Class_J_A_Redacted.pdf

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U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Division of Contracts Class Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition

The Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards is updating this Class Justification that was executed on August 29, 2012. This revision is required given the NWRA [Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analyses] Work-For-Others efforts will now be obtained under a Work for Others Enterprise Wide Contract (EWC).

This EWC will take the place of multiple individual contracts for qualifying projects in order to maintain the NRC’s Federally Funded Research and Development Center - the CNWRA, as an agency asset, while at the same time providing efficiencies in the agency’s acquisition and administration processes.

1. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) proposes to enter into noncompetitive contracts/agreements with Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) to allow its Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analyses (CNWRA or the Center) to provide services for the NRC and other Federal agencies (through an interagency agreement). This justification includes a description of the currently approved charter efforts, in support of the waste management program, and other services necessary to maintain the breadth and depth of skills of the CNWRA as an agency assess, but remain within its area of special competencies (see detailed description in Section 3).

Prior to the CNWRA Charter contract renewal award on September 28, 2012, the FY 2012 internal program/budget review for projected CNWRA Charter efforts, staff estimated, the total estimated cost for all work for other’s contracts/agreements issued under this justification shall not exceed , annually. However, based on the budget assumptions for the CNWRA’s Charter program and given the year to year budget fluctuations, this amount is revised to , annually. This annual total is based on the fact that there are sufficient contract dollars budgeted for work that may be considered under this Enterprise Wide Work-For-Others contact in the FY 2014 Congressional Budget Justification and the FY 2015 Budget to the Chairman. The contract dollars are budgeted under the NRC’s Reactor Safety Program, which includes (NRC business lines) “New Reactors,” and “Operating reactors,” and the “Nuclear Materials and Waste Safety Program” which includes (NRC business lines) “Fuel Facilities,” and “Spent Fuel Storage and Transportation,” “Nuclear Materials Users,” and Decommissioning and Low-Level Waste” activities that do not fit within the scope of the CNWRA’s Charter

, and therefore do not relate to the back end of the fuel cycle. The revised total estimated cost for all work for others contracts/agreements issued under this Justification shall not exceed or annually for FYs 2014-2017. Based on the FY 2014 operating budget, and the projected contractor support dollars, these funds are required to maintain the proper breadth and depth of skills necessary at the CNWRA for the NRC’s Division of Spent Fuel

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Alternative Strategies (SFAS) waste management program and other Charter activities over the long term.

The effective period of this class justification shall be from date of approval through

September 28, 2015. The agency intends to exercise the first optional year under the Charter contract NRC-HQ-C-12-02-0089. NRC will make a future determination whether to exercise the additional optional years: FY 2016, and FY 2017.

This Justification supersedes the current Justification dated August 29, 2012 and it supersedes the previous Justification, which covered the period September 28, 2007, to September 28, 2012.

2. The statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition is 41 U.S.C. 253(c)

Subpart 6.3 as implemented by FAR 6.302-3(b)(2). It allows executive agencies, under certain conditions, to contract for goods and services without providing for full and open competition. For example, executive agencies may do so when it is necessary to award a contract to a particular source or sources in order:

(ii) To establish or maintain an essential engineering, research, or development capability to be provided by an educational or other nonprofit institution or a federally funded research and development center…

FAR Section 6.302-3(b)(1) indicates that this authority may be appropriate when it is necessary to:

(ii) Keep vital facilities or suppliers in business… (ii) … prevent the loss of a supplier’s ability and employees’ skills; or maintain active engineering, research, or development work…

Section 6.302-3(b)(2) also indicates that this authority is appropriate when necessary to:

(i) Establish or maintain an essential capability for theoretical analyses, exploratory studies, or experiments in any field of science or technology; (ii) Establish or maintain an essential capability for engineering or developmental work calling for the practical application of investigative findings and theories of a scientific or technical nature…

The NRC contracted with SwRI on October 15, 1987, to establish the CNWRA, which operates as the NRC’s Federally Funded Research and Development (FFRDC). The Center provides the NRC with the breadth and depth of technical expertise that has been specifically tailored to do the following:

1) satisfy the needs of technical and regulatory oversight of nuclear waste in the United States (transportation, storage, disposal, congressional oversight, and funds for defense wastes)

2) develop permanent deep geological disposal site(s) for spent fuel and high-level nuclear waste

3) develop one or more consolidated interim storage facilities as part of managing the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle

4) create stable, long-term support for research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) including advanced reactor and fuel cycle technologies

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5) encourage international leadership to address global non-proliferation concerns and improve the safety and security of nuclear facilities and materials worldwide

When the NRC originally competed and awarded the CNWRA contract to SwRI, the NRC required contractors to be free from conflict of interest organizational (OCOI) with any party to NRC licensing matters. The NRC also had a requirement to maintain long-term continuity in technical assistance and regulatory analysis support to NRC’s high-level waste program in accordance with the Nuclear Waste Policy Act (NWPA). NRC’s contract with SwRI for operation of the CNWRA precludes the CNWRA and the parent corporation, SwRI, from entering into any consulting or other contractual arrangement with any firm or organization which may give rise to an OCOI with respect to the work being performed under this contract. In addition, the NRC established the CNWRA, as an FFRDC, to provide long-term continuity over the broad spectrum of required technical expertise.

