U.S. Department of Energy, Savannah River Operations Office, Contracts Management Division, P.O. Box A, Aiken, South Carolina 29802

A -- ACTINIDE POWDER BLENDER SOL n/a POC Sharon M. Campbell (803)952-6112 E-MAIL: click here to contact Sharon Campbell by e-mail, sharon-pmmd.campbell@srs.gov. Westinghouse Savannah River Company (WSRC), management and operating contractor for the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Savannah River Site (SRS) near Aiken, South Carolina, is considering a Request for Proposal (RFP) to acquire an actinide powder blender. DOE is developing a Plutonium Immobilization Project (PIP) that will immobilize surplus plutonium in a ceramic matrix. One PIP process is the blending of plutonium oxide, uranium oxide, and other constituents. The actinide blender requirements include: 1) Blending at least an 80-kilogram batch of various powders (based on a bulk density of approximately 2.5 gram/cc). Powders will vary in size from sub-micron to 200 microns. Bulk densities of individual components will vary from 0.8 gram/cc to 2.8 gram/cc. The blended material bulk density will vary from 1.4 to 2.7 gram/cc. 2) Blending the powders to a uniform, unvarying particle size distribution and density distribution. 3) Blending in a unit of critically-safe design, even if all material were plutonium. Criticality safety shall be proven by the vendor through calculation and, if possible, through prior operational history of the blender. Acceptance of blender for purchase shall be based on the following: 1) Testing of the blender at the vendor's facility. 2) The vendor shall fabricate a blender, or use an existing blender meeting the requirements, and test sample PIP feed streams. 3) The vendor shall consult with SRS on design of test unit prior to fabrication and/or testing. 4) Uranium oxides shall be included in the test material, and, if acceptable to the vendor, thorium oxide shall be included as well, but plutonium and other actinide materials shall not be included. 5) The vendor shall document the test results, and provide the results to SRS. 6) SRS representatives shall witness the tests. 7) Acceptance of the blender design by SRS, prior to fabrication. It is anticipated that the RFP will be issued on or about March 1, 2000, and the contract placed about April 15, 2000. Each vendor proposal will include a fabrication, testing, and delivery schedule. Interested vendors should provide a statement of capabilities including experience in handling radioactive materials. Information provided under this request is not considered an offer. This information will only be used to assist WSRC and the Government in planning the acquisition. Responses must be received by February 22, 2000. Please provide the requested information to: Westinghouse Savannah River Co., ATTN: Sharon M. Campbell, CPCM, Procurement Specialist, BLDG 730-4B, RM 2152, Aiken, SC 29808. This is not a request for proposals. It is a request for expressions of interest and statements of capabilities only. Posted 01/19/00 (W-SN417025). (0019)

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