Forward Hadronic Calorimeter Absorber Structures

Brookhaven Science Associates, LLC (BSA), operating Brookhaven National Laboratory under a prime contract with the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science, is soliciting manufacturing and testing services for longitudinally segmented forward hadronic calorimeter (LFHCAL) steel absorber modules for the Electron-Ion Collider (EIC) detector. The contract requires contractors to manufacture precision-machined absorber structures made from AISI 1020 carbon steel with comprehensive quality assurance compliant with ISO 9001 standards, electron-beam welding capabilities, electroless nickel plating, and testing at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Key requirements include maintaining extremely tight dimensional tolerances (typically +/- 0.005 inches), providing detailed material certifications, implementing rigorous material traceability, and undergoing both acceptance testing at the contractor's facility and at Brookhaven National Laboratory. While the statement of work does not explicitly detail formal evaluation criteria in the pre-solicitation materials provided, the emphasis on ISO 9001 compliance, quality documentation, precision manufacturing capabilities, and testing competency indicates these will be critical assessment areas. The pre-solicitation notice was posted on January 12, 2026, with a due date of January 27, 2026, providing a 15-day window for submissions or questions from interested vendors.

This opportunity is designated as a Woman-Owned Small Business set-aside, limiting competition to firms meeting SBA size standards in this category. The initial contract scope includes manufacturing and testing five pre-production modules (a mix of 8M and 4M configurations) with delivery required within ten calendar weeks of contract award, with BSA evaluation of these units by week 16. The follow-on production phase includes potential manufacture of 645 8M steel absorber modules and optional additional modules comprising 416 8M and 72 4M configurations, with batch deliveries planned through week 130 from contract award, supporting completion of the detector assembly and installation in the EIC's Experimental Hall by 2029. Specific budget values are not disclosed in the pre-solicitation notice, though the substantial scope spanning pre-production units through multi-year production batches suggests a significant contract value. The work is classified under NAICS 332999 (All Other Miscellaneous Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing) and PSC 9640 (Iron and Steel Primary and Semifinished Products), indicating the technical nature of the steel fabrication and assembly requirements.