BZ-2025-07 Cryostat Lid RFI.pdf

LBNL Request for Information No. BZ-2025-07 Page 1

March 14, 2025

Subject: Request for Information (RFI) Number BZ-2025-07 Response Due Date: March 28, 2025

Introduction The University of California, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) is conducting market research to identify sources that possess the capabilities and experience necessary to produce a lid assembly for a cryogenic tank.

Background The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment project (DUNE) is a leading-edge, international experiment for neutrino science. Discoveries over the past half-century have put neutrinos, the most abundant matter particles in the universe, in the spotlight for further research into several fundamental questions about the nature of matter and the evolution of the universe — questions that DUNE will seek to answer.

Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) Schematic. A neutrino beam is produced at Fermilab (right) which passes through a Near Detector (center) and Far Detector (left).

The DUNE Near Detector (DUNE-ND) will record neutrino interactions near the source of the beam, at Fermilab in Batavia, Illinois. A key component of DUNE-ND is the Near Detector Liquid Argon (ND- LAr), a particle detector housed inside of an insulated cryogenic tank (or “cryostat”). The cryostat is filled with 87 K [-186 °C] liquid argon and uses a membrane construction, meaning that it uses an external steel structure lined with an internal “cold membrane” made of low-density foam insulation and a thin skin of stainless steel. The internal cold membrane seals the cryogen inside and provides thermal insulation, while the steel structure supports pressure, weight and thermal contraction loads.

The lid of the cryostat is split into 9 sections and the central “module row” lid used to support the detector modules is the subject of this RFI.

LBNL Request for Information No. BZ-2025-07 Page 2

Module row lid section with steel structure (gray, top) and stainless steel membrane (blue, bottom). A cutaway shows the internal foam insulation (yellow) and stainless steel feedthroughs (gray). Estimated assembly weight is 6,500 lbs.

Preliminary Specifications LBNL intends to acquire a prototype lid assembly which meets or exceeds the following specifications.

Please refer to the drawing package for additional details. These are preliminary and subject to change.

1. Steel frame structure welded and bolted together from standard I beam and plate material

2. Stainless steel membrane (skin), hermetically welded and serving as argon gas containment

3. Interior polyurethane foam insulation, multiple blocks, bonded to skin

4. Stainless steel feedthroughs using ConFlat (CF) and QuickFlange (KF) standards

LBNL is seeking a supplier for the lid that possesses the following capabilities. These are preliminary and subject to change.

1. Structural and hermetic welding

2. Welding stainless steel to carbon steel

3. Handling and machining of low-density foam (or familiar with subcontracting it)

4. Adhesive bonding

5. Stainless steel sheet metal forming

6. Helium leak detection

7. Dimensional inspection capability with ~0.5-1.0 mm accuracy at ~6-10 m scale

8. Finishing (paint or powder coat) at ~6-10 m scale

9. ISO 9001 or equivalent quality system

10. Crane or equivalent lifting equipment with minimum 5 ton capacity

It is LBNL’s preference to find a manufacturer that can perform all of these steps in-house, but a degree of lower-tier subcontracting might also be acceptable. If any parts or processes will be subcontracted out rather than handled in-house, please indicate in RFI response.

LBNL Request for Information No. BZ-2025-07 Page 3

NAICS CODE AND SIZE STANDARD

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code for this acquisition will be 332999 (All Other Miscellaneous Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing). The corresponding small business size standard is 750 or fewer employees.

Instructions Respondents who can demonstrate a proven record of delivering large complex fabrications of similar scope to the preliminary specifications above should email the LBNL Procurement Representative Brian Zatkow at bzatkow@lbl.gov with relevant company information. A list of similar previous jobs may be included, but contact information for previous customers is not required. Attachments or hyperlinks are both acceptable. Budgetary estimates are welcome but not necessary.

All responses must be submitted by email no later than 3:00pm Pacific on Friday March 28, 2025.

Request for Information Only This RFI is for informational and planning purposes only. This is not a request for quote or proposal. It does not constitute a solicitation and shall not be construed as a commitment by the University. Responses in any form are not offers and no subcontract will be awarded as a result of this announcement. No inquiries regarding a bid package or solicitation will be answered, because there is no bid package or solicitation yet available. Any information submitted by respondents to this RFI is strictly voluntary.

In order to protect the procurement integrity of any future procurement that may arise from this RFI, information regarding the technical point of contact will not be given and no appointments for presentations will be made. No funds are available to pay for preparation of responses to this announcement, and no reimbursement will be made for any costs associated with providing information in response to this RFI or any follow-up information requests related to this RFI. Responding to this RFI does not provide any advantage or disadvantage to potential offerors if LBNL chooses to issue a formal solicitation at a later date.

This Request for Information is governed by procurement policies and procedures established under the University's Prime Contract with the U.S. Government, represented by the Department of Energy, for management and operation of LBNL.

Proprietary Information Because information received in response to this RFI may be used to structure future programs and may be made available to the public, respondents must not include any information in their responses that might be considered business sensitive, proprietary, or otherwise confidential. Responses must be submitted with the understanding that their contents may be publicly disclosed and, in the event of a public disclosure, LBNL will not notify respondents or provide any opportunity to revise or redact submitted information.

Brian Zatkow LBNL Procurement Representative

(510) 495-2547 bzatkow@lbl.gov mailto:bzatkow@lbl.gov mailto:bzatkow@lbl.gov

LBNL Request for Information No. BZ-2025-07 Page 4

(End of RFI document)

NAICS Code and Size Standard