A broad spectrum of technical expertise is required to fully support NRC’s waste management program. To achieve the necessary level of support, “special competencies,” were established. The technical expertise residing in each special competency is necessary for NRC to fulfill its responsibilities under the NWPA and for SFAS waste management activities and is characterized by staff with exceptional breadth of expertise, extensive pertinent experience, high levels of formal education, and peer recognition within their respective technical discipline and/or the program. The CNWRA staff are nationally and internationally recognized in their fields.

Core CNWRA staff in each of these areas consists of an appropriate mix of staff supplemented by personnel from other SwRI divisions and a group of prequalified subcontractors and consultants. Since the NRC’s FY 2012 budget provided no nuclear waste funds, contractor and NRC staff completed knowledge capture activities for the Yucca Mountain program, fee-based activities were being initiated for Integrated Spent Fuel Regulatory activities. These charter activities involved geologic disposal, storage and transportation, reprocessing, and waste confidence and extended storage.

3. The number of CNWRA core professional staff full-time equivalents (FTEs) required to support the SFAS waste management activities and the other charter efforts has changed in the recent years as the program transitioned in FY 2010 to the fee-based integrated spent nuclear fuel regulatory activities. The planning and budget assumptions for the period of performance for the CNWRA contract renewal (FYs 2013-2014 base contract; three 1-year options FYs 2015-2017) are based on charter work that has been identified below.

For budget planning purposes, and for estimating the total contract ceiling amount for the CNWRA charter contract for FYs 2013-2017, the following charter efforts are identified from the Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards (NMSS), Office of Federal and State Materials Environmental Management Program (FSME), the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES), and the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR).

Business Lines FYs 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Spent Fuel Storage and Transportation Fuel Facilities Decommissioning and LLW Operating Reactors [waste management activities] Emerging Needs [waste management activities] Yucca Mountain (Pending Commission Direction) *

*Assume nuclear waste funds for CNWRA contract support begins in the third quarter of FY 2014 based on the U.S. District Court of Appeals decision on Yucca Mountain, August 13, 2013, Case No.11-1271. On November 18, 2013, the Commission directed the staff to complete the Safety Evaluation Report. No revision to the business line estimates is needed at this time.

Programmatic adjustments may be necessary based on Congress and the Administration regarding the waste management program, and revisions to the justification will be made as necessary.

The total estimated contract ceiling amount is

During the Charter contract renewal, NRC’s staff has reassessed the CNWRA’s minimum charter program staff for FYs 2013-2017, reviewing the number and skill mix needed to conduct the most certain high priority charter efforts for NMSS ‘s integrated spent fuel regulatory management activities

Although, there remains uncertainty in the National waste management policy, the SFAS fee-based budget for FYs 2013-2017, along with the other charter efforts, is not sufficient to support the minimum charter program staff of the CNWRA; therefore, work for others efforts will be directed to the CNWRA to supplement and sustain the program.

However, staff is not requesting an increase to the current minimum charter program staff which totals CNWRA core staff.

It should be noted that the approval for contracts placed under this justification are made on a case-by-case basis using the current information regarding the availability of staff in key discipline areas required to support the charter program.

The NRC deemed certain capabilities essential and spent considerable time, effort, and appropriated funds to develop these capabilities at the CNWRA. If the CNWRA cannot maintain these minimal capabilities, the NRC will lose an investment of approximately 26 years and over dollars (as has been expended on the CNWRA contract from contract award to the present). The CNWRA has developed into an organization which is providing OCOI-free, high-quality, technical support for the NRC. The loss of this support would threaten the credibility and continuity of the NRC’s technical program. It would also jeopardize NRC’s ability to be flexible and nimble in reacting to the Nation’s evolving policy on nuclear waste.

To retain its high-caliber experts, the CNWRA must maintain a stable, technically challenging work environment. To obtain high-quality professional staff free of COI, it is necessary to recruit predominantly recent PhD graduates with little relevant experience and then to expend time and money to make them aware of the special technical and regulatory problems associated with the charter program. Consequently, the agency staff has concluded that if the NRC does not maintain continuous staffing at the CNWRA, it would take years to reestablish lost disciplines, to rehire the required technical expertise, and to have that staff functioning at the level required to provide adequate support for the NRC charter program.

