Comments on the U.S. Energy Department’s request for information (RFI) on a possible stand-alone management contract for the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) in South Carolina are now due by 3 p.m. ET Jan. 29.
The DOE Office of Environmental Management announced the one-week extension for market research comments in a Tuesday notice on a federal procurement website. The agency also announced a change of venue for today’s community day presentation on the proposal.
The session is scheduled for 5 p.m. at the city of Aiken, S.C.’s municipal building. Meanwhile, the industry day presentation remains set to start at 8 a.m. at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in North Augusta, S.C.
Management of the laboratory is currently part of the $14.8 billion operations contract for the full 310-square mile Savannah River Site held by Fluor-led Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS).
The Savannah River National Laboratory conducts a number of research programs in fields such as detection of weapons of mass destruction and tapping hydrogen as an energy source, and serves as the laboratory for DOE’s Office of Environmental Management. It also works on national security, nonproliferation, and energy security missions for DOE and other federal agencies. In fiscal 2019, its 1,000 employees provided over $289 million in “direct customer support” to clients that include the nuclear cleanup office, the Energy Department’s semiautonomous National Nuclear Security Administration, separate branches of DOE, and other federal agencies. But the laboratory has “the potential to perform more diversified missions,” DOE said in the RFI notice of intent.
The agency is looking for comments on questions including how the laboratory might foster a tighter bond with the academic community, how it can better leverage its research infrastructure, and identifying ways to using SRNL’s expertise in tritium science advance research and development programs at the DOE’s Office of Science and elsewhere.
The Energy Department has not indicated when any potential request for proposals might be issued. The agency announced the RFI last month.
Comments should be submitted to SRNL@emcbc.doe.gov.