HBRR Common Guide (Design, manufacturing, and shipping)

The Department of Energy, through Oak Ridge National Laboratory, is soliciting proposals for the design, manufacturing, and shipping of HFIR Common Guides (RFP PR441981) for the High Flux Isotope Reactor's Beryllium Reflector Replacement project. The procurement encompasses design and layout of new guides, manufacturing of six guide segments with super-mirror neutron guide surfaces featuring Nickel-Titanium nano-layer coatings, and shipping services, with optional installation support available. Key requirements include meeting specific coating specifications with defined reflectivity m-value parameters, surface roughness tolerances, dimensional accuracy standards, and strict quality assurance protocols involving material testing, dimensional inspections, and coating performance validation. Technical evaluation will prioritize the manufacturing and fabrication plan, technical and project management capabilities, demonstrated experience with at least one successfully completed similar project within five years, and the contractor's Quality Assurance program. Proposals must be submitted by March 31, 2026, with questions due by March 23, 2026; the anticipated performance period runs from May 25, 2026, through September 30, 2028.

This is a Firm Fixed Price contract with no small business set-aside designation. The NAICS classification is 332710 (Machine Shops), and no incumbent contractor is identified in the solicitation. The specific award value or budget range is not disclosed in the available documents. Guide assembly must occur within vacuum chambers at temperatures below 20°F (-10°C), and all deliverables must be shipped by U.S. citizens, with foreign nationals prohibited from delivering items onsite. Additional compliance requirements include adherence to the Price-Anderson Amendments Act nuclear safety requirements and detailed import documentation procedures for foreign materials, including ISF filing 72 hours prior to ocean vessel departure. The place of performance is Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, where the High Flux Isotope Reactor facility is located and managed by UT-Battelle LLC under Department of Energy contract.