As stated in the all work placed at SwRI under this justification shall be within the CNWRA’s special competencies (i.e., “a special or unique capability, including qualitative aspects, developed incidental to the primary functions of the FFRDC to meet some special need”). The CNWRA has established a number of scientific, engineering, and test and evaluation capabilities as well as regulatory expertise that applies to each of these areas. These areas of special competency are essential to the NRC’s needs in the context of FAR 6.302-3(b)(2). The areas of special competency listed below have been updated to reflect expertise gained from all charter efforts:

a) Systems Engineering and Integration, Including Technical Support for Regulatory Analysis

The expertise and support provided in this area includes, but is not limited to:

(1) systems engineering and integration applied to the total high-level waste disposal, other fuel cycle programs such as reprocessing and advanced fuel development programs, and interim storage systems and subsystems performance, from NRC's regulatory perspective; (2) integration of multidisciplinary technical reviews, analytical and strategic planning studies, technical support for regulatory analyses, development and application of a regulatory analysis methodology, including confirmatory analyses; (3) development of regulations and standard review plans; (4) integration and assurance of consistency in all CNWRA activities and suggestions and recommendations relative to the integration of activities involving

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multiple disciplines and organizational units; (5) review and preparation of environmental documentation; (6) development and application of regulatory tools such as models, codes and performance confirmation methodologies; and

(7) analyses of policy, environmental, socioeconomic, institutional, and legal matters applied to NWPA waste management and integrated spent nuclear fuel regulatory program issues.

b) Near-Term and Long-Term Performance of Geologic Setting

The expertise and support provided in this area includes, but is not limited to: (1) site characterization review and evaluation of technical issues associated with geologic stability and near-term and long-term isolation provided or assisted by the geologic setting of one or more repositories; (2) evaluation of natural hazards; (3) siting of interim storage and fuel cycle facilities; (4) review and evaluation of selected plans and reports and technical feasibility assessments involving fuel cycle and reprocessing and high-level waste activities; (5) application of specialized capabilities related to radiological chemical contaminants in ground water systems, investigation of geochemical parameters and processes, environmental sciences, remote sensing, and geographic information systems, thermodynamic properties of natural and synthesized minerals, and evaluation of inadvertent human intrusion; and

(6) development and application of licensing and confirmation tools, such as models, codes, and performance confirmation methodologies.

c) Near-Term and Long-Term Performance of Engineered Barrier System

(1) review and evaluation of radiological health and safety issues and design considerations associated with near-term and long-term isolation and containment of waste materials within the engineered barrier system of a geologic repository interim storage and other fuel cycle facilities; (2) design and operation of interim storage facilities; (3) review and evaluation of selected plans and reports; (4) review and evaluation of the effects of adverse thermal and environmental conditions on engineered barriers and waste forms; (5) aging effect and mechanical degradation of spent fuel and cladding; (6) life prediction of waste packages and containers;

(7) technical feasibility assessments involving high-level waste; interim storage; and other fuel cycle facility activities; and (8) development and application of licensing tools, such as models, codes, and performance confirmation methodologies.

d) Waste Treatment, Reprocessing, and Waste Solidification Systems

(1) review and evaluation of technical issues associated with waste processing or solidification systems for waste forms that will be disposed in the proposed repository; (2) review and evaluation of technical issues related to worker and public

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health and safety and environmental protection associated with such storage, processing, or solidification systems; and (3) determinations with respect to whether certain wastes are high-level or non-high-level wastes.

e) Performance Assessment

(1) review and evaluation of the technical issues associated with the performance assessment (PA) and probabilistic risk assessment of the potential repository system and other fuel cycle facilities; (2) review and evaluation of selected plans and reports;

(3) technical assessments including sensitivity and uncertainty analyses for understanding and identifying the importance of processes and parameters associated with facility performance; (4) assistance in public outreach and communication activities; and (5) development and application of regulatory tools, such as models, codes, and probabilistic risk assessment and performance confirmation methodologies.

f) Probabilistic Risk Assessment

(1) review and evaluation of the technical issues associated with probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) of existing and proposed facilities and plants throughout the nuclear fuel cycle; (2) review and evaluation of licensee PRA documentation, including its manuals and software validation; (3) review and evaluation of existing and emerging consensus standards and industry approaches to PRA methodologies and applications; (4) technical assessments, including sensitivity and uncertainty analyses for understanding and identifying the relative importance of processes and parameters associated with facility risk; (5) assistance in presenting and communicating PRA results and regulatory decisions based on those results to the public and other stakeholders; and (6) development and application of regulatory tools, such as PRA models, codes, and methodologies. For certain NRC-licensed fuel-cycle facilities, integrated safety analysis is the framework for regulatory review and evaluation and CNWRA support extends to this regulatory framework as well.

