The winner of the anticipated 10-year, $1 billion paramilitary security contract at the Energy Department’s Savannah River Site in South Carolina must pay for much of its own ammunition and all the dog food.
That is among the tidbits in in a third round of questions and answers posted Wednesday on the DOE procurement website. The contractor will purchase all commercial ammunition, but DOE will provide military ammunition upon request, according to the document.
Up to 12 canine teams inspect vehicles that enter the site.
One potential bidder asked if the contractor must foot the bill for dog food, medication, grooming, and medical care for the canines. While the government supplies the dogs, the contractor is responsible for most related expenses, DOE replied. The department does provide routine veterinarian care at the nearby Fort Gordon Army base near Augusta, Ga.
The paramilitary contract covers security for about 12,000 people who work at the site during the day and about 20% of that total during off-hours, according to DOE.
Current contractor Centerra SRS did about 90,390 vehicle inspections during 2018 at entrances to protected areas.
Earlier this month, the Energy Department extended the deadline for responding to requests for proposals from April 22 until May 7. The current Centerra SRS contract, started in October 2009 and running through Oct. 7, is valued at $990 million. Centerra has said it will seek to retain the contract.
