The Department of Energy’s waste tank management contractor at the Hanford Site in Washington state has issued a request for proposals (RFP) for a construction services subcontractor to support its work.
AECOM-led Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS), which manages about 56 million gallons of radioactive waste in 177 underground tanks, issued the small business set-aside solicitation Monday for a potential $90 million subcontract.
A preproposal conference and work-site tour are scheduled for Nov. 29 at 851 Smartpark in Richland, Wash. Prospective bidders should file an “intent to propose” by Dec. 3, according to the blanket master agreement. Questions on the solicitation are due by Dec. 17.
The deadline to submit proposals is 4 p.m. Pacific time on Jan. 3, 2019. The primary contact on the solicitation is Senior Procurement Specialist Mark Friend, at [email protected].
The subcontractor would provide WRPS with “fabrication, construction, and commissioning,” according to the RFP. The subcontractor will be expected to build, inspect, and install waste tanks, according to the statement of work. The subcontractor might also be called upon to offload tanks from a barge. It was not immediately known if this is connected to the replacement of single-shell waste tanks with double-shell tanks.
The RFP document also indicates the contractor could provide piping used in waste transfers. The company declined this week to elaborate on the RFP.
The contract is expected to be a three-year deal encompassing a one-year base and two one-year extensions. Work will typically be done inside the fenced-in tank management area, or next to it.
Single-shell and double-shell tank farms, associated systems, and waste transfer equipment make up most of the tank farm system at Hanford. Monitoring systems, catch tanks; transfer pipelines, are used at the site, according to the statement of work.
The work is complex and potentially hazardous, according to the RFP, with hazards including risk of exposure to chemical vapors and asbestos. The subcontractor and its workers must have “a strong, stringent safety culture,” the RFP says. The winning bidder might also be required to make or install shielding, decontamination equipment, and various fixtures.
The award criteria will be based on factors such as prior experience, technical approach, key personnel, and cost, according to the RFP.