g) Environmental Assessments and Evaluations

(1) review (and development, if requested) of draft, final, and supplementary environmental impact statements (EISs) and environment assessments (EAs) for a proposed NRC-licensed HLW repository; (2) environmental assessments related to reprocessing; (3) environmental assessments related to HLW transportation, storage, and other activities under NWPA that may require such statements or assessments; and (4) assistance in public meetings and in developing responses to public and stakeholder comments. Tasks would involve technical disciplines in areas

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such as environmental science and engineering; geosciences; cultural, natural, and economic resources; land use; dose and risk assessment; transportation;

environmental justice; and socioeconomics.

h) Regulatory Analysis Support

(1) development of regulations and guidance documents; (2) emerging areas where analysis, development of calculation methodologies, or other exploratory work is needed to evaluate areas of high sensitivity to safety or risk; (3) evaluation of the results of regulatory analysis support conducted by NRC, DOE, their contractors, and others; and (4) new topics that may result from interactions with review or oversight groups such as the Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board and the National Research Council of the National Academies. Work in this area will consider the ongoing investigation of the potential repository site by DOE or other applicant, the State, and other parties, the regulatory program of the NRC, and rulemaking and related activities of the Environmental Protection Agency. Regulatory analysis support shall be conducted, as necessary, in each of the broad areas of: geologic setting; engineered barrier systems; interim storage and transportation; repository design, construction and operations; performance assessment; performance confirmation; EAs; and related disciplines.

i) Public Outreach Support – (related to a technical special competency)

The expertise and support provided in the public outreach includes but is not limited to: (1) development of briefing materials, Web sites, brochures, and other communication devices; (2) planning, organizing, and conducting stakeholder outreach meetings and informal interaction; (3) supporting environmental impact statement, rulemaking, and other NRC-led communication and scoping sessions;

(4) communicating complex technical issues within the context of regulations and environmental impacts; (5) providing independent, objective, and transparent advice and counsel on regulatory decision-making; (6) assessing and responding to public comments on a wide variety of issues throughout the nuclear fuel cycle;

(7) assessing the evolution of governmental agency and public stakeholder attitudes regarding public outreach, including lessons learned from public outreach meetings;

and (8) comparative evaluations of effectiveness of various communications methods and media used to convey information to the public.

j) CNWRA Infrastructure Activities (included in Overhead)

The expertise and support provided in this area includes, but is not limited to the

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development and implementation of necessary administrative, financial, management, and quality assurance procedures and practices needed to successfully operate an FFRDC. Activities will encompass: (1) providing management and technical support; (2) retaining information management systems (IMS) records; (3) developing and sustaining technical, analytical, and regulatory capabilities; (4) assisting the NRC with its knowledge management program and conducting related activities at the CNWRA; (5) hiring, training, and retaining staff;

(6) developing and maintaining operations plans and management plans (including a staffing plan); (7) conducting strategic planning studies, including analyses of alternative approaches; (8) conducting internal quality assurance; and (9) complying with the Federal Information Security Management Act. Meaning, specifically that CCNWRA management and staff shall comply with the National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST) Special Publication (SP) 800-18, Revision 1, “Guide for Developing Security Plans for Information Technology Systems”; NIST SP 800-53, Revision 3,“Recommended Security Controls for Federal Information Systems”; and NRC Management Directive 12.5, “NRC Automated Information Systems Security Program.”

k) External and Internal Quality Assurance

The expertise and support provided in the area of external quality assurance includes, but is not limited to: (1) performing observations and audits of NRC licenses; (2) conducting quality assurance onsite visits and verifications; (3) providing expert advice to NRC staff on its annual updates of the QA Review Plan and technical positions on quality assurance; and (4) reviewing licensee management control documents and revisions to previously approved quality assurance plans for licensee program participants and contractors. The expertise and support provided in the area of internal quality assurance includes, but is not limited to:

(1) establishing and maintaining a QA program that meets the requirements of applicable NRC regulations; (2) developing and providing QA training for CNWRA, subcontractor, and consultant staff; (3) conducting a surveillance program aimed at early detection and prevention of non-conformances; (4) performing observation(s) and audit(s) of the CNWRA QA program using staff from SwRI augmented by external consultants, as needed; (5) implementing a vigorous, timely corrective action program; (6) providing expert QA advice to CNWRA staff on effective implementation of the QA program in all its activities; and (7) assisting NRC staff in QA observations audits, plant walk throughs, and independent audits of licensee facilities.

