Sources Sought - Single Award Task Order Contract (IDIQ) for Technical Consulting Services

Sources Sought Notice.

Single Award Task Order Contract for Technical Consulting Services (Nuclear NAICS Code 541690)

Background

On February 3, 2021, The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) notified the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) of an alert concerning elevated radiation levels at the NIST Reactor.

NIST issued a news item that same day.

https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2021/02/nist-statement-february-3-2021-alert-nist-center-neutron-research

On February 5, 2021, NIST issued an update that contained further details about the event underlying the alert.

https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2021/02/update-status-nist-center-neutron-research-ncnr

On March 2, 2021, NIST again published an update. This update reported that a portion of a reactor fuel element had likely exceeded a temperature safety limit and that this finding had been reported to the NRC.

https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2021/03/update-nist-center-neutron-research-alert-feb-3-2021

Because of this event and its aftermath, the primary cooling system of the NIST Reactor has become contaminated with radioactive particulate matter. This makes working in the vicinity of this system complicated.

The Government is developing a requirement for Technical Consulting (Nuclear) services under NAICS Code 541690. This requirement will be pursued as a Single Award Task Order Contract (SATOC), that includes services as defined in the scope below. Only the first one of the defined services (Gamma Camera Imaging: the “Seed Project”) will be pursued at the time of award of the SATOC. It is not guaranteed that all other identified services will result in actual awarded tasks. The purpose of the task list is to provide a general scope of the services that will eventually be sought.

Scope

This list is intended to define – at a high level – activities under which the Government intends to issue Task Orders

1. Gamma camera imaging of Process Room plumbing (“seed project”)
   1. Locate hot spots
   2. Determine approximate size and composition of hot spots
   3. Reporting
   4. Discussion
2. Strategy Development
   1. Further characterization of hot spots
   2. Develop strategy for removal of sources causing hot spots
   3. Reporting
   4. Discussion
3. Removal of hot spots
   1. Actual removal of hot spots
   2. Radioactive waste management
   3. Quality control (“is the hot spot removed”)
   4. Reporting
   5. Discussion
4. Reactor Vessel and Moderator Storage Vessel Inspection
   1. Camera inspection with emphasis on radioactive source identification.
   2. Removal of radioactive sources (hot spots)
   3. Camera inspection with emphasis on structure and components integrity
   4. Reporting
   5. Discussion
5. Reactor Fuel Inspection
   1. In situ camera inspection of fuel element(s) and surroundings
   2. Camera inspection of fuel element(s) in fuel storage pool
   3. Reporting
   4. Discussion
6. Strategic plumbing and process component (e.g. pumps) replacement
   1. Identify hot spots that are fixated
   2. Identify plumbing spools, components (e.g. pumps) and structures that contain fixated hot spots
   3. Replace affected plumbing spools, components and structures
   4. Radioactive waste management
   5. Reporting
   6. Discussion
7. Dedicated cask designing and building
   1. Design cask for single (damaged) fuel element
   2. Design cask(s) for filters and other contaminated structures
   3. Prepare for transportation
   4. Prepare for Regulatory Compliance
   5. Transport to location for further study and observationReporting
   6. Discussion
8. Hood/Air System and Filters
   1. Identify hot spots that are fixated
   2. Removal of radioactive sources (hot spots)
   3. Reporting
   4. Discussion
9. Effluent Monitoring System
   1. Identify hot spots that are fixated
   2. Replace equipment and plumbing as necessary
   3. Removal of radioactive sources (hot spots)
   4. Reporting
   5. Discussion
10. Evaluation of Heat Exchangers
    1. Identify hot spots that are fixated
    2. Replace equipment and plumbing as necessary
    3. Repair
    4. Decontamination
    5. Reporting
    6. Discussion

*** PLEASE NOTE: NIST is seeking responses from capable vendors of ALL BUSINESS SIZES to determine the available market.