B -- EXPRESSIONS OF INTREST REGARDING THE FUTURE USE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY'S FAST FLUX TEST FACILITY (FFTF)

Notice Date

May 21, 2001

Contracting Office

U.S. Department Of Energy, Document Control Specialist, Washington, DC 20585

ZIP Code

20585

Solicitation Number

N/A

Response Due

June 22, 2001

Point of Contact

Mike Holland, Area Manager, Brookhaven Area Office, 631-344-3424, e-mail: FFTF.EOI@HQ.DOE.GOV,

Description

The Department of Energy (DOE) is soliciting expressions of interest regarding the potential future use of FFTF. FFTF is a U.S. Government-owned 400-megawatt thermal, sodium-cooled reactor located on the Hanford Site near Richland, Washington. FFTF was placed in standby in 1992 when a judgment was made that it was no longer required to conduct declining DOE nuclear R&D missions that could be performed at other facilities. Since that time, some of those alternative facilities, such as the Experimental Breeder Reactor II in Idaho, have been deactivated, and the need for nuclear research capability has been projected to increase. In 1999, DOE commissioned a study to establish whether a compelling rationale existed for the restart of FFTF. As a portion of this study, general expressions of interest were received from various groups, including international organizations, Government agencies, industry, private companies, professional societies, universities, and operating contractors regarding the potential use of FFTF. DOE is now, through this notice, seeking more specific and defined expressions of interest from the private sector for potential use of the FFTF. Interested parties are requested, within 30 days from the date of this publication, to submit written expressions of interest to include: details of the proposed use of FFTF's capabilities, including user requirements for irradiation/isotope production services; an estimate of the financial contribution or other participation by the interested party related to the projected use; a statement of the interested party's technical and financial capabilities; and a description of the mechanism or contractual form that could be pursued to formalize a business arrangement, which may include a letter of intent, draft contingent contract, or other approaches. A proposed funding profile or other description of the interested party's participation will be an important consideration in DOE's review of expressions of interest. Responses to this notice also may suggest innovative cost-sharing approaches, including commercialization of some or all of the capacity of the facility. Depending on the number and nature of the responses received, meetings to discuss the submissions may be scheduled at a DOE site two weeks after receipt of the responses to this notice. Additional information about the scheduling of any such meetings will be posted on the Web site address referenced in this notice. It should be noted that any information to be submitted that interested parties consider to be proprietary should be marked accordingly. This is not a solicitation for proposals or an invitation for bids, nor does it represent a commitment by the Government to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of data or any other cost incurred in response to this announcement. BACKGROUND INFORMATION: FFTF operated for ten years (1982-1992) for the testing of advanced nuclear fuel, materials, components, and reactor safety technologies. FFTF supported the U.S. fusion research program and international research work and represents an investment of about $1.1 billion. FFTF can support research requiring fast, thermal, and epithermal neutron spectrums. FFTF core size and testing access allows for concurrent production of isotopes and Pu-238 while supporting a diverse set of irradiation experiments. FFTF has previously been utilized for testing space reactor components and systems, demonstrating the production of Pu-238 used in powering NASA deep space missions, testing fuels and materials for waste transmutation and advanced nuclear concepts, and international fuels and fusion material testing. FFTF is capable of large-scale production quantities of medical isotopes (including alpha-emitting isotopes). In 2000, the DOE prepared a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Accomplishing Expanded Civilian Nuclear Energy Research and Development and Isotope Production Missions in the United States, Including the Role of the Fast Flux Test Facility. In January 2001, a Record of Decision was issued by DOE that directed the permanent deactivation of FFTF. More recently, DOE commissioned a review of the earlier decision to deactivate FFTF; this review will be completed by July 31, 2001. The expressions of interest requested by this notice will serve as one input of that review. If the decision is made to reactivate the FFTF, reactivation at 100 megawatts thermal could occur between 2004 and 2006 at a cost of approximately $314 million. The projected annual operating cost of FFTF is $58 million. Additional information regarding FFTF, its capabilities, and history is located at http://www.fftf.org. Expressions of interest should be directed in writing or by e-mail to: Mike Holland, Technical Project Manager, Phone: 631-344-3424, Fax: 631-344-3444, E-Mail: FFTF.EOI@HQ.DOE.GOV, or by mail to: M. Holland, Area Manager, Brookhaven Area Office, Upton, NY 11973

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010523/BSOL010.HTM (W-141 SN50M6I1)