Sources Sought for Radioanalytical Laboratory Services for Decommissioning Sites

THE U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (NRC) is issuing this Sources Sought Synopsis as a means of conducting market research or as a market survey to determine the availability of potential qualified vendors with the technical capability to provide all management, supervision, administration, labor, equipment, and supplies, for technical support and independent verification work in the form of radioanalytical laboratory services for the analysis of samples from nuclear materials, non-power reactor, power reactor, fuel, uranium recovery facilities, and complex decommissioning sites. Services are to be performed at the Contractor’s facility.

BACKGROUND

The NRC conducts routine and special inspections of NRC-licensed sites undergoing decommissioning in support of their mission. During these inspections, surveys are performed, and samples are collected by NRC to determine the radiological status and provide an independent verification of the radiological condition of the site and the licensee’s capability to make accurate and reliable radiochemical measurements.

SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES

A high-level overview of specific activities the NRC is seeking a vendor to perform include: (1) radiochemical analysis of samples in a variety of matrices collected for sites undergoing decommissioning and report results, and (2) maintaining quality assurance/quality control requirements of the radioanalytical methods that are used to support analysis of the samples. The applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code assigned to this procurement is 541380—Testing Laboratories and Services.

THERE IS NO SOLICITATION AT THIS TIME: This request for sources and vendor information does not constitute a request for proposal; submission of any information in response to this market survey is purely voluntary; the Government assumes no financial responsibility for any costs incurred. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to information submitted. 

REQUIRED CAPABILITIES

The NRC is seeking to identify sources with the following capabilities:

1. Capability to receive, handle, prepare, characterize, store (minimum of 6 months), dispose, and perform radioanalytical analysis of samples in a wide variety of matrices (e.g. soil, water, vegetation, building materials, and other media) collected from sites undergoing decommissioning, including:                                                                                                                                                 

a.  Perform radioanalytical measurements of samples capable of ideally detecting 10% of the pCi/g limit but at minimum 50% of the pCi/g radionuclide limits in the NRC’s Initial Analyte/Matrix List. (see attached)     

 b. Perform radioanalytical measurements of samples capable of ideally detecting 10% of the dpm/100cm^2 limit but at minimum 50% of the dpm/100cm^2 limits in the NRC’s Initial Analyte/Matrix List.  (see attached)

 c. Prepare measurement reports documenting the analytical results.                                                                           

2.  A s needed, provide shipping packages and sample containers as well as all materials needed to safely transport and assure integrity of the samples and satisfy the applicable Department of Transportation (DOT) and International Air Transport Association (IATA)  requirements.                                                                                   

3. Knowledgeable of guidance in Multi-Agency Radiological Laboratory Analytical Protocols Manual (MARLAP) and possess well- defined quality procedures pertaining to data validation, internal and external laboratory analytical checks, instrument precision and accuracy, personnel training, and setting routine laboratory guidelines to ensure the highest quality of scientifically valid and defensible data.

4. Possess the following accreditation:

ISO/IEC 17025 (Edition 3, 2017) - General Requirements for the Competence of Testing and Calibration Laboratories.

The purpose of this announcement is to provide potential sources the opportunity to submit information regarding their capabilities to perform work for the NRC. All interested parties, including all categories of small businesses (small businesses, small, disadvantaged businesses, 8(a) firms, women-owned small businesses, service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses, and HUBZone small businesses) are invited to submit a response. The capabilities package submitted by a vendor should demonstrate their organization’s ability, capability, and responsibility to perform the principal components of work listed above. The package should also include past performance/experience regarding projects of similar scope listing the project title, general description, the dollar value of the contract, and name of the company, agency, or government entity for which the work was performed.

Organizations responding to this market survey should keep in mind that only focused and pertinent information is requested. If significant subcontracting or teaming is anticipated in order to deliver technical capability, organizations should address the administrative and management structure of such arrangements. Submission of additional materials such as glossy brochures or videos is discouraged.

HOW TO RESPOND TO THIS SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE

If your organization has the capability and capacity to perform, as a prime contractor, one or more of the services described in this notice, then please respond to this notice and provide written responses to the following information. Please do not include any proprietary or otherwise sensitive information in the response, and do not submit a proposal.  Proposals submitted in response to this notice will not be considered.

1. Organization name, address, emails address, Web site address and telephone number.                                                         
2. What size is your organization with respect to NAICS code identified in this notice (i.e., "small" or "other than small")? If your organization is a small business under the aforementioned NAICS code, what type of small business (i.e., small, disadvantaged business, woman-owned small business, economically disadvantaged woman-owned small business, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, 8(a), or HUBZone small business)? Specify all that apply.                                                                                                                                           
3. Separately and distinctly describe which of the required capabilities above that your organization possesses and indicate your organization's role (prime contractor, first tier subcontractor, and/or supplier) in related contracts.  Please also provide the contract number, contract type, customer name, address and point of contact phone number and email address, contract value, thorough description of supplies and services included in the scope of that contract, indication of how they differ from the required capabilities described in this notice, period of performance (for services) or delivery date (for products), and any other relevant information.                                                                                     
4.  Indicate whether your organization offers any of the required capabilities described in this notice on one or more of your company's own Federal Government contracts (i.e., GSA Federal Supply Schedule contract or Government wide Acquisition Contracts) that the NRC could order from and, if so, which services are offered. Also, provide the contract number(s) and indicate what is currently available for ordering from each of those contract(s).                                              
5. Provide your organization’s normal standard turnaround times for sample analyses as well as what is considered expedited turnaround times for sample analyses.                                                                                                                 
6. Provide a copy of ISO/IEC 17025 (Edition 3, 2017) - General Requirements for the Competence of Testing and Calibration Laboratories Accreditation.                                                                                                                                 
7. Provide a standard, non-proprietary commercial price list or similar standard non-proprietary commercial pricing information for how your company sells, as a prime contractor, required capabilities described in this notice that your organization has experience providing. Also, indicate what is included in that pricing. Including:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               a. Cost per sample for each analyte (radionuclide) identified in the NRC’s Initial Analyte/Matrix List.  

          b. Any additional cost such as multipliers associated with expedited analysis requests. 

          c. Any additional factors effecting cost.

Interested organizations responding to this Sources Sought Synopsis are encouraged to structure capability statements in the order of the area of consideration noted above.  All capability statements sent in response to this notice must be submitted electronically, via e-mail, to, Rachel Glaros at Rachel.Glaros@nrc.gov, either MS Word or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), by April 17, 2025. The subject line of the transmittal email must reference the notice ID number NRC-NMSS-04-02-25.