l) HLW Licensing Support System (LSS), Electronic Information Exchange, and

Other NRC Licensing Support Systems

(1) project management support for the licensing support system (e.g., evaluation of

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issues related to design, development, quality assurance, and operation of the licensing support system); (2) assistance in development of procedures and standards for the submission of documentary materials, including compliance evaluation and protocols for access to technical data; (3) maintenance and implementation of licensing support system guidance documents; (4) support related to licensing support system workload processing, distribution, and volume assessment; and (5) support related to the Electronic Information Exchange.

m) Inspections and Audits—Inspection Program Related to Geologic Repository, Interim Storage, Reprocessing, or Other Potential Sites and other NWPA-Related Programs

(1) developing NRC Inspection Procedures; (2) developing and implementing spreadsheets, databases, and other tools to support efficient inspections and provide a basis for follow up and closure of identified issues; (3) preparing requests for additional information and supporting NRC staff development of inspection findings;

(4) providing subject matter experts to support inspections and audits of DOE or other licensee geologic repository, interim storage, reprocessing, and other NWPA-related programs and facilities; and (5) reviewing and evaluating technical issues associated with safe construction and operation of those facilities. Work involving contractor support and participation on an inspection such as preparing for the inspection, performing the inspection, and preparing the input for the inspection report shall be in accordance with applicable NRC manual chapters and inspection procedures. Subject matter expertise includes, but is not limited to, civil engineering, chemical and process engineering, construction and manufacturing, geotechnical engineering (including foundation and slope stability analysis), materials engineering, nuclear engineering, and allied fields.

n) Interim Storage and Extended Storage

(1) review and evaluation of technical issues and design considerations associated with the licensing of NWPA-related spent fuel storage casks and facilities, including extended storage facilities at and away from nuclear power reactors; (2) review, evaluation, and assistance in certification of NWPA-related storage packages;

(3) review, evaluation, and assistance in certification of dual- and multiple-purpose spent fuel storage and transportation packages, including those that may be used as part of the DOE transportation, aging and disposal (TAD) spent fuel management program; (4) review and evaluation of selected DOE or other licensee NWPA-related plans and reports; (5) technical feasibility assessments; (6) policy issues and strategic planning studies, as well as environmental, socioeconomic, institutional, and legal analyses applied to NWPA waste storage issues and the waste management program; and (7) assistance in associated public outreach and communication activities.

o) Spent Fuel and Radioactive Waste Transportation

(1) review, evaluation, and assistance in certification of NWPA-related transportation packages; (2) review, evaluation and assistance in certification of dual- and multiple-purpose spent fuel storage and transportation packages, to the extent that at least one of the purposes is transportation; (3) review and evaluation of selected DOE or other licensee NWPA-related transportation plans and reports, including route selection, risk, physical security, and the like; (4) technical feasibility assessments related to transportation and transportation systems, such as single-and multi-mode options, non-standard (e.g., heavy haul) systems, etc.;

(5) transportation policy issues and strategic planning studies, as well as environmental, socioeconomic, institutional and legal analyses applied to NWPA waste transportation issues; and (6) assistance in associated public outreach and communication activities.

p) Performance Confirmation

(1) review and evaluation of related DOE or other licensee NWPA-related plans and reports; (2) independent studies on related topics to support NRC evaluations and decisions; and (3) analysis of related policy issues.

q) NWPA-Related Reviews of Non-HLW Determinations

The expertise and support provided in this area includes, but is not limited to CNWRA supporting NRC activities under the Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2005 (NDAA) Section 3116, or interagency agreements with the Department of Energy to provide technical reviews of their Order 435.1 non-HLW determinations. Activities under this area may include, but are not limited to: (1) review DOE’s technical analysis and associated documentation related to their non-HLW determinations; (2) provide input to NRC staff for requests for additional information; (3) provide support in the development of Technical Evaluation Reports; (4) provide support to NRC in its monitoring role, including reviewing monitoring reports, assisting in the development of NRC monitoring plans, participating in on-site audits at DOE facilities, providing input to compliance reports; (5) supporting investigation of generic topics and development of guidance on implementing the NRC responsibilities; (6) provide enhancements to the modeling capability with the GoldSim (a registered trademark of GoldSim Technology Group, LLC) performance assessment software and related work; and

(7) assist in the analysis of cross-cutting technical issues and development of multiagency material.

