Workers conduct an emergency exercise at the Radiation Emergency Assistance Center/Training Site in Oak Ridge. REACTS is a part of DOE’s Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education. (ORISE photo)
The Department of Energy today released its Request for Proposals for management of the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education — a contract currently held by Oak Ridge Associated Universities. ORAU has already stated that it plans to submit a proposal in hopes of keeping the contract.
Proposals will be due Sept. 8, no later than 2 p.m., and DOE said offerors are “strongly encouraged” not to wait until the last minute.
According to the RFP, the new contract will be a cost-plus-award-fee contract and will have a five-year base term. “New to the ORISE contract is the inclusion of a non-monetary performance incentive which allows the earning of up to an additional five years of contract term for exemplary performance,” the executive summary states.
DOE said the ORISE contract will be used to support scientific initiatives “to develop the next generation of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics”; promote DOE-funded research through peer review; provide independent assessments of environmental cleanup activities; provide information on “long-term health outcomes” of current and former workers; and operate the Oak Ridge-based Radiation Emergency Assistance Center/Training Site (REACTS). The Oak Ridge institute’s work in health communications — such as providing support on emergency issues to the Centers for Disease Control — and national security-related projects do not appear to be featured in the RFP.
Those who submit bids on the management contract will be required to include their plans for small-business subcontracting.
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