Irradiator_Technology_Training_Sources_Sought_Notice-_FINAL.pdf

PART B: MARKET RESEARCH:

SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE –

Irradiator Technology Training Course

THE U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (NRC) is issuing this Sources Sought Synopsis as a means of conducting market research or as a market survey to determine the availability of potential qualified vendors with the technical capability to provide all management, supervision, administration, and labor to present a three and one-half day training course to NRC and Agreement State Staff on Irradiator Technology at the NRC’s Region IV (RIV) office in Arlington, Texas. The applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code assigned to this procurement is 611710, Education Support Services.

Successful accomplishment of the following tasks shall be determined by evaluating the results of a written final examination administered to students, and the written feedback provided by the students on course evaluation forms.

The specific services to be provided are:

1) Update the existing training materials for the NRC’s irradiator technology course (i.e., outline/schedule, exercises, manuals, exams, and presentation materials);

2) Conduct a three and a one-half day training course, 2-4 times per fiscal year, on NRC Irradiator Technology to NRC and Agreement State Staff at the NRC RIV office in Arlington, Texas;

The three and one-half day training course shall include two and one-half days of lectures and one day of tours/hands-on activities at an irradiator facility. Training shall be based on existing course materials, and shall include information on the design, operation and radiation safety aspects associated with industrial irradiators, with an emphasis on ANSI Category IV (pool-type) panoramic Irradiators. The expected maximum size of the class will be 12 students. The desired outcome of this training is for students to acquire a sufficient understanding of the operation of irradiators as necessary to ensure that licensees possess and use irradiators in a safe manner to protect the health and safety of workers and members of the public. This training shall also enable inspectors to become qualified in conducting inspections of licensee activities associated with industrial irradiators.

3) Provide transportation and access to an irradiator facility that is within a one-hour drive of the NRC RIV Office, for the NRC and Agreement State students attending the course.

The irradiator facility shall include an operational Category IV Pool-Type Co-60 Irradiator for student tours and demonstrations.

THERE IS NO SOLICITATION AT THIS TIME. This request for sources and vendor information does not constitute a request for proposal; submission of any information in response to this market survey is purely voluntary; the Government assumes no financial responsibility for any costs incurred.

The purpose of this announcement is to provide potential sources the opportunity to submit information regarding their capabilities to perform work for the NRC free of conflict of interest (COI). For information on NRC COI regulations, visit NRC Acquisition Regulation Subpart

2009.5 (http://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/contracting/48cfr-ch20.html).

All interested parties, including all categories of small businesses (small businesses, small disadvantaged businesses, 8(a) firms, women-owned small businesses, service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses, and HUBZone small businesses) are invited to submit a response. The capabilities package submitted by a vendor should demonstrate the firm's ability, capability, and responsibility to perform the principal components of work listed below.

The package should also include past performance/experience regarding projects of similar scope listing the project title, general description, the dollar value of the contract, and name of the company, agency, or government entity for which the work was performed.

Organizations responding to this market survey should keep in mind that only focused and pertinent information is requested. If significant subcontracting or teaming is anticipated in order to deliver technical capability, organizations should address the administrative and management structure of such arrangements. Submission of additional materials such as glossy brochures or videos is discouraged.

Background

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) inspects facilities of power reactor, non-power reactor, fuel cycle, and byproduct material licensees to determine whether these facilities are operating in accordance with regulations and license conditions, and to identify situations which might adversely affect the health and safety of the public.

In support of this mission and the NRC's responsibilities promulgated in the Atomic Energy Act, the NRC's Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer (OCHCO) provides training for NRC staff and Agreement State personnel to technically qualify inspectors and to keep staff informed of the regulatory and technological changes concerning the various licensed activities that they inspect. The objective of this contract is to provide a training course focused on the design and operation of industrial irradiator systems that contain licensed radioactive materials.

REQUIRED CAPABILITIES:

As part of the training, the contractor shall provide students with access to an operational panoramic irradiator (ANSI Category IV), including the irradiation room, the irradiator control console, and all associated safety equipment and monitors that are part of the irradiator system.

If available, the contractor will provide students with access to other types of irradiators as well (ANSI Categories I, II, and III). The contractor shall specifically schedule and conduct detailed tours and/or hands-on activities to permit students to familiarize themselves with the safe operation of these irradiators.

Students shall have access to the irradiator(s) during routine class hours, between 8:00a.m. to 4:30p.m. Central Daylight Time, Monday thru Friday except Federal holidays or when the facility is closed due to local or national emergencies, administrative closings, or similar Government direct facility closings. Students shall be closely supervised at all times and shall not be permitted to perform any activities which could result in a hazardous situation. Measureable exposure to radiation is not expected, but the contractor shall be prepared to furnish personnel monitoring equipment for attendees who do not have their own personnel dosimetry during tours of the irradiator(s), or when students observe radiation source storage areas.

