Active

Contract Opportunity

THE U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (NRC) is issuing this Sources Sought Synopsis as a means of conducting market research or as a market survey to determine the availability of potential qualified vendors with the technical capability to provide all management, supervision, administration, and labor for the Regulatory Requirements and Feasibility Associated with Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) Island Mode Operation. Specific activities include: (1) expertise and familiarity with the operation of NPPs in the U.S. and internationally (specifically those reactors that have the ability to implement island mode operation (IMO);(2) expertise regarding the operation of the electric power grid in the U.S. and internationally; (3) capability to discuss in depth the steps an NPP undergoes from an electrical, reactor systems, and balance of plant when disconnecting from the electric power grid because of a disturbance and transition into IMO; (4) capability to discuss in depth the procedures and modifications an NPP must implement in order to successfully implement IMO; (5) in depth knowledge of the effect IMO could have on the onsite distribution system while the plant is transitioning from full power down to IMO ;and (6) familiarity and ability to acquire vast amount of operating experience regarding the operation of international plants during IMO. Services are to be provided to the NRC in Rockville, Maryland. The applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code assigned to this procurement is 541690 – Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services.

THERE IS NO SOLICITATION AT THIS TIME. This request for sources and vendor information does not constitute a request for proposal; submission of any information in response to this market survey is purely voluntary; the Government assumes no financial responsibility for any costs incurred.

The purpose of this announcement is to provide potential sources the opportunity to submit information regarding their capabilities to perform work for the NRC free of conflict of interest (COI). For information on NRC COI regulations, visit NRC Acquisition Regulation Subpart 2009.5 (http://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/contracting/48cfr-ch20.html).

All interested parties, including all categories of small businesses (small businesses, small disadvantaged businesses, 8(a) firms, women-owned small businesses, service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses, and HUBZone small businesses) are invited to submit a response. The capabilities package submitted by a vendor should demonstrate the firm's ability, capability, and responsibility to perform the principal components of work listed below. The package should also include past performance/experience regarding projects of similar scope listing the project title, general description, the dollar value of the contract, and name of the company, agency, or government entity for which the work was performed.

Organizations responding to this market survey should keep in mind that only focused and pertinent information is requested. If significant subcontracting or teaming is anticipated in order to deliver technical capability, organizations should address the administrative and management structure of such arrangements. Submission of additional materials such as glossy brochures or videos is discouraged.

BACKGROUND

The capability of NPPs to operate completely isolated from the grid while supplying AC power to the plant’s auxiliary loads (house loads) is often referred to as IMO. Although there are several advantages associated with IMO such as reduction of plant trips, reduced time to power-up to full power and provide grid support, lesser reliance on offsite power, reduced challenges to reactor trip and cooling systems, there are possible concerns that could result from IMO.

The possible concerns are centered around the plant’s ability to instantaneously reduce power from full power to hot-standby (~5% power), and the amount of excess power that could flow unto the onsite electrical distribution system (after the loss of load) while the plant is coming down in power. To successfully power down from full power to the required power to power the house loads, the reactor, turbine, generator, steam dumps, condensers, and other reactor controls must be able to handle the initial transient as a result of the loss of load without causing a reactor trip.

The amount of time that elapses between the loss of load (the moment the plant loses the grid), until the power is reduced to the appropriate power level suitable to power the house loads (~5%) is significant because the excess electric power being generated during the power-down process will flow unto the plant’s onsite distribution system. The excess electric power flowing unto the onsite distribution system could challenge or exceed the operational limit of certain sensitive electrical equipment such as battery chargers and/or inverters. Furthermore, In the event where the operational limit of sensitive electrical equipment is exceeded to the point of failure, there could be some challenges associated with the proper operation of the onsite electrical distribution system, and a possible fast transfer to the Emergency Diesel Generators (EDGs).

CAPABILITY SOUGHT

The vendor must provide a team of key personnel that as a whole possess the following qualifications:

1. Understanding of nuclear power plant operation (electrical, reactor system, balance of plant) in the U.S, and internationally.


2. In depth understanding of the implementation of IMO by NPPs outside the U.S.


3. In depth knowledge of NPPs operations to discuss the procedures and modifications an NPP must implement in order to successfully IMO.


