Notice of Intent to Extend and Compete the Management and Operating Contract for the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL)

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) intends to award a one-year noncompetitive contract extension to Fermi Research Alliance, LLC (FRA) for the management and operation of Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL) under contract DE-AC02-07CH11359. This action is being taken in accordance with FAR 6.302-3, which allows agencies to use noncompetitive procedures when it is necessary for the agency “to establish or maintain an essential engineering, research or development capability to be provided by an educational or other nonprofit institution or a federally funded research and development center.” The current contract expires on December 31, 2023. This extension will cover the period of January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024. FNAL is a single-purpose laboratory that leads the nation in the construction and operation of world-leading accelerator and detector facilities and in developing the underlying technology for particle physics research. The primary mission of FNAL is delivering breakthrough science and technology in the area of high energy particle physics. DOE’s mission is to ensure America’s security and prosperity by addressing its energy, environmental and nuclear challenges through transformative science and technology solutions. In support of the Department’s mission, FNAL provides extensive capabilities in world-class research expertise and unique facilities that do not exist elsewhere and are generally beyond the capability of any nongovernmental institution to construct or operate. This contract extension is necessary to allow DOE sufficient time to conduct a full and open contract competition for the management and operation of FNAL. It is anticipated that the contract competition will commence during the first quarter of FY 2023. It is the intent of DOE to ensure the solicitation process is transparent and current. A pre-solicitation notice will be issued subsequent to the competition kickoff, at which time interested sources will be invited to submit Expressions of Interest.