r) Other Nuclear Waste Policy Act-Related Programs

As the national waste management program, as currently defined in the NWPA and Energy Policy Act, continues to evolve, the staff expects other NWPA-related program needs to emerge. Staff anticipates these needs to require expertise and experience in several of the areas defined here for existing programs. Although specific new skills may be required from time to time (e.g., to address possible deep borehole disposal, novel reprocessing technologies, specific materials for storage and transportation systems), these requirements are expected to be encompassed within the broadly defined areas of special competency already defined. If entirely new areas are identified, these will be added, as needed.

s) Knowledge Management

The expertise and support provided in the knowledge capture and knowledge management area includes but is not limited to: (1) developing approaches and methods to capture, retain, and retrieve past, current, and future materials;

(2) examining approaches to and implementing communities of practice in selected areas; (3) preparing appropriate training materials; (4) planning, organizing, and conducting training and implementation sessions; and (5) assessing effectiveness of knowledge management activities and recommending improvements.

t) Assist the Commission in Responding to the Fukushima Incident

The expertise and support provided in this area includes, but is not limited to, Natural Hazard Assessments. For example, assisting NRC staff with developing and using approaches to address certain aspects of the seismic hazard, flooding hazard, and other natural hazards reviews associated with responses from all existing Nuclear Power Plant Licensees following issuance of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) 50.54(f) letters associated with the Japan Lessons-Learned Recommendations 2.1 and 2.3.

Other activities under this area may include, but are not limited to, examining the current methods and possible need to improve methods to estimate low-probability, high-consequence seismic events. Examples of these activities include, but are not limited to the following: (1) developing improved understanding of the full range of earthquake probability and magnitude for nuclear power plant (NPP) and spent nuclear fuel SNF) storage sites; (2) reassessing seismic hazards at reactors in known regions of seismicity and near faults; (3) developing improved understanding of low and very low-probability but high-consequence hazards, including residual seismic hazards immediately following a large earthquake; (4) considering long-term

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implications of changing climate and severe weather events that may negatively affect nuclear facilities (e.g., Category 5 hurricanes, 500- or 1000-year floods, loss of “freeboard” between ocean and plant site, hurricane-related storm surges, F5 or even F6 tornadoes); (5) considering other unusual natural events such as volcanic eruptions, tsunamis resulting from submarine landslides, methane hydrate-induced tsunami events (which could become important with climate change raising ocean water temperature); and (6) evaluating flooding and debris transport resulting from tsunamis (i.e., numerically simulate tsunami-generated transport of debris and floodwater, particularly the time-phased propagation (e.g., run-up) and pathway estimation).

4. NRC proposes allowing the CNWRA to provide technical assistance in each of the areas of special competency defined in number 6 above. As established by the specifics of any particular contract, the CNWRA will provide all necessary personnel, materials, equipment, facilities, and other services to assure timely execution of its responsibilities. The types of work anticipated include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Regulatory Analysis

Technical assistance in all aspects of regulatory analysis, including but not limited to development of statutory and regulatory frameworks for complex engineering projects subject to review or certification by one or more regulatory agencies; specification and design of related software and databases; development of regulations; testing consistency of regulations; and development of guidance documents.

• Geochemistry and Radiochemistry

Technical assistance in all aspects of geochemistry and radiochemistry, including sorption, ion exchange, and reactive transport. Development, modification, implementation, and utilization of codes and methods for predicting geochemical and radiochemical processes, including interactions among fluids, rock, and engineered materials. Stable and radioactive isotope geochemistry and related age-dating techniques.

• Geology and Geophysics

Technical assistance in all aspects of the geological sciences. Seismology and seismic risk assessment; geophysical measurements, including electrical, gravity, ground-penetrating radar, magnetic, and other methods, and their application in interpreting deep geophysical measurements and deep geological structures; remote sensing, including satellite and aerial platform based measurements such as side-looking airborne radar (SAR) in various forms; structural geology, including its application to petroleum and alternative energy sources; tectonics and 3-D structural modeling;

volcanology, probabilistic volcanic hazard analyses; igneous processes; and

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geostatistics. Development, implementation, and utilization of models, codes, and databases, including geographical information systems (GIS) and global positioning systems (GPS), for a wide range of geological and related engineering problems.

• Health Physics

Technical assistance in all aspects of health physics, radiation health physics, and operational health physics. Shielding calculations and evaluations related to all aspects of the nuclear fuel cycle. Development, modification, and application of computer codes and other tools to assess exposure pathways, including inhalation, ingestion, and external exposure), related toxicological effects, and associated risks assessment.

Radiation monitoring and radiological contamination instrumentation, including their application throughout the nuclear fuel cycle. Review, interpretation, and evaluation of historical exposure data and implications to prompt and prolonged effects of radiation exposure.

