ANL-651 RFI for APS ARMs.pdf

ANL-651 (October 29, 2025)

Request for Information

TITLE: Area Radiation Monitor Procurement for APS

DUE DATE FOR SUBMITTAL OF RESPONSE: March 3, 2026

RESPONSES & QUESTIONS SHOULD BE SUBMITTED TO: mollyhunter@anl.gov

ALL CORRESPONDENCE SHOULD REFERENCE RFI NO.: 6-S176-I--05497-00

UChicago Argonne, LLC, operator of the Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) is requesting information

(RFI) to evaluate obtaining products or services for planning and informational purposes and any response will be nonbinding. It shall not be used as a proposal and does not commit ANL to pay for any cost for the preparation or submission of any information in response to this RFI. Responses to this RFI may include proprietary or confidential information. The Offeror shall mark any technical data deemed proprietary or confidential on each specific page of the RFI form, otherwise the Laboratory will have unlimited rights of the information provided in request to the RFI. ANL assumes no liability for disclosure or use of unmarked data and may use or disclose such data for any purpose.

Background/Introduction

Argonne National Laboratory’s Advanced Photon Source (APS) facility is looking for a vendor to source, maintain, and support a system of area radiation monitors (ARMs) necessary credited control safety components required for operations of the facility. The current system of area radiation monitors nearing end-of-life include 50 ARMs, each made of a control unit, and capable of measuring x-ray and neutron dose rates due to particle accelerator operation. The ARMs each need to interface with a control system to monitor ARM signal output including current readbacks and limit trips such that the control system may appropriately respond to a state change issued from the ARM.

RFI for 6-S176-I--05497-00

Objective

• Engage industry to determine how this scope could be successfully designed and manufactured while gauging the level of technical expertise available amongst potential offerors,

• To gauge the schedule availability among potential offerors,

• To determine the budgetary costs to complete the scope.

Section 1: Company Information Company Name (Offeror):

Contact Name:

Contact Email Address:

Contact Phone Number:

Section 2: Statement of Work or Technical Requirements

The scope of this RFI is for a complete ARM system solution, including design, manufacturing, and long-term support. The vendor shall provide a system to replace approximately 50 existing ARMs. The full, detailed technical specifications are provided in Attachment A. Key requirements of the system are summarized below:

• Detection Capability: The system must detect both neutron and photon radiation.

• Preferred Energy Range: Thermal to 1 GeV for neutrons and 100 keV to 100 MeV for photons.

• Must be capable of detecting pulsed radiation, preferably in the nanosecond (ns) to microsecond

(µs) range.

• Mechanical & Electrical: The total configuration for a single unit must not exceed 11" (W) x 16" (H) x 8" (D).

• Power will be from a 120 VAC 60 Hz source. The system must be certified by a Nationally Recognized

Testing Laboratory (NRTL), such as UL or all units must pass ANL Designated Electrical Equipment

Inspection for acceptance.

• The enclosure must be rated NEMA 12 / IP54 or better.

• Communication and Interface: The system must support an Ethernet communication interface for remote monitoring.

• The system must provide data to an EPICS (Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System) environment. Native EPICS driver support is highly preferred.

o Gamma instantaneous level, high, Alarm A, Alarm B and high-high alarm set points. Neutron instantaneous level, high, high-high alarm set points, Alarm A, Alarm B, and probe/system

Failure status.

• The system must provide dual isolated relay outputs for alarms (High) and single isolated relay output for system/probe failure status.

• Operational Requirements: Each unit must have a local display showing both neutron and photon dose rates.

• Each unit requires a local visual and audible alarm system, with connections for a remote alarm stack.

• A "Press to Test" function is required that simulates a radiation event and verifies the integrity of all alarm outputs.

Please see Attachment A for full technical requirements (file: APS-U Radiation Monitor Spec Sheet 2025)

Section 3: Technical Capabilities Questions

Compliance Matrix: Please complete the table in Attachment A, indicating for each specification whether your proposed solution meets the "Required," "Acceptable," or "Preferred" criteria. For any requirement not fully met, please provide a detailed explanation and describe any proposed alternatives.

Support Model: Describe your company's standard and optional long-term support offerings. Please include details on:

• Warranty period and what it covers.

• Availability and process for calibration services (both on-site and return-to-depot).

• Software/firmware update procedures and associated costs.

• Availability of on-site technical support and training for ANL personnel.

Turnaround and Spares:

• What is your standard turnaround time for the repair of a faulty unit?

• What level of spare parts and/or complete units do you recommend ANL maintain on-site?

• What stock of replacement components and/or complete units does your company typically maintain?

Section 4: Schedules - Rough Schedule for Delivery

ANL's preliminary plan involves an initial delivery of 10 units, followed by a multi-year rollout of the remaining units.

1. Please provide a sample project timeline for the delivery of the first 10 units, starting from a hypothetical contract award date. Include major milestones such as design finalization, manufacturing, factory acceptance testing, and delivery.

2. Based on the anticipated award in Q4 2026, is delivery of the first 10 units by October 2027 feasible? If not, please propose a realistic delivery date.

3. What is your company's maximum production capacity for these units per year?

4. Describe your proposed delivery schedule to supply all 50 units. Would you recommend a compressed schedule (e.g., over 2-3 years) or an extended one (e.g., over 5-7 years)? Please explain the advantages of your recommendation.

5. Please list any major dependencies (e.g., supply chain for specific components, resource availability) that could influence your proposed schedule.

Section 5: Estimate – Budgetary Estimate

Please provide a rough order of magnitude (ROM) budgetary estimate for the following items. These figures are for planning purposes only and are non-binding.

1. Per-Unit Cost: Estimated cost per ARM unit. Please indicate if this price changes based on volume (e.g., price for first 10 units vs. subsequent units).

2. Non-Recurring Engineering (NRE): Estimated cost for any design, development, or customization work required to meet ANL's specifications.

3. Annual Support/Maintenance: Estimated annual cost for a service contract covering calibration, repair, and technical support.

4. Training: Estimated cost for providing on-site operational and maintenance training for ANL staff.

5. Shipping and Commissioning: Estimated cost for shipping and on-site support during initial installation and commissioning.

Section 6: Anticipated Procurement Schedule

Argonne anticipates the following schedule for the subsequent procurement process. These dates are for planning purposes and are subject to change:

• Issuance of RFI: February 2026

• RFI Responses Due: March 2026

• Issuance of Request for Proposal (RFP): Anticipated for Q2 2026

• Contract Award: Anticipated to start FY27

*Argonne has the right to cancel or postpone the RFP & Award dates.