Mike Nartker
WC Monitor
12/5/2014
In apparent response to requests from potential bidders, the Department of Energy late this week pushed back the deadline for bids for the new contract to operate the Oak Ridge Transuranic Waste Processing Center, for a second time, to Dec. 23, from Dec. 11. The new extension was contained in a second amendment to the Request for Proposals that also made revisions to the instructions for preparing cost/price proposals and to the performance work statement.
Several potential bidders had asked DOE for additional time to prepare proposals prior to this week’s amendment, according to a second round of questions-and-answers for the procurement released earlier this week. “Due to the large amount of new information provided on the website for the 1st round of answers to questions posted on 11/21/14; the posting of amendment 1 on 11/25/14; and the remaining questions yet to be answered by the SEB, will DOE consider granting an extension of 2 weeks from the date all questions are answered and new information provided to potential offerors? The additional time would allow our team to consider the new information and incorporate it in our technical and price proposals,” one potential bidder asked. Another potential bidder asked DOE to extend the proposal due date even further, out to Jan. 16, 2015.
In asking for additional time, some potential bidders expressed concern that incumbent Wastren Advantage may have an unfair advantage given the new information DOE had released and changes previously made to the Request for Proposals. WAI is not leading a bid of its own for the new contract because it does not meet the size standard being used for the procurement, but is part of another team. “The new information provided in the Q&A and Amendment 1 will require extensive changes to our proposal and a rewrite of the BOEs. Requiring that bidders perform these changes and meet the December 11 due date will favor the incumbent. For fairness to all bidders, would DOE consider extending the due date of the proposal until December 23?” one potential bidder asked
The TWPC is used to prepare contact- and remote-handled transuranic waste at Oak Ridge for off-site disposal. The new contract to operate the facility is being set aside for small businesses that meet a $38.5 million size standard, and is expected to be worth $100-300 million. It is set to run for up to five years, consisting of a three-year base period and one two-year option period. DOE is anticipating a 1.5 month transition period for the five-year contract starting on May 16 that will be completed on July 1, 2015. That means the WAI contract, set to end its base period in January, is likely to be extended through its six-month option period.