4. In depth knowledge of the effect IMO could have on the onsite distribution system while the plant is transitioning from full power down to IMO.


5. Experience in the operation of the electric power grid in the U.S. and internationally


6. Familiarity and ability to acquire operating experience from NPPs outside the US during IMO.


7. Knowledge of code and standards implemented on the electric power grid and in regions abroad where NPPs implement island mode operations.


8. The team must have a minimum of 20 years of NPP operational experience including generation and transmission.


9. In depth experience regarding the operation of NPPs onsite distribution systems in the U.S. and abroad where IMO is implemented.


10. Ability to implement required formatting guidelines and summarize technical information into a Technical Letter Report.

HOW TO RESPOND TO THIS SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE

If your organization has the capability and capacity to perform, as a prime contractor, one or more of the services described in this notice, then please respond to this notice and provide written responses to the following information. Please do not include any proprietary or otherwise sensitive information in the response, and do not submit a proposal. Proposals submitted in response to this notice will not be considered.

1. Organization name, address, emails address, Web site address and telephone number.


2. What size is your organization with respect to NAICS code identified in this notice (i.e., "small" or "other than small")? If your organization is a small business under the aforementioned NAICS code, what type of small business (i.e., small disadvantaged business, woman-owned small business, economically disadvantaged woman-owned small business, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, 8(a), or HUBZone small business)? Specify all that apply.


3. Although no geographic restriction is anticipated, if responding organizations are located outside the Washington Metropolitan area (Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia), indicate how the organization would coordinate with the NRC program office located in Rockville, Maryland to provide the support services.


4. Separately and distinctly describe which of the required capabilities listed above that your organization possesses and indicate your organization's role (prime contractor, first tier subcontractor, and/or supplier) in related contracts. Please also provide the contract number, contract type, customer name, address and point of contact phone number and email address, contract value, thorough description of supplies and services included in the scope of that contract, indication of how they differ from the required capabilities described in this notice, period of performance (for services) or delivery date (for products), and any other relevant information.


5. Separately and distinctly describe your organizations past performance in the areas described above under the above section, Capability Sought. Please indicate your organization's role (prime contractor, first tier subcontractor, and/or supplier) in related contracts. Please also provide the contract number, contract type, customer name, address and point of contact phone number and email address, contract value, detailed description of supplies and services included in the scope of that contract, period of performance (for services) or delivery date (for products), and any other relevant information.


6. For any federal customers that your agency has for the required capabilities, indicate how your company complies with applicable environmental laws and Federal regulations (See NRC’s Green Purchasing Plan at: http://pbadupws.nrc.gov/docs/ML1219/ML12191A130.pdf).


7. Indicate whether your organization offers any of the required capabilities described in this notice on one or more of your company's own Federal Government contracts (i.e., GSA Federal Supply Schedule contract or Government wide Acquisition Contracts) that the NRC could order from and, if so, which services are offered. Also, provide the contract number(s) and indicate what is currently available for ordering from each of those contract(s).


8. Provide a standard, non-proprietary commercial price list or similar standard non-proprietary commercial pricing information for how your company sells, as a prime contractor, required capabilities described in this notice that your organization has experience providing. Also, indicate what is included in that pricing.


9. Is your organization currently performing or have in the past performed same or similar services as those listed above for any of the licensees regulated by the NRC? If so, which licensees? See http://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/regulatory/licensing.html for more information on NRC licensing.


10. Has your organization previously faced organizational conflict of interest issues with NRC? If so, what were they and how were they mitigated or resolved?

Interested organizations responding to this Sources Sought Synopsis are encouraged to structure capability statements in the order of the area of consideration noted above. All capability statements sent in response to this notice must be submitted electronically, via e-mail, to Emarsha Whitt, at emarsha.whitt@nrc.gov, either MS Word or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), on March 5, 2024, by 5:00 PM EST.

DISCLAIMER AND NOTES: Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the Government to determine the organization’s potential capability and capacity to perform the subject work. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a pre-solicitation synopsis and solicitation may be published in Federal Business Opportunities. However, responses to this notice will not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation.

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