RFP - PAB Liquid Argon Dewar Lease and Filling

Fermi Forward Discovery Group, LLC (FermiForward), operating Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory under Department of Energy contract, is soliciting proposals for liquid argon dewar lease and filling services to support the Proton Assembly Building. The procurement calls for leasing a 3,000-5,000 liter liquid argon dewar rated for 250 psig maximum allowable working pressure and providing high-purity liquid argon (99.999% minimum purity) at an average consumption rate of 745 cubic feet per month. Offerors must demonstrate compliance with multiple ASME codes and standards for pressure vessels, relief devices, piping, and filling operations, maintain pressure and level transmitters compatible with FNAL's PLC system, and deliver liquid argon meeting strict purity specifications within three days of notice while maintaining minimum liquid levels above 400 gallons. The evaluation will employ a Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) methodology, assessing proposals on three factors: Technical acceptability based on compliance with specifications, Price completeness and reasonableness, and Responsibility verification of financial capability and performance history. The RFP closes on February 26, 2026, at 3:00 PM CST, with proposals to be submitted via email to bhopkins@fnal.gov; pricing must remain valid for a minimum of 90 calendar days from the due date.

This procurement includes no set-aside designations and identifies no incumbent contractor. The contract is structured as a Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) subcontract with a two-year base period (March 1, 2026, through February 28, 2028) and three optional one-year renewal periods extending through February 28, 2031, resulting in a potential five-year contract period. The pricing schedule establishes four line items: delivery of 17,880 Hundred Cubic Feet (CCF) of liquid argon during the base period (with 8,940 CCF annually in option years), monthly dewar rental fees for 24 months in the base period and 12 months per option year, and hazmat and delivery fees occurring 24 times during the base period and 12 times per option year. The place of performance is Batavia, Illinois, where the dewar will be positioned on an existing concrete pad outside the Proton Assembly Building on the Fermilab campus. Prospective offerors without current Fermilab facility badges must submit an Access Request Form at least four weeks prior to installation, with U.S. citizenship preferred and access contingent upon citizenship status verification.