In an online session set for Nov. 10, the Department of Energy will discuss the final solicitation for a new technical assistance contract potentially worth $100 million at the Carlsbad Field Office in New Mexico.
The DOE Office of Environmental Management issued the final request for proposals (RFP) last week. In a notice posted Tuesday, the agency announced a pre-proposal conference is scheduled for Tuesday Nov. 10.
The winner will provide technical assistance to the Carlsbad office as it oversees the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant and its transuranic waste disposal program. This contract will include tasks such as project management, engineering and technical reviews and nuclear safety.
Bid proposals are due Dec. 14.
Pre-registration for next week’s session is required for the session that will be held via Webex and the virtual gathering will be limited to four representatives per organization, according to DOE.
Those who plan to attend should fill out the registration form and email it by 2 p.m. E.T. Monday to [email protected]. Time sensitive questions can be sent to DOE’s contracting officer Ian Rexroad at [email protected].
The department will not hold one-on-one sessions for the Carlsbad technical RFP.
Idaho-based North Wind Portage is the incumbent with a five-year, $45-million contract currently set to expire Dec.4, although DOE can always keep the contractor on until a successor is selected.
“Our comprehensive audits and surveillance helped ensure that waste generators were able comply with new waste acceptance requirements and to resume shipping waste as soon as WIPP was available to receive it,” North Wind says on its website. The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant was forced to stop receiving shipments for about three years following a February 2014 underground radiation leak.
The Office of Environmental Management did not issue a draft RFP on the small-business contract, although it started its market research with a request for information in August 2019.