The contractor shall provide round-trip transportation for students from the NRC Region IV office to any facilities used during the tours.

The contractor shall conduct all course activities in strict compliance with Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) or equivalent radiation control regulations. The material presented shall be in compliance with all NRC Regulations, policy, procedures and guidance.

The contractor shall provide a project manager who is responsible for the performance of the work under this contract. It is preferred that the project manager have at least five years of project management/contracting experience, and is familiar with the technical content of the training that is being developed and presented.

The contractor shall provide at least one technical staff that will revise/update the technical content of the training materials that are currently used for the Irradiator Technology Course.

These staff should have a minimum of five years of practical experience working at an operating Category IV industrial irradiator and should be familiar with all operating procedures and safety systems that are part of a typical Category IV irradiator. Course developers should also have a basic understanding of NRC regulatory requirements concerning irradiators. In addition, it is preferred that course developers have experience in developing irradiator training materials.

The contractor shall provide the technical staff that will present lectures during the Irradiator Training Course. Course instructors should have a minimum of five years of practical experience working at an operating Category IV industrial irradiator and should be familiar with all operating procedures and safety systems that are part of a typical Category IV irradiator.

Course instructors should also have a basic understanding of NRC regulatory requirements and technical guidance concerning irradiators. In addition, it is preferred that course instructors have experience in presenting irradiator training.

HOW TO RESPOND TO THIS SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE

If your organization has the capability and capacity to perform, as a prime contractor, one or more of the services described in this notice, then please respond to this notice and provide written responses to the following information. Please do not include any proprietary or otherwise sensitive information in the response, and do not submit a proposal.

Proposals submitted in response to this notice will not be considered.

1. Organization name, address, emails address, Web site address and telephone number.

2. What size is your organization with respect to NAICS code identified in this notice (i.e., "small" or "other than small")? If your organization is a small business under the aforementioned NAICS code, what type of small business (i.e., small disadvantaged business, woman-owned small business, economically disadvantaged woman-owned small business, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, 8(a), or HUBZone small business)? Specify all that apply.

3. Training location is anticipated at the NRC’s Region IV office in Arlington, Texas and the irradiator facility is within a one-hour drive of RIV.

4. Separately and distinctly describe which of the required capabilities listed above that your organization possesses and indicate your organization's role (prime contractor, first tier subcontractor, and/or supplier) in related contracts. Please also provide the contract number, contract type, customer name, address and point of contact phone number and email address, contract value, thorough description of supplies and services included in the scope of that contract, indication of how they differ from the required capabilities described in this notice, period of performance (for services) or delivery date (for products), and any other relevant information.

5. For Electronic and Information Technology (EIT) product offerings relevant to this requirement provide completed Voluntary Product Accessibility templates or other documentation that addresses compliance with the applicable standards (add website link) for those products. For any federal customers that your agency has provided information technology services within the required capabilities areas, indicate how your company complies with applicable Section 508 standards (see buyaccesible.gov).

6. For any federal customers that your agency has for the required capabilities, indicate how your company complies with applicable environmental laws and Federal regulations (See NRC’s Green Purchasing Plan at: http://pbadupws.nrc.gov/docs/ML1219/ML12191A130.pdf).

7. Indicate whether your organization offers any of the required capabilities described in this notice on one or more of your company's own Federal Government contracts (i.e., GSA Federal Supply Schedule contract or Government wide Acquisition Contracts) that the NRC could order from and, if so, which services are offered. Also, provide the contract number(s) and indicate what is currently available for ordering from each of those contract(s).

http://pbadupws.nrc.gov/docs/ML1219/ML12191A130.pdf

8. Provide a standard, non-proprietary commercial price list or similar standard non-proprietary commercial pricing information for how your company sells, as a prime contractor, required capabilities described in this notice that your organization has experience providing. Also, indicate what is included in that pricing.

9. Is your organization currently performing or have in the past performed same or similar services as those listed above for any of the licensees regulated by the NRC? If so, which licensees? See http://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/regulatory/licensing.html for more information on NRC licensing.

10. Has your organization previously faced organizational conflict of interest issues with NRC? If so, what were they and how were they mitigated or resolved?

Interested organizations responding to this Sources Sought Synopsis are encouraged to structure capability statements in the order of the area of consideration noted above. All capability statements sent in response to this notice must be submitted electronically, via e-mail, to Fatima Shuler, Contract Specialist at Fatima.Shuler@nrc.gov, either MS Word or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), by 3:00pm (EST) October 28, 2016.

DISCLAIMER AND NOTES: Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization’s potential capability and capacity to perform the subject work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a pre-solicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in Federal Business Opportunities. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation.