GRETA Shipping Insurance

The Department of Energy, through Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, is seeking shipping insurance for the Gamma Ray Energy Tracking Array (GRETA) instrument, a complex scientific device valued at $23.7 million. The solicitation (RFQ BZ-2025-06) requires insurance coverage for transporting GRETA from Berkeley, CA to the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams at Michigan State University, with transportation anticipated in late July to August 2025. Potential insurance providers must submit quotes by March 14, 2025, at 3:00pm Pacific Time, with questions due by March 7, 2025. Evaluation will be based on technical acceptability and lowest price, with award possible without discussions. The NAICS code for this opportunity is 524210 (Insurance Agencies and Brokerages), with a small business size standard of $15 million in annual receipts.

The shipment will involve six temperature-controlled trucks with air-ride suspension, carrying two hemisphere assemblies, electronics racks, computing racks, PLC cabinets, chillers, and other sensitive equipment totaling approximately 8 metric tons. No specific set-aside has been designated for this contract, making it open to all qualified vendors. The transportation requires point-to-point delivery with continuous personnel attendance and no load rearrangement, utilizing anticipated FedEx Custom Critical white glove service. The place of performance is primarily Berkeley, CA 94720, with the final destination being Michigan State University in East Lansing, MI. Insurance quotes should cover the total shipment value, with individual truck values ranging from $3.2 million to $5.4 million, and the Department of Energy has authorized this insurance acquisition to mitigate potential transportation risks for this decade-long development project.