Background On February 3, 2021, NIST notified the Nuclear Regulatory Commission of an alert concerning elevated radiation levels at the NIST Reactor. NIST issued a news item that same day. https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2021/02/nist-statement-february-3-2021-alert-nist-center-neutron-research On February 5, 2021, NIST issued an update that contained further details. https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2021/02/update-status-nist-center-neutron-research-ncnr On March 2, 2021, NIST again published an update. This update reported that a portion of a fuel element had likely exceeded a temperature safety limit. https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2021/03/update-nist-center-neutron-research-alert-feb-3-2021 Because of this event and its aftermath, the primary cooling system of the NIST Reactor has become contaminated with radioactive particulate matter. This makes working in the vicinity of this system complicated. Process designs are being pursued by the Government that aim to remove the contamination. In the process the Government has developed a requirement for 30 filtering elements that will temporarily replace the fuel elements. References (will be provided with Solicitation) Drawing set of NBSR Fuel element Drawing of reactor core lower grid plate Photographs of engineer holding components of a “filter element” for which the Government has no design data. Government Provided Material 30 fuel head assemblies (will be mounted on dummy elements by the Government) Scope: Calculate Cv for one fuel element (based on fuel element design). May use Crane Handbook or equivalent. Specify an appropriate cartridge filter (reference photographs). Determine if cotton wound filter would stand up to radiation level of 1000 R/hour If cotton wound filter does not hold up to the radiation level required in 2.1, then specify a stainless-steel mesh filter as an alternative, if that is what it takes to meet the requirement in 2.1. Optimize filter size (i.e. 1 um, 2 um, 5 um, etc.) such that significant amount of flow passes through the filter; report the filtered flow fraction of total flow as a function of filter size (see also section 3) Assume N parallel filters and M empty (bypass) positions parallel to that. Parallel filters are positioned similar to fuel elements. A bypass is further defined as an empty position in the lower grid plate. Determine N for N+M=30 and entire assembly (N filters and M vacancies all in parallel) such that the Cv of an entire assembly is the same as the Cv of a core entirely filled with fuel elements. This will result in the pumps doing the same amount of work on the (bypassed) filter assembly as on the fuel assembly. Size assembly for normal reactor core flow conditions (3 pumps running). Design filter element Build 30 filter elements Ship 30 filter elements Submit all design paperwork and calculations. This is a sources sought notice for market research purposes and is not a request for quotations. After results of this market research are obtained and analyzed, and specifications developed, NIST may conduct a competitive procurement and subsequently award a Purchase Order(s) for the filter fuel elements. NIST is seeking responses from ALL RESPONSIBLE SOURCES , including large, foreign, and small businesses. Small businesses are defined under the associated NAICS code for this effort, 333999, as those domestic sources having 500 employees or less. Please include your company’s size classification and socio-economic status in any response to this notice. Companies that manufacture filter fuel elements are requested to email a detailed report describing their capabilities to
[email protected] no later than the established response date. The report should include achievable specifications and any other information relevant to your product or capabilities. Also, the following information is requested to be provided as part of the response to notice: 1. Name of the company that manufactures the filter fuel elements for which specifications are provided. 2. Name of company(ies) that are authorized to sell the filter fuel elements, their addresses, and a point of contact for the company (name, phone number, fax number and email address). 3. Indication of number of days, after receipt of order that is typical for delivery of such filter fuel elements. 4. Indication of whether or not these filter fuel elements, for which specifications are sent to
[email protected] are currently on one or more GSA Federal Supply Schedule contracts and, if so, the GSA FSS contract number(s). 5. The Country of Origin in which the filter fuel elements are manufactured. 6. Any other relevant information that is not listed above which the Government should consider in developing its minimum specifications and finalizing its market research.