Cincinnati – Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issued a Request for Information (RFI)/Sources Sought notice for operation of the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) Direct Feed Low-Activity Waste (DFLAW) facilities at the Hanford site in Washington State.

The DOE Office of Environmental Management is currently in the acquisition planning phase for a new contract to operate WTP DFLAW facilities. This RFI solicits input, via capability statements, from potential offerors with the specialized capabilities necessary to meet all of the major elements of scope for the upcoming competitive procurement for operation of these facilities.

The WTP DFLAW complex is in the process of startup and commissioning and consists of three primary components: the Low-Activity Waste Facility (LAW), Analytical Laboratory, and infrastructure and supporting systems collectively known as the Balance of Facilities. Operation includes receiving feed from the Tank Closure Contractor; processing the feed through the vitrification process, and transferring the treated material back to the Tank Closure Contractor for disposition. DOE remains on track to meet the Amended Consent Decree milestone of December 2023 for LAW commissioning.

The capability statements will provide DOE feedback from contractors and other interested parties regarding options for innovative approaches toward performance of the major elements of scope and provide insight into potential contracting alternatives that may maximize production without impacting safety.

The final contract type, period of performance, amount of funding, and set-aside possibilities will be determined through the acquisition planning process and will be informed by the responses to the RFI.

Additional information is available at: https://www.emcbc.doe.gov/seb/hanforddoc