Z -- DECONTAMINATION AND DECOMMISSIONING, AND REMEDIATION SERVICES ON A LARGE PORTION OF THE HANFORD SITE

Notice Date

March 1, 2001

Contracting Office

U.S. Department of Energy, Richland Operations Office, P.O. Box 550, MS A7-80, 825 Jadwin Avenue, Richland, WA 99352

ZIP Code

99352

Solicitation Number

DE-RP06-01RL14300

Point of Contact

George F. Champlain, Contracting Officer; George_F_Champlain@rl.gov,

Description

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is actively seeking industry input through a presolicitation conference and industry information exchanges to ensure that the final acquisition approach represents an effective method to acquire Hanford river corridor clean-up services. A draft Request for Proposals will be prepared after the information exchange process explained below: I. INTRODUCTION DOE will be soliciting proposals in the middle of 2001 from private industry for remedial action, waste disposal, decontamination and decommissioning, and related services on a large portion of the Hanford site. At present, the Department is seeking industry interest in providing these services in the spirit of full and open competition. Specifically, the Department is interested in industry advice on actions the Department can take to encourage offerors to propose on this important activity and any other measures that the Department can take to cause the work to be performed in the most cost effective manner. The anticipated scope of work is summarized below: Placement into interim safe storage of seven to eight former plutonium production reactors and demolishing dozens of associated structures; remediation of approximately 700 waste sites; demolition of about 150 excess and aging facilities in Hanford's 300 Area; including two complex radiological Hazard Category II hot cell facilities (324 and 327 buildings). The Department is also seeking comment on the use of a one-step versus a two-step source selection process as described in the sources sought synopsis posted in the Commerce Business Daily on February 15, 2001. More information on the Hanford site and the River Corridor Closure Project can be found at www.hanford.gov. The decision to issue a Request for Proposals for the work described in this Notice is solely within DOE's discretion. Please note that this Notice is not a Request for Proposals. II. DOE OBJECTIVES FOR THE PROJECT Consistent with the DOE Office of Environmental Management, and Richland Operations Office of Strategic Planning, DOE has established the following objectives for this project: Complete river corridor clean-up actions by 2012, as defined in the scope of work. Improve project management, cost effectiveness, and schedule performance; and Implement an effective integrated safety management approach. III. PRESOLICITATION CONFERENCE AND INDUSTRY INFORMATION EXCHANGES In accordance with FAR 15.201, this acquisition will utilize information exchanges with industry before receipt of proposals. The purpose of this information exchange is to improve the mutual understanding of Government requirements and industry capabilities, thereby allowing potential offerors to judge if and/or how they can satisfy the Government's requirements, and enhancing the Government's ability to obtain quality environmental remediation services at a reasonable price, and increase efficiency in proposal preparation, evaluation, and contract award. DOE will sponsor two events: The first event is a general discussion meeting between DOE, the private sector, and other parties interested in providing their input on this acquisition, currently scheduled for March 20, 2001, starting at 7:00 P.M. and ending at 10:00 P.M., to be held in the Federal Building Auditorium, 825 Jadwin Avenue, Richland, Washington. Interested parties desiring to express their views, opinions, or provide information at the general discussion meeting will be limited to fifteen minutes per person/organization. In addition, interested parties may express their views, opinions, or provide information in writing to the DOE Richland Operations Office Contracting Officer. The second event will be a series of one-on-one meetings currently scheduled for March 21 through March 23, 2001, in Richland, WA, with each meeting expected to be approximately two hours in length. Meetings will be scheduled with all prospective offerors that provide a written Expression of Interest that indicates the firm's relevant experience and performance in planning, managing, and executing large-scale (i.e. approximately $250 million or greater) environmental remediation projects and decontamination and decommissioning of nuclear facilities. Each interested firm is required to provide a written Expression of Interest in letter form, not to exceed five pages, no later than March 14, 2001, to the DOE Richland Operations Office Contracting Officer. IV. PROPOSED AREAS FOR DISCUSSION AT INDUSTRY INFORMATION EXCHANGES DOE is seeking industry input through the presolicitation conference and industry information exchanges to improve the quality of its acquisition process for this procurement. In order to improve the benefit of these meetings, DOE has identified specific questions. DOE will not attribute industry input provided in the information exchange to any prospective offeror, and will seek to protect all appropriately marked proprietary and business sensitive information. Questions for discussion: 1. Between the one-step and the two-step source selection process described in the Introduction above, which is preferred and why? 2. The Department is considering the release of an independent cost and schedule estimate in conjunction with the planned acquisition. What features of such an estimate would be of particular value to the proposal process? 3. What actions should DOE take to mitigate inherent incumbent advantage and improve competition for this project? 4. How can DOE improve prospective offeror knowledge to provide meaningful proposals? 5. What are the critical transition actions and what is required from DOE to support these actions? 6. What are the key contractual concepts necessary to assure required performance and assign reasonable performance risk to the contractor? 7. What are the important, discriminating factors that DOE should consider in making a selection? 8. How can DOE maintain competition, ensure competitive costs, and sustain high levels of contractor performance after contract award? 9. Are there viable options for partial private sector financing for this project? What advantages could accrue to the Government from private sector financing? 10. What options would you consider to accommodate uncertainties in the funding profile that would not involve a change order over the 10-year period of performance? 11. What comments do you have for how the contract should be structured if the project requires substantially more than 10 years to complete? 12. How can DOE foster and stimulate innovative and creative approaches to the River Corridor remediation activities? 13. What other DOE actions are needed to implement your firm's concepts for this project? V. ACQUISITION INFORMATION 1. Contract Type: The contract type being considered is a cost plus incentive fee closure contract. Target fee would be based upon the target cost offered by the successful offeror and accepted by DOE during the source selection. The contractor would earn more fee for completing the project at less than target cost or ahead of schedule, and receive less fee for completing the project at greater than target cost or behind schedule. 2. Competition: This source selection will be conducted under full and open competition as defined in FAR 6.003. DOE encourages proposals from all qualified sources. Offerors may be a single entity, a consortium, a joint venture, or any other suitable teaming arrangement capable of performing the work. DOE will minimize any incumbent advantage in this source selection to the maximum extent possible. DOE will provide all prospective offerors the maximum possible information and provide continued access to the current river corridor baseline and relevant Hanford site information. 3. Period of Performance: The contract term being considered is approximately 10 years. 4. Evaluation Considerations: The solicitation will include evaluation considerations that are responsive to the DOE Objectives established in Section II., and will focus on key discriminating elements. The selection for award will be based on the firm that provides the best overall value to the Government. Evaluation considerations are likely to focus on: Past performance, including documented proven performance in large nuclear remediation projects, and performing within cost and schedule targets; Project management approach that demonstrates corporate involvement and project team capacity to execute the scope of work, and adequate project management systems; Effectiveness of integrated safety management approach; Approach to making improvements in the baseline; and Target cost and schedule. 5. Acquisition Streamlining Techniques: The acquisition process will include appropriate acquisition streamlining techniques to ensure timely contract award. These initiatives may include: electronic reading room; website information distribution; use of a draft solicitation; potential use of oral presentations; and award without discussions. Send written Expression of Interest letters to: U.S. Department of Energy, Richland Operations Office Attention: George F. Champlain, Contracting Officer 825 Jadwin Avenue P.O. Box 550, Mail Stop A7-80 Richland, WA 99352

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010305/ZSOL003.HTM (W-060 SN50E9O4)