• Hydrology and Climatology

Technical assistance in all aspects of surface and subsurface hydrology, including geological influences on flow and transport of water, contaminants, natural gas, oil, and the like. Assessment of hazards associated with surface water storage and impoundments (dams), flooding, storm surge, tsunamis in coastal regions, etc.

Evaluation of climate change and the effects of climate change on nuclear fuel cycle facilities and operations including, but not limited to, how long-term climate changes may affect long-term storage and disposal systems. Development, modification, implementation, and utilization of models, codes, and databases pertinent to hydrological, hydrogeological, and climatological processes, including those dealing with multiphase flow processes.

• Chemical Engineering

Technical assistance in all aspects of chemistry and chemical engineering. Evaluation of nuclear fuel cycle facility operations, processes, and systems. Development and use of integrated safety analysis (ISA), probabilistic risk assessment (PRA), and other techniques to evaluate internal and external hazards and their effects on facility safety, as well as potential effects of facilities on public health and safety and the environment.

Development, implementation, and utilization of models, codes, and databases for a wide range of chemical and process engineering problems.

• Civil Engineering

Technical assistance in all aspects of civil engineering, including foundations, structure

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design, hazard and risk assessments, construction, and operation of nuclear fuel cycle facilities. Evaluations of infrastructure associated with storage, transportation, and disposal of radioactive wastes. Evaluation of structures, systems, and components important to safety, as well as balance of plant for nuclear fuel cycle facility operations, processes, and systems. Development and use of ISA, PRA, and other techniques to evaluate internal and external hazards and their effects on facility safety, as well as potential effects of facilities on public health and safety and the environment.

Development, implementation, and utilization of models, codes, and databases for a wide range of chemical and process engineering problems.

• Computational Fluid Dynamics

Technical assistance in all aspects of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to nuclear fuel cycle activities and licensing actions. Evaluation of nuclear fuel cycle facility processes, including heat, fluid, and mass flows, and how these are affected by operational conditions. Evaluation of current and proposed nuclear fuel cycle facilities. Development and use of CFD and other techniques to evaluate internal and external processes and their effects on facility safety. Development, implementation, and utilization of models, codes, and databases for a wide range of nuclear engineering problems.

• Environmental Sciences/Engineering

Technical assistance in all aspects of environmental sciences and environmental engineering related to facilities and operations throughout the nuclear fuel cycle.

Comprehensive assessment of all aspects of potential environmental impacts, as delineated in National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Integration of NEPA actions with safety reviews and evaluations. Evaluation of long-term, cumulative, and interactive effects of existing or proposed nuclear fuel cycle facilities between proposed and nearby facilities. Development, modification, implementation, and utilization of models, codes, and databases pertinent to features, events, and processes affecting the environment.

• Material Sciences and Corrosion Engineering

Technical assistance in all aspects of corrosion science, corrosion engineering, electrochemistry, material sciences and material engineering, waste processing and waste vitrification, process engineering, ceramic engineering and glass sciences, welding, and fabrication. Development, modification, implementation, and utilization of models, codes, and databases in such areas as material life prediction, specification of materials for applications, and reliability analysis. Evaluation of aging and degradation of metallic and nonmetallic materials in a wide range of applications under diverse environmental conditions or variable time periods pertinent to license and license renewal activities.

• Mechanical and Facilities Engineering

Technical assistance in all aspects of civil, electrical, facilities, fire protection, mechanical, and nuclear engineering. Implementation and utilization of models, codes, and databases in these areas. Review and evaluation of facility and equipment design, shielding, ventilation, power distribution, and health physics aspects of nuclear and non-nuclear facilities.

• Rock Mechanics, Geotechnical, and Mining Engineering

Technical assistance in all aspects of design, design reviews, stability analyses, and engineering evaluations of surface and subsurface structures, including foundations, slopes, mines, tunnels, shafts, and deep boreholes. Interface and integration between engineering and geosciences through geological engineering expertise. Development, modification, implementation, and utilization of models, codes, and databases in these and related areas, include coupled thermal, mechanical, and hydrological processes.

• Nuclear Engineering, Including Criticality

Technical assistance in all aspects of nuclear engineering, including shielding, neutronics, and criticality analyses. Evaluation of nuclear fuel cycle facility operations, processes, and systems. Assessment of nuclear engineering aspects of current and next-generation nuclear power production, reprocessing, and waste management facilities, including the effects of proposed changes to design or operation, and component and system aging. Development and use of ISA, PRA, and other techniques to evaluate internal and external hazards and their effects on facility safety in the area of nuclear engineering, as well as potential effects of facilities on public health and safety and the environment. Development, implementation, and utilization of models, codes, and databases for a wide range of nuclear engineering problems.

