U.S. Department of Energy, Oakland Operations Office,1301 Clay St., 700N, Oakland, CA 94612-5208

18 -- SYSTEM INTEGRATION OF AN ADVANCED RADIOISOTOPE POWER SYSTEM (ARPS) SOL DE-RP03-97SF21256 DUE 031197 POC Bobbie Vadnais, Contracting Officer, (510) 637-1899 The Department of Energy's Oakland Operations Office intends to issue a Request For Proposals (RFP) No. DE-RP03-97SF21256 entitled"System Integration of an Advanced Radioisotope Power System(ARPS)." The Standard Industrial Code (SIC) is 3764 representing Guided Missiles and Space Vehicle Propulsion Units and Propulsion Unit Parts. The small business size standard is 1000. The RFP will solicit proposals from potential offerors for the design, development, integration, and manufacture of an ARPS for potential use on a space craft/science craft for one or more NASA future deep space exploration missions. The successful contractor(s) will design an ARPS using one of three converter technologies: Alkaline Metal Thermal to Electric Converter (AMTEC), Thermophotovoltaic Converter (TPV), or Stirling Engine Converter. The converter technology selection will be made known to potential offerors upon the release of the RFP in early February 1997. The contractual effort consists of two separate phases. Phase I of the effort includes: 1) Develop a system design of an ARPS in the 100 We class using the selected technology, 2) Based on this design, identify issues and concerns with the selected technology and recommend approaches to resolution, including recommending an alternate technology if appropriate, and 3) Fabricate an electrically heated Engineering Model of the ARPS by July 1, 1999. If a specific mission is proposed which needs an ARPS as a power system option, DOE will exercise Phase II. Phase II will include the following tasks: 1) Complete detailed design of the ARPS that incorporates the science craft integration and mission requirements, 2) Manufacture and acceptance test an identified number of ARPS flight units. This includes electrically heated acceptance testing of the ARPS, subsequent shipment of the flight units to the DOE Mound Plant, oversight of the General Purpose Heat Source (GPHS) fuel module installation, and the final assembly and acceptance testing of the fully assembled ARPS units, 3) Preparenecessary Launch Safety Analysis Report and assessment of safety for the launch approval process, 4) Establish liaison and coordinate with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to assure integration of the ARPS design and performance parameters with NASA/JPL space craft/science craft requirements through top level drawing and associated documents for interface controls, 5) Design and/or modify mounting hardware to mate the ARPS to the DOE certified shipping package and any ground support equipment or hardware needed for launch site support activities, 6) Provide launch support personnel and provide liaison with launch site operators, and 7) Provide for the management of the project, quality assurance, reliability analysis (FMECA) of the ARPS, and deliver status and topical reports. Potential missions which may require the use of ARPS, are being planned for the year 2002 launch, or later. The technical evaluation criteria will include, among others, 1) Understanding the issues and requirements in developing a radioisotope power system design based on the selected conversion technology, 2) Understanding the manufacturing of the engineering model and flight units, 3) Understanding the issues, requirements, and past experience in integrating power system requirements to meet mission and science craft requirements, and 4) Capabilities and experience with developing safety analysis and assessments for launch and accident scenarios. It is anticipated that a DRAFT Statement of Work will be available on the Internet at http://www.oak.doe.gov by mid-December 1996. A DRAFT RFP will be available on the Internet at http://www.oak.doe.gov about mid-January 1997. It is anticipated that the converter technology will be chosen in early February 1997, at which time the RFP will be issued in final form. After the RFP is issued, DOE will allow ONLY thirty (30) days for receipt of proposals. Potential offerors may obtain a copy of the solicitation by accessing the Internet using any Web browser, at http://www.oak.doe.gov. No paper copies of the solicitation (RFP) will be made available. Potential Offerors that do not have electronic capability to download the solicitation shall submit a written request to Leann Morrow, Secretary, Source Evaluation Board, RFP No. DE-RPO3-97SF21256, U.S. Department of Energy, Building 311, MS L-293, P.O. Box 808, Livermore, CA 94550, for a diskette copy of the solicitation. The requestor must include a self-addressed stamped envelope and an MS-DOS formatted high density 3 1/2" virus free diskette suitable for download of the electronic solicitation. The word processing format used for the solicitation is Word Perfect 6.0. Potential offerors who fail to submit an appropriate diskette and self-addressed stamped envelope will not receive the solicitation. All offerors interested in receiving notification of solicitation release should notify DOE at leann.morrow@oak.doe.gov through electronic mail. The notification must include a point of contact name, company address, electronic mail address (preferred), or facsimile number, and the solicitation number. Notification of solicitation release will be issued through electronic mail or facsimile message only. Amendments to the RFP will also be posted on the internet. (0340)

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