RAD_RFI_1.pdf

Request for Information – Decommissioning of Radioactive Laboratory and Wet Lab Space.

The U.S. Department of Interior (DOI), US Geological Survey (USGS), is issuing this Request for Information (RFI) as a means of conducting market research to identify parties having an interest in, experience, and the resources to support this requirement for the potential need for services. The USGS Upper Midwest Sciences Center (UMESC) in La Crosse, Wisconsin, has a need for the decommissioning of its radioactive laboratory and wet lab space. This is not an announcement of a Solicitation.

In accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 52.215-3, Request for Information for Solicitation and Planning Purposes (October 1997), this notice is issued solely for information and planning purposes. It does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP). The DOI, USGS intends to assess the responses to include in its decision-making. This notice is not to be construed as a commitment by the government to contract for services. The government will not pay for any information provided as a result of this notice and will not recognize or reimburse any cost associated with RFI submission. Responses to this RFI will not affect a potential offeror's ability to respond to any RFP that might follow. Please ensure that any sensitive or protected information is marked as such, as this information will be kept confidential except as provided by law.

Background

The UMESC Radiochemistry Laboratory conducted research to support general new drug development and registration of piscicides and aquaculture drugs. Most research involved organism exposures, sample processing, and analysis of Carbon-14 (C-14) radiological isotopes.

Designated wet lab space was used for radiolabeled chemical exposure areas. The USGS is required to clean all areas where radiological materials were used or stored before returning the laboratories back to general use. Some of these laboratories have been completely renovated and were surveyed clean before renovation initiated. These laboratories have been cleared for general use for other than radiological uses and shall be surveyed in accordance with the Multi-Agency Radiation Survey and Site Investigation Manual (MARSSIM) decommissioning surveys.

MARSSIM was developed to ensure surveys are conducted with the proper rigor, quality assurance, and statistical analysis to make proper decisions.

The purpose of this RFI is to receive information from qualified entities with a potential interest in the decommissioning of radioactive laboratories and wet lab space.

The working hypothesis of MARSSIM is that all impacted areas being evaluated for release have a reasonable potential for radioactive contamination above the derived concentration guideline levels (DCGL). This initial assumption means that all areas are initially considered Class 1 areas unless some basis for reclassification as non-impacted, Class 3, or Class 2 is provided.

• Class 1 areas are areas that have, or had prior to remediation, a potential for radioactive contamination (based on site operating history) or known contamination (based on previous radiological surveys).

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CFR-2000-title48-vol2/pdf/CFR-2000-title48-vol2-sec52-215-3.pdf

• Class 2 areas are areas that have, or had prior to remediation, a potential for radioactive contamination or known contamination, but are not expected to exceed the DCGLw.

• Class 3 areas are any impacted areas that are not expected to contain any residual radioactivity or are expected to contain levels of residual radioactivity at a small fraction of the DCGLw, based on site operating history and previous radiological surveys.

Per the USGS Radioisotope license 05-01399-08, Attachment 10.6b REV 2, the following Guidelines for Deactivating a Radioisotope Utilization Permit shall be followed.

For areas to be released to unrestricted use, contaminated facilities and equipment must be disposed of as radioactive waste, transferred to another authorized storage/use location, or decontaminated to unrestricted release levels in accordance with the guidance in Consolidated Decommissioning Guidance: Decommissioning Process for Materials Licensees (NUREG-1757, Volume 1, Revision 2) Appendix B Screening Values.

If necessary, site-specific screening values will be developed in accordance with NRC guidance and approved by the NRC prior to release.

Radiochemistry Laboratory rooms B203, B202, B202A, B201 (including environmental chambers), B215, B215A, B215B, B210, B209, B208, B207, A204, A205, A205a, A205b, A206, A207, A212, A213, A213a, A112, A113, A113a, A114, A111a, B101, B105, B105a, B104, B103, B110, M214 (far west section) and RAD Bunker are known to have contained or used radiological materials and shall be surveyed as the appropriate survey units based on historical records. Total square footage estimated to be 14,011, +/- 200 sqft. The rationale for selecting the survey units shall be developed using the Data Quality Objectives Process and be fully documented (MARSSIM Section 4.6).

Known Radiological Contaminants of Concern include:

C-14 Carbon-14 Cr-51 Chromium-51 H-3 Hydrogen-3 (Tritium) I-125 Iodine-125

These materials comprise the known radioactive materials used in the labs. C-14 was the main radioactive material used and H-3, I-154, and Cr-53 were isotopes with minor use in the late 1980’s. The isotopes used possessed low to moderate activity levels. Radioactive material used in each room was location specific, but the entire room(s) shall be surveyed.

Scope of Services

Contractor shall decommission the laboratories by following the approved Final Status Survey Plan to completion in accordance with MARSSIM protocols and standards within 15 days (three business weeks) after the USGS approves the Final Status Survey Plan. This includes surveying equipment or items for radiation and either disposing or documenting and reporting to the USGS.

Once equipment or items have been reported with the level of contamination, they shall be disposed of by the contractor in accordance with all Federal, state, and local laws, statutes, regulations, and codes.

POCs

Travis Herberholz, Contract Specialist, therberholz@usgs.gov.

THERE IS NO SOLICITATION AT THIS TIME; therefore, do not request a copy of the solicitation. If a solicitation is released it shall be synopsized in SAM.gov website (https://sam.gov). It is the potential offerors’ responsibility to monitor these sites for the release of any solicitation or synopsis.

Submission of any information in response to this RFI is purely voluntary. Respondents will not be notified of the results of the evaluation. The result of this market research will contribute to determining the method of procurement.

Submittals

If your organization has the potential ability to meet this requirement, please provide the following information: 1) Organization name, address, email address, Web site address, telephone number, and size and type of ownership for the organization. 2) Tailored capability statements addressing the particulars of this effort, with appropriate documentation supporting claims of organizational and staff capability. If significant subcontracting or teaming is anticipated in order to deliver technical capability, organizations should address the administrative and management structure of such arrangements. 3) Scope of services. 4) Project schedule. 5) Rough order of magnitude cost separately for each of the proposed services. (Any expenses including travel, lodging and other reimbursable expenses shall be included in the fee for the proposed services.6) Examples of your team’s previous successful project (if available).

Evaluation

The government will evaluate market information to ascertain qualifications and potential market capacity to 1) provide services consistent in scope and scale with those described in this notice and otherwise anticipated; 2) secure and apply the full range of corporate financial, human capital, and technical resources required to successfully perform similar requirements; 3) implement a successful project management plan that includes: compliance with tight program schedules; cost containment; meeting and tracking performance; hiring and retention of key personnel and risk mitigation; and 4) provide services under a performance based service acquisition contract.

BASED ON THE RESPONSES TO THIS RFI, THIS REQUIREMENT MAY BE SET-ASIDE

FOR SMALL BUSINESSES OR PROCURED THROUGH FULL AND OPEN

COMPETITION, and multiple awards MAY be made. Telephone inquiries will not be accepted or acknowledged, and no feedback or evaluations will be provided to companies regarding their submissions.

Time of Response

Interested parties who consider themselves qualified to perform the above-listed services are required to provide a rough estimate of the cost, consisting of engineering cost; capital equipment cost, including installation; and operating cost. Please submit a response to this RFI by 5:00 PM ED on June 13, 2025. All responses under this RFI can be electronically submitted via e-mail to Travis Herberholz at therberholz@usgs.gov.