work will require expertise and capabilities in nuclear material science and engineering, which is a critical resource to DOE and other Government missions. Discuss your experience regarding such expertise and capabilities.

Response Requirements. Interested parties are hereby invited to submit responses to the above

Request for Information and Sources Sought questions. For those parties who are submitting responses to both sets of questions, the submittal shall include two separate sections, the first of which is responses to the Request for Information questions, and the second of which is a

Capability Statement submitted in response to the Sources Sought questions. For the combined responses to the eight (8) questions (items a. through h.) in the above Request for Information section and the six (6) questions in the Sources Sought section, interested parties may submit a capability statement of no more than fifteen (15) pages single spaced, with ½ inch margins and no smaller than 12 point font. The Government will review each capability statement based on the https://www.emcbc.doe.gov/seb/sr_national_lab/ interested parties’ (and that of teaming partners when applicable) demonstrated qualifications, capabilities, expertise, experience and relevant past performance. The combined submittal in response to the Request for Information and Sources Sought questions are to be no more than 15 megabytes (MB) total in size and submitted via electronic transmission to the procurement mailbox at SRNL@emcbc.doe.gov.

Interested parties are requested to provide the name of the firm, or firms if a teaming arrangement is being contemplated, point of contact, phone number, address of firm, DUNS number, and/or CAGE code used over the past five years for the prime and each contemplated teaming partner. Small business teams or joint ventures shall identify the socio-economic status of each member and shall provide the capabilities of each member, as well as a description of the work that each member would perform under a contract. Identify as one or more of the following under NAICS code 541715

Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology), which has a size standard of 1,000 employees: 1) small business; 2) 8(a) business

(including graduation date); 3) HUBZone small business; 4) small disadvantaged business; 5) woman-owned small business; 6) service-disabled, veteran-owned small business; or 7) large business.

DOE reserves the right to use any and all information submitted by, or obtained from, an interested party in any manner DOE determines is appropriate, including, but not limited to, the creation of a competitive solicitation. An interested party should avoid including any classified, business confidential, and/or proprietary information in its response. However, if an interested party must submit such information, the information must be clearly marked accordingly, and the interested party must provide sufficient justification as to why such information is business confidential and/or proprietary. DOE will review said information and safeguard it appropriately.

The Government will not reimburse preparation costs nor otherwise provide compensation for any information that is provided in response to this RFI/Sources Sought. All responses shall be received no later than 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time on January 22, 2020. Any questions pertaining to the announcement should also be directed to the same procurement mailbox. DOE personnel may contact parties responding to this announcement to clarify a respondent’s capabilities and other matters as part of this market research process.

Industry Day and Community Day Events. DOE plans to hold an Industry Day and a

Community Day on January 16, 2020 in support of the anticipated SRNL procurement. Tours of the Laboratory will be available for industry on the same day. The goal of these events is to inform interested parties of the process that will be followed to procure the SRNL requirement, and to provide an overview of the SRNL vision and preliminary SOW.

The events will be held at the Crowne Plaza North Augusta, 1060 Center St, North Augusta, SC 29841. Please visit the procurement website provided above for registration and other pertinent information. Pre-registration is required and walk-ins will not be permitted.

DOE looks forward to engaging with the community, industry and other interested parties in a transparent and collaborative manner throughout the planning process for the potential SRNL

M&O contract requirement.

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS AND SHALL NOT

BE CONSTRUED AS A COMMITMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT TO ISSUE A

SOLICITATION OR AWARD A CONTRACT AT THIS TIME.

mailto:SRNL@emcbc.doe.gov

Contracting Officer:

Mr. Travis Marshall

513-246-0103 travis.marshall@emcbc.doe.gov mailto:travis.marshall@emcbc.doe.gov