SPECIAL NOTICE
99 -- DE-EM0002103 Mod 003 Justification for Other Than Full and Open Competition
- Notice Date
- 10/9/2013
- Notice Type
- Special Notice
- NAICS
- 541330
— Engineering Services
- Contracting Office
- Office of River ProtectionU.S. Department of EnergyOffice of River ProtectionP.O. Box 450RichlandWA99352US
- ZIP Code
- 00000
- E-Mail Address
-
Garcia, David R
(david_garcia@orp.doe.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- 1. Identification of the agency and contracting activity The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of River Protection (ORP) 2. The nature and/or description of the action being approved ORP plans to contract by means other than full and open competition. This document provides the justification and approval of the use of one of the exceptions to full and open competition allowed under the Competition in Contracting Act of 1984 (CICA) and Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 6.3 ? Other Than Full and Open Competition, 6.302-1 ? Only One Responsible Source and No Other Supplies or Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements. 3. A description of the supplies or services required to meet the agency's needs (including the estimated value) Work under Modification 003 will support development of the vitrification process for the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP). The WTP is expected to treat both HLW and LAW. The period of performance for the services to be obtained through this modification is 350 days from the date of execution of the modification. The estimated value of the work scope is approximately $3,000,000.00. The following five tasks are to be performed under Modification 003. CLIN 0006: High Waste Loading Glass Formulation Development for High-Zr HLW Recent WTP flow-sheet projections indicate that nearly 5% of the HLW glass produced by the WTP will be limited by zirconium and, according to System Plan 6, these feeds are scheduled for delivery to the WTP relatively early during operations. Suitably optimized glass formulations have not yet been developed to treat these high-Zr HLW. The proposed work will focus on developing high waste loading glass formulations with good processing characteristics to treat high-Zr Hanford HLW. The HLW compositions for the work will either be specified by ORP or selected in consultation with ORP. Crucible melts will be prepared and characterized to identify high waste loading glass compositions that meet all WTP processing and product quality requirements. Vertical gradient furnace tests will be used to screen the glass compositions for feed processing characteristics. Processing characteristics of the selected glass formulations will be assessed using DM100 melter tests. The melter tests will be used to determine feed processing rate, cold-cap behavior, feed carry over, etc. and to identify any processing issues. CLIN 0007: High Waste Loading Glass Formulation Development for High-Sr HLW A significant number of HLW batches processed at the WTP will be high in strontium, with SrO concentrations extending up to about 7 wt% on an oxide basis. Since strontium forms a highly insoluble carbonate that is stable to relatively high temperatures, high strontium wastes have the potential for carbonate decomposition deep in the cold cap, which can lead to foam generation and slow melting rates. This task will focus on developing high waste loading glass formulations with good processing characteristics to treat high-Sr Hanford HLW. The HLW compositions for the work will either be specified by ORP or selected in consultation with ORP. Crucible melts will be prepared and characterized to identify high waste loading glass compositions that meet all WTP processing and product quality requirements. Vertical gradient furnace tests will be used to screen the glass compositions for melt rate and feed processing characteristics and, in particular, to investigate the role of strontium compounds on feed conversion reactions and foam generation. These tests will also evaluate the potential for managing such behavior through appropriate modifications to the glass formulations. Two formulations will be selected for testing on the DM100 melter system in order to demonstrate the potential impacts of high strontium waste on processing rates and the ability to mitigate such behavior. The melter tests will be used to determine feed processing rate, cold-cap behavior, feed carry over, etc. and to identify any processing issues. CLIN 0008: Glass Models for LAW Refractory Corrosion and Sulfate Solubility Various glass property-composition models have been developed to control glass compositions for LAW vitrification at the WTP. The baseline WTP models are based on data from crucible scale tests to large scale LAW Pilot Melter tests, providing high confidence in the models and glass compositions selected for waste processing. In addition, ORP has work ongoing to develop extended models that could support the use of enhanced glass formulations that achieve much higher waste loadings than is possible with the WTP baseline models. However, models have not yet been developed to address the dependence of K-3 refractory corrosion on LAW glass composition or the dependence of sulfate solubility on LAW glass composition. These properties become increasingly important constraints on glass formulations as the waste loadings are increased. For LAW streams with high sulfate to sodium ratios, sulfate salt formation is typically the most constraining property; whereas for LAW streams wi th low sulfate to sodium ratios, the effects of the high alkali content on glass properties ultimately limit waste loadings. In particular, as the alkali content is increased, K3 refractory corrosion rates tend to increase, which can result in decreased melter lifetime. Glass leaching also increases but models for PCT and VHT performance have been developed and are being refined. Conversely, models have not been developed for K-3 refractory corrosion or sulfate salt formation. In this task, previously collected data on sulfate solubility and K-3 refractory corrosion will be compiled together with the corresponding glass composition data. This data base will be used to develop preliminary models for the relationship between K-3 refractory corrosion rate and LAW glass composition and for sulfate solubility and LAW glass composition. The coverage of the data over the LAW composition space also will be evaluated and data gaps will be identified in order to support recommen dations for the collection of additional data to address those gaps. It is anticipated that the data base will be updated periodically as new data become available and the models will be further refined and extended. These results will also be of use for high sulfur HLW formulations, for which there are presently fewer data than for LAW formulations, as well as for potential direct feed scenarios that will employ waste feeds composed of blends of HLW and LAW streams. CLIN 0009: Effect of Halides on LAW Salt Formation A range of enhanced glass formulations for WTP LAW vitrification have been developed that achieve significantly higher sulfur and sodium loadings than is possible with the current WTP baseline formulations and glass property-composition models. However, to date there has been relatively limited testing to evaluate the impacts of the presence of halides on sulfate salt formation. From the previous work it is known that higher levels of halides increases the tendency for salt formation for a given sulfate concentration. Therefore it is important to define these effects and incorporate them into appropriate glass models to support the implementation of the enhanced higher loading formulations into the WTP and