Request for Information: Supply of Liquid Argon to Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility (Lead, South Dakota)

The Department of Energy's Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, through Fermi Forward Discovery Group LLC (FFDG), is issuing a Request for Information (RFI) for the supply of liquid argon to support the Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility (LBNF) project located in Lead, South Dakota. The procurement seeks significant quantities of high-purity liquid argon for neutrino detectors, with strict quality specifications requiring argon containing no more than 5 ppm water, 5 ppm oxygen, 10 ppm nitrogen, and 1 ppm total hydrocarbons. Interested vendors must respond to the RFI by January 30, 2026, addressing their supply capabilities, delivery logistics, cost estimates, and ability to meet the project's technical and purity requirements. The RFI is part of FFDG's market research and acquisition planning process, with an anticipated Request for Proposal (RFP) to be issued in Q4 2026, followed by subcontract placement by Q4 2027 and liquid argon deliveries commencing in Q1 2029. Responses should be submitted electronically to jeremyd@fnal.gov, and potential suppliers are encouraged to propose exceptions to the draft contract terms, which will be based on Fermilab's General Terms and Conditions for Supplies at SURF, subject to final approval by FFDG's Office of General Counsel.

This procurement includes no set-aside designations and involves no identified incumbent contractors. The project requires approximately 797,416,695 standard cubic feet (approximately 37,400 metric tons) of liquid argon for the initial detectors, with potential expansion to an additional 801,680,955 scf (approximately 37,600 metric tons) should Detectors 3 and 4 receive Department of Energy authorization. FFDG plans to issue an Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) subcontract, potentially with multiple suppliers, to provide flexibility in meeting the project's long-term supply needs. The receiving and storage infrastructure will include four 50-cubic-meter storage tanks capable of holding 280 tons of liquid argon, supporting approximately 3.5 to 4 days of supply at an anticipated consumption rate of 70 tons per day. While the site does not have direct rail access, rail transportation is available within 100 miles, and the delivery facility is accessible via Mill Street Grade at Lead, South Dakota.