Description
Project 6M Container Disposition (55 and 110 gallon) – 450 containers Introduction Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC (Company) is seeking interested companies (Sellers) to survey, separate drum materials and disposition the drums and inner drum materials to a suitable waste disposition facility or landfill. The containers consist of a total of 450 6M metal containers (55 and 110 gallon). The containers are currently stored in nine sea land containers in the Y-12 Protected Area. Site access will be required to examine and investigate the containers as well as perform segregation and disposition activities. It will be required that a site visit and site access will be required for the purposes of response to this Expression of Interest. Background The Y-12 Plant is a Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) site managed by the Company. Program Integration Management Organization under the Uranium Modernization Program is seeking interested Sellers to provide disposition services for these 450 6M containers. The containers were the work house for shipments of enriched uranium nuclear materials throughout the DOE Complex in the United States since the 1960’s and the certification for off-site material shipments expired in the late 1990’s. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Specification 6M packaging was in extensive use for more than 40 years for in-commerce shipments of Type B quantities of fissile and radioactive material (RAM) across the USA, among the Department of Energy (DOE) laboratories, and between facilities in the DOE Production complex. The original 6M packaging was Dow Chemical Corporation's Model 1518, a 38-L (10-gal) sized container, approved by the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (now DOE) in March 1967 and issued DOT Special Permit 5000 the following month. The DOT 6M was issued in December 1968 to cover a variety of similar containers ranging in capacity from 38 L to 417 L (10 gal -110 gal). The 6M packaging was authorized by the DOT regulations for shipment of Type B and fissile quantities of radioactive materials until October 1, 2008 (49 CFR 173, Subpart I, 2004 Edition and after). The 6M was a DOT Specification, license exempt, lightweight, economical Type B packaging that was easily fabricated from common materials. The 6M was in extensive service beginning in 1967, especially in the DOE Complex, with many 6M packaging still available; mostly in 30-gallon and 55-gallon sizes. Based upon 40-plus years of actual transportation history, the 6M has been demonstrated to be a safe and reliable package. Although they have been exposed to incidents of varying severity, there has never been a known release of radioactive contents from a 6M package due to an accident or due to package deterioration. More history about 6M packaging can be found in the Sandia report, SAND88-3005. The 6M packaging consists of the outer drum (10gallon – 110 gallon carbon steel or stainless steel drum), fiberboard insulation, and an inner vessel called the DOT specification 2R. General design requirements for the 6M packaging are found in 49 CFR 178.354, “Specification 6M; Metal Packaging,” and for the DOT 2R inner vessel in 49 CFR 178.360, “Specification 2R; Inside Containment Vessel.” (Both 2003 Edition or before). The ‘built-in’ drawings for 6M Packaging are listed in the Sandia report. These 450 6M containers have been used throughout the DOE Complex for many years and may contain low level of uranium contamination. The wood fiber celotex contained inside the containers was exposed to moisture over several years and contains various levels of mold. General Scope Description The Company is seeking to find a seller who can handle the examination, handling, segregation and disposition of the 450 6M containers and inner materials. It is envisioned that the containers and materials will have to be shipped off-site to Nevada or Utah for disposition. It is anticipated that the authorization and funding for this work would be in FY24 or FY25 depending on the timing of the expression of interest responses and the necessary level of funding to perform the work scope so that it can be added into the Company’s Annual Controlled Budget (ACB). Scope of Work It is anticipated that the performance of this work would have to occur within a tent and/or building location in the Protected Area. The containers would be removed from the subject sea land containers in groups, and surveyed by CNS RADCON personnel as needed. Once the containers are taken out of the various sea land containers and surveyed, the containers would be opened and the inner materials (containment vessel, Celotex) would be removed and segregated. The segregated materials would be packaged for future off-site disposition. The work scope is being requested to be performed by an offsite Seller due to priority and resources issues with CNS Maintenance, Operations, and On-site Waste Disposition personnel. Work performed on this task will be on-site for the removal and packaging of waste materials while the actual disposition of the materials will be performed off-site. It is anticipated that some Q-cleared workers/escorts will be required for this work scope due to the location of the sea land containers in the West End Protected Area. Anticipated work steps: 1. Open sea land 2. RADCON check container exterior 3. Remove containers from Sea Land 4. Place containers in tent and/or facility for opening 5. Open container 6. Remove inner containment vessel (ICV) 7. Open ICV and check for contamination by CNS RADCON. 8. Place ICV in appropriate waste container depending on contamination level. 9. Remove celotex and bag as waste. 10. Place celotex in waste container 11. Survey drum for contamination. 12. Place container in waste container depending on contamination. 13. Repeat Process for each drum container. EOI Process The Company's intent is to use information obtained from this Expression of Interest to generate a list of qualified Suppliers that will be invited to participate in the RFQ process. Work scope information must not be discussed in public (e.g., home, restaurants, stores, theaters) and must not be placed on the internet (e.g., social media, websites, messaging apps, digital photo services), without prior approval. Interested parties should respond to this Expression of Interest request, providing general qualifications to perform these services. This is not a Request for Proposal and responses should be brief. An elaborate company portfolio or qualifications package is not warranted nor expected as a response to this Expression of Interest, however, documentation of your firm’s typical stages of delivery with example figures or tables showing or describing the types and format of typical deliverables for this type of project is essential. A business letter format consisting of a few pages expressing your entity’s interest, outlining the below Qualifications, and containing attachments such as a company brochure or brochures covering these areas of interest will suffice. Your entity’s expression of interest must be provided to William Henegar by May 31, 2023. Supplier Qualifications As a basis for qualification, Suppliers must show references that support: Minimum of 5 years’ experience supporting Government Entities or Prime Contractors If you qualify based on the above, please also include responses to the following: 1. List of relevant references in the last 5 years Experience supporting Government Entities or Prime Contractors Minimum of 5 relevant Awards supporting spend >$1M Primary area of specialty 2. Number of active contracts supporting the following categories: How many waste disposition activities within the last two years? Type of waste disposition Waste type capability (radiological, Non-Radiological, Hazardous)