Department Issues Draft RFP for Follow-On Contract
Mike Nartker
WC Monitor
7/3/2014
While Wastren Advantage Inc.’s current contract to operate the Oak Ridge Transuranic Waste Processing Center is set to expire in early 2015, the Department of Energy appears to be planning for at least a multi-month extension, according to the draft Request for Proposals for the follow-on TWPC contract, released this week. The draft RFP instructs potential bidders to assume that a 45-day transition period for the new contract would begin May 16, 2015, with the new contractor to be fully in place by July 1, 2015. In contrast, WAI’s contract is currently set to expire Jan. 15, 2015, according to DOE’s acquisition forecast website. When asked about the Department’s planning for an extension for WAI, DOE Oak Ridge spokesman Mike Koentop said in a written response this week, “We have not yet made a decision about a contract extension.”
WAI has managed the Oak Ridge TWPC since early 2010, but is unable to lead a bid for the follow-on contract because it does not meet the $35.5 million size standard DOE is using. WAI does plan to compete for the follow-on contract, though, in a subcontracting role on another firm’s bid.
New Contract to Run for Up to Five Years
The TWPC is used to prepare contact- and remote-handled transuranic waste at Oak Ridge for off-site disposal. The follow-on management contract is set to run for up to five years, with a three-year base period and two years of options that could include work to either keep the TWPC in a “warm standby” mode or to prepare it for “cold standby,” according to the draft RFP. The contract will be largely firm fixed-price, though a cost-plus-award-fee approach will be used for waste processing operations.
For key personnel, the draft RFP only lists one position—Program Manager. If a Program Manager leaves before completing a two-year commitment, DOE can reduce the winning contractor’s fee by $200,000, according to the draft RFP. Any other changes in key personnel ahead of a two-year commitment can lead to a fee reduction of $100,000. DOE is proposing to evaluate bids for the new contract on the basis of four criteria—1. Past Performance; 2. Technical Understanding and Approach; 3. Key Personnel and Organizational Structure; and 4. Relevant Experience. “Criterion 1 and Criterion 2 are significantly more important than Criteria 3 and 4,” the draft RFP says. Comments on the draft RFP are due by July 14.
