Solicitation Expected to Be Reissued Later
Jeremy L. Dillon
RW Monitor
4/17/2015
The Department of Energy canceled last week the solicitation for a contractor to assist in the movement of spent nuclear fuel from research reactors to an unidentified national laboratory. After questions emerged from vendors about the scope of work, DOE decided to pull the Request for Proposal while it clarified the questions. “DOE received various questions from vendors regarding the Request for Proposals scope of work and as such decided to withdraw the RFP to address these questions and clarify the SOW before re-issuing it,” DOE-Idaho spokesman Tim Jackson said in an email this week. “DOE does plan to re-issue the solicitation. DOE will continue to provide support to the 25 university research reactors and plans to re-issue this Request for Proposals at a later date. The fuel will remain at the 25 university research reactor facilities until a movement of the fuel is required, at which time DOE will take action as is necessary.” Jackson did not say, though, when DOE anticipates re-issuing the RFP.
DOE blamed the cancelation on “external circumstances,” but plans to ultimately re-issue the solicitation. “DOE regrets having to take this action; however, this decision was necessary due to external circumstances,” the notice said. The DOE Office of Nuclear Energy, through the Idaho Operations Office, is responsible for the disposition of university research reactor spent nuclear fuel, and this contract aimed to help ensure the transportation of the fuel. The contractor would have been responsible for all tasks required to transport spent nuclear fuel, according to the statement of work.
