01.WIPP C2CE Final RFQ cover letter to Interested Parties.pdf

April 18, 2024

To: Interested Parties

CARBON POLLUTION-FREE ELECTRICITY PROJECT(S) AT THE WASTE

ISOLATION PILOT PLANT SITE – FINAL REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

This letter hereby serves as the official notice to interested parties and prospective offerors that the Department of Energy (DOE) is releasing the Final Request for Qualifications (RFQ) pertaining to a Realty Agreement for Carbon Pollution-Free Electricity (CFE) Project(s) at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Site. The Final RFQ can be found on the accompanying website (https://www.energy.gov/em/em-clean-energy-land-reuse) and on

SAM.gov.

Questions pertaining to the Final RFQ shall be submitted in writing to the following email address: EMCleanEnergy@em.doe.gov no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, April 22, 2024. Prospective Offerors shall use the enclosed “Industry Comment Template” when submitting questions. In order for a thorough and timely response to all questions, Prospective Offerors are encouraged to submit questions pertaining to the Final RFQ as early as possible, but no later than the date shown above. DOE will post amendments issued to the

Final RFQ to SAM.gov. Additional information (including responses to questions and official communication related to this solicitation) will be available on the EM Cleanup to

Clean Energy website (https://www.energy.gov/em/em-clean-energy-land-reuse).

The established due date for receipt of proposal submission is May 15, 2024.

Background

The DOE contemplates issuing a Realty Agreement for CFE Project(s) at the WIPP Site by selecting one or more Qualified Offerors that will utilize the Property for the purposes set forth in the RFQ. This is not a Government procurement covered by the Federal

Acquisition Regulations, but is rather a private and/or public (non-federally funded) project on Federal land. The Realty Agreement with the Government is ultimately for the purpose of installation, maintenance, and operation of a 200+ MW CFE generation facility and its interconnection with the local public electric utility system. The anticipated Realty

Agreement duration will include three periods – development, construction, and initial operations, consistent with commercial best practices for the proposed project type.

https://www.energy.gov/em/em-clean-energy-land-reuse https://www.energy.gov/em/em-clean-energy-land-reuse

Interested Parties -2-

DOE is pursuing a competitive, qualifications-based RFQ for selection of the Offeror(s) representing the best return with least risk to the Government. The selected project(s) will be determined based on four Consideration Factors (Project Description; Return to the

Government; Capability and Experience; and Project Plan and Schedule). The selection will include a 2-step process, whereby negotiations will commence after the Government completes the evaluation and ranking of the submitted offers/proposals and provides written notice to those Offeror(s) determined to be Qualified Offeror(s).

On February 27, 2024, DOE released a Request for Information (RFI), seeking input from industry partners who might be interested in developing commercial clean energy projects on DOE land at the WIPP Site in southeast New Mexico. The RFI comment period closed on March 20. DOE also hosted a WIPP Cleanup to Clean Energy information day on

March 17 at the Carlsbad Field Office in Carlsbad, NM. DOE considered all comments received from the RFI process and the WIPP information day before finalizing the RFQ.

Interested offerors should submit proposals to: EMCleanEnergy@em.doe.gov no later than

11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, May 15, 2024.

In order to further the Government’s policy of maximizing electronic commerce, electronic media will be the primary method of communication regarding this procurement. The Final

RFQ and amendments issued will be posted on SAM.gov. Additional information

(including responses to questions and official communication related to this solicitation) will be available on the EM Cleanup to Clean Energy website

(https://www.energy.gov/em/em-clean-energy-land-reuse). Interested Parties/Prospective

Offerors shall be responsible for reviewing the website regularly for information, notices, and updates regarding the Final RFQ.

DOE intends to answer all questions pertaining to the Final RFQ as thoroughly and efficiently as possible and looks forward to receiving proposals in response to the Final

RFQ.

Sincerely, Larry Kelly, MBA, RECO, CRS

Realty Officer/Asset Management Division

U.S. Department of Energy

Environmental Management Consolidated Business Center

Enclosures:

Final RFQ (with Appendices A - F)

Industry Comment Matrix mailto:EMCleanEnergy@em.doe.gov https://www.energy.gov/em/em-clean-energy-land-reuse