The Department of Energy’s Hanford Field Office in Richland, Wash., intends to issue a sole source contract to Mercia Advisors, LLC for Highly Specialized Strategic Budgeting and Congressional Liaison Support Services, according to a March 27 procurement notice.
DOE’s Hanford Field Office intends to retain the firm’s services for up to one year without going through the usual competitive bidding process, the department said in a n SAM.GOV.
Bypassing competitive bids for the time and materials contract is justified because Mercia Advisors is the one reliable source for this type of expert-level work, according to the notice.
In addition to budget, financial and strategic planning, the contract will also call upon Mercia to prepare Hanford Field Office staff for engagement with Congressional committees
Mercia has “established and trusted relationships with key Congressional members and staff, particularly within the appropriations and armed services committees, crucial for effective advocacy and communication regarding DOE oversight and HFO’ [Hanford Field Office] funding,” according to the notice.
An Internet search indicated there is a federal contractor called Mercia Advisors in Kirkland, Wash.
Hanford, the former plutonium production complex, represents DOE’s biggest nuclear remediation job, typically accounting for roughly a third of the Office of Environmental Management budget.