U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Division of Contracts, Attn: Linda Wise MS-T-7I2, Washington, D.C. 20555

A -- WELDING OF HIGHLY IRRADIATED MATERIALS SOL RS-RES-99-047 DUE 062199 POC Contact Point: Robert Webber, Contracting Officer, 301/415-6736 The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission intends to negotiate a sole source contract with General Electric to investigate the feasibility of welding highly irradiated materials as a repair methodology for degraded boiling water reactor in-vessel components. The specific objective of this contract shall be to obtain samples of vessel components in order to determine the range of helium concentration expected in components considered for weld repair. General Electric is the only company in the United States that has the existing specialized robotics to go into the vessel given the unique boiling water reactor vessel geometries. In addition, General Electric is the only company known to have the requisite experience working in United States' Boiling Water Reactor vessels. The resulting contract is estimated to be for two years and will be a tripartite agreement with the Electric Power Research Institute. See numbered Note 22. ***** Posted 05/20/99 (W-SN333844). (0140)

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