The Energy Department Office of Environmental Management has scheduled an online pre-solicitation conference and one-on-one meetings on the Savannah River National Laboratory contract for next week.

The virtual conference, conducted via WebEx, is scheduled for 11 a.m. April 28. The online meetings with potential bidders are planned for April 29 and, if necessary, April 30, DOE said in an online post last Wednesday.

Like other organizations, the Energy Department is increasing use of online meetings as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This might be the first major procurement-related event planned in a virtual venue.

On April 9, DOE issued its draft request for proposals for the potential 10-year, $3.8 billion stand-alone contract for management of the Savannah River National Laboratory in South Carolina.

The laboratory is now run by Fluor-led Savannah River Nuclear Solutions under its management and operations contract for the entire Savannah River Site. The incumbent contract, valued at $14.8 billion, is scheduled to expire in October. The Energy Department, though, could exercise options to keep SRNS around for up to two additional years.

Potential bidders interested in the April 28 conference or the subsequent one-on-one virtual meetings should email their registration form, found online, no later than 2 p.m. ET on April 23 to [email protected].

In addition, DOE’s semiautonomous National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) also intends next week to conduct a virtual public hearing on the draft environmental impact statement for plutonium pit production at the Savannah River Site. The hearing is scheduled for 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday, April 30, the NNSA said in a press release.

The draft EIS evaluates the environmental impacts of producing 50 pits per year at Savannah River.  The agency proposes repurposing the partially built Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility for this mission. The link for NNSA virtual public meetings can be found here.