• Performance and Risk Assessment

Technical assistance in all aspects of performance, risk, and hazard assessment and analysis, including deterministic and probabilistic risk assessment, integrated safety analysis, and performance assessment techniques and methods. Development, modification, implementation, and utilization of models, codes, and databases in these and related areas including dose and pathways analyses. Geostatistics, sensitivity, uncertainty, and probability analyses. These specialized capabilities can be applied to analyses related to all elements of the nuclear fuel cycle. This includes, but is not limited to, storage or disposal of other radioactive wastes (i.e., other than high-level waste) and chemically hazardous wastes, assessments of siting critical facilities in areas of natural/geological hazards where deterministic and/or probabilistic assessments of performance are required, and other risk and hazard assessments. Although predominantly based in numerical modeling, the CNWRA’s special competency in PA, PRA, and ISA includes appropriate laboratory and field investigation skills that can be

OFFICIAL USE ONLY – SENSITIVE INTERNAL INFORMATION

employed to calibrate and qualify numerical models for use in solving complex geological problems. Performance assessment also includes hydrologic transport, operational health physics, and nuclear engineering.

• Quality Assurance

Technical assistance in all aspects of quality assurance. Establishing and maintaining QA programs, including associated QA training, surveillance, and audits. Experience in traditional, performance-based, and scientific oversight QA programs.

• Structural Geology

Technical assistance in all aspects of the specialized area of structural geology within the geological sciences. Conduct seismological and seismic risk assessments; make and evaluate geophysical measurements and interpretations made by licensees; evaluate stratigraphic and structural geological aspects of sites and surrounding areas that could affect safety design, construction, operation, closure, and post-closure performance of nuclear fuel cycle facilities. Development, implementation, and utilization of models, codes, and databases in the area of structural geology to a wide range of geological and related engineering problems.

• Systems Engineering

Technical assistance in all aspects of the broad area of systems engineering.

Development and application of operations research, systems analysis, systems engineering and integration, and systems simulation to various aspects of the nuclear fuel cycle. Development of methods, plans, processes, and procedures to ensure consideration of diverse interacting systems, processes, and events in regulatory reviews and evaluations. Development of regulatory tools including, but not limited to, databases, spreadsheets, review plans, format and content guides, and informal directions and guidance. Coordination of analyses of policy, environmental, socioeconomic, institutional, and legal matters associated with NWPA waste management and other fuel cycle facility regulatory programs.

• Volcanology

Technical assistance in all aspects of the specialized area of volcanology within the geological sciences. Conduct volcanological site and risk assessments for all types of volcanic activity that could affect risk and performance; evaluate geophysical, laboratory, age-dating, and information and analyses made by licensees; evaluate current and past volcanological aspects of sites and surrounding areas that could affect safety design, construction, operation, closure, and post-closure performance of nuclear fuel cycle facilities. Development, implementation, and utilization of models, codes, and

OFFICIAL USE ONLY – SENSITIVE INTERNAL INFORMATION

databases in the area of volcanology for a wide range of geological and related engineering problems.

5. Accordingly, this is a class justification which will allow the NRC to place work at the

CNWRA from time to time outside its charter, but within its areas of special competency, to maintain essential capabilities at the CNWRA. When specific projects are identified, the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) will follow the ordering procedures addressed in the “Fact Sheet For Use of NRC Enterprise-Wide Contract (EWC) For: Technical Assistance & Research (TAR) CNWRA Work-For-Others (WFO)” available in NEAT.

6. The Work for Others Committee (WFOC) of the Center Review Group will review the proposed work in accordance with the procedures. The NRC Center program manager will be responsible for determining the areas of special competency which apply to the specific project and for stating how placement of that specific work at the CNWRA will enable the CNWRA to maintain essential capabilities to support NRC’s waste management program and other charter efforts. This information will be included in the recommendation memorandum which the NRC Center program manager, or the NRC Center deputy program manager and under), submits to the NRC contracting officer. Final approval for placing work for others at the CNWRA will be made by the NRC contracting officer after consultation with OGC.

7. Synopsis or Other Efforts to Solicit Sources: According to FAR 5.202(a)(10), a synopsis is not required because the proposed contract action is made under conditions described in FAR 6.302-3. Pursuant to FAR 5.301.(a), the contract awards shall be published in the Government Point of Entry.

8. Market Research: Much of the work to be performed under this class justification may be available from other sources. Due to the nature of this exception to full and open competition, staff does not anticipate that the NRC will consider other sources for award.

9. Fair and Reasonable Cost: To ensure that the cost to the Government for these services will be fair and reasonable, a separate cost analysis will be performed by the contracting officer at the time an individual modification/contract/task order is negotiated.