also to perform assessments of the waste loadings that are practically achievable over the likely range of halide and sulfate concentrations. In a previous task, a series of DM10 melter tests were defined on four of the seven WTP baseline waste types using the correspond ing enhanced high waste loading glass formulations. In those tests, a matrix spanning a range of halide and sulfur concentrations was developed in order to define the interactions between these species with respect to salt formation. The present task would extend that effort to include a similar matrix of DM10 melter tests on two more waste compositions. The combined data set should provide an improved basis for defining the interactions between halides and sulfate salt formation during LAW vitrification. In addition, glass formulation work at crucible scale will address the potential for formulation enhancements that could improve the tolerance of the present formulations to the effects of high halide concentrations to achieve higher waste loadings while still preventing salt formation. Prospective improved formulations will be characterized with respect to WTP processability and product quality properties. CLIN 0010: Improved High-Alkali LAW Formulations Under previous ORP tasks a range of enhanced LAW glass formulations have been developed and tested that achieve significantly higher waste loadings than is possible with the current WTP baseline LAW formulations. For LAW streams with low sulfate to sodium ratios, the effects of the high alkali content on glass properties ultimately limit waste loadings. In particular, as the alkali content is increased, K3 refractory corrosion rates tend to increase, which can result in decreased melter lifetime, and PCT and VHT alterations rates increase, which can challenge compliance with the WTP product quality requirements. In these new formulations, various additives are employed in order to manage K-3 refractory corrosion rates to within acceptable limits. Chromium oxide is one such additive that is effective in reducing K-3 corrosion rates and has been employed in some formulations at low levels. However, there are several disadvantages associated with this additive that would fav or its removal or replacement. In this task, modified glass formulations will be developed and tested at crucible scale to determine the potential for achieving similar or better properties and waste loadings as the current enhanced formulations but without the use of chromium oxide as an additive. Prospective formulations will be characterized with respect to WTP processability and product quality properties including melt viscosity and electrical conductivity, PCT and VHT response, crystal formation on heat treatment, K-3 refractory corrosion, and sulfate salt formation. The results will be analyzed to define recommended revisions to the current enhanced LAW glass formulations. 4. An identification of the statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition The statutory authority permitting this action is 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(1), where a determination has been made that the supplies or services required by the agency are available from only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. 5. A demonstration that the proposed contractor?s unique qualifications or the nature of the acquisition requires use of the authority cited Energy Solutions, LLC, through its exclusivity agreement with Catholic University of America (CUA), Vitreous State Laboratory (VSL), is the only firm that is uniquely capable of providing the technical expertise and facilities necessary to complete the tasks described above. These tasks will be performed at the glass development laboratory and melter test facility at CUA-VSL, in Washington, D.C. Performance of these tasks requires the use of a DM10 and a DM100 melter, both of which reside at CUA-VSL, and expertise with LAW and HLW formulation/property relationships. Energy Solutions, LLC, is the only source with the required equipment (CUA-VSL houses the only DM10 and DM100 melters in existence) and technical expertise to perform the work in the required timeframe. 6. A description of efforts made to ensure that offers are solicited from as many potential sources as is practicable, including whether a notice was or will be publicized as required by Subpart 5.2 and, if not, which exception under 5.202 applies It has been determined that placement of a contract with ES is the only means of meeting the Government?s requirement. ES and CUA-VSL have a written, exclusive, ten-year agreement (through 2017), to perform work of the type described in this Justification. No other potential sources have access to a DM10 or DM100 melter, or the expertise with LAW and HLW formulation/property relationships. Therefore, no effort will be made to solicit potential sources. A notice was publicized as required in FAR Subpart 5.2 on June 28, 2013. 7. A determination by the Contracting Officer that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable Price reasonableness will be established through cost and price analysis, including a technical analysis of the contractor?s proposal as required by FAR Subpart 15.4. If the proposed price of the contract modification reaches the threshold in FAR 15.403-4, ORP will obtain certified cost or pricing data. It is anticipated that the contract modification will be awarded on a firm-fixed price basis. 8. A description of the market research conducted and the results or a statement of the reason market research was not conducted ES and CUA-VSL have a written, exclusive, ten-year agreement (through 2017), to perform work of the type described in this Justification. No other potential sources have access to a DM10 or a DM100 melter, or the expertise with LAW and HLW formulation/property relationships. Therefore, additional market research was not conducted. 9. Any other facts supporting the use of other than full and open competition. ES has unique testing capabilities that have been established for the WTP project. These capabilities include glass formulation, testing and characterization laboratories, and prototypic continuous glass melters for process testing. The glass melters range in scale from 10 kg glass per day to 1200 kg glass per day. The larger melter system is supported by a melter feed and melter off-gas treatment system that was designed to emulate the WTP design. Replacement of these testing capabilities by another source would be cost prohibitive. 10. A listing of the sources, if any, that expressed, in writing, an interest in the acquisition No sources expressed an interest in this acquisition. 11. A statement of the actions, if any, the agency may take to remove or overcome any barriers to competition before any subsequent acquisition for the supplies or services required None 12. Contracting officer certification that the justification is accurate and complete to the best of the contracting officer?s knowledge and belief. Program Official Certification: Pursuant to FAR 6.303-2(c), I certify that the information provided herein is evidence that the supporting data which forms the basis for this justification is complete and accurate. Signature on file. Contracting Officer Certification: I certify that the justification is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief. Signature on file. Legal Review: Signature on file. Competition Advocate Approval: In accordance with 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(1), a determination has been made that the supplies or services required by the agency are available from only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. This action is approved.
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