Inside Energy with Federal Lands
July 3, 2006
LABORATORIES; Pg. 13
DOE cuts step in requesting proposals for new management contract at Ames
Angela Y. Hardin
The Energy Department is skipping a traditional step in its solicitation for a new
management contract at Ames Laboratory in Iowa, deciding to issue a final
request for proposals without first seeking comment on a draft version of the
document.
The department released the 608-page final RFP on Thursday.
One reason for the change is that DOE's Chicago office "is not seeing new
comments or new issues being raised in the three solicitations we're involved in,"
spokesman Gary Pitchford said. In addition to the Ames solicitation, the office is
also seeking bids on new contracts at Argonne National Laboratory and Fermi
National Accelerator Laboratory, both in Illinois.
The board overseeing the Ames solicitation also "recognized this is a smaller
than average [management and operations] contract," Pitchford said. "It's about
$30 million a year." In addition, he said, conducting a formal comment process
would likely "tax" the incumbent contractor at Ames, Iowa State University, and
other entities likely to consider bidding on the contract.
Responding to DOE solicitations for management contracts can be expensive,
and the resources of some potential bidders at Ames may be limited, he said.
Four of the 10 organizations that previously expressed interest in the contract are
small businesses.
"We're obviously trying to achieve competition," he said.
However, Pitchford said DOE will accept comments and questions related to the
Ames RFP until August 19, and the SEB could make changes to the proposed
contract that is part of the RFP.
Proposals for a new contract are due August 29. After, the department will hear
oral presentations from bidders the week of September 18. The new contract is
expected to go into effect October 1.
The RFP calls for a performance-based contract with a base term of five years
and options that could extend it an additional 15 years. The maximum available
annual fee for the new contract would be $835,000.
The contract is expected to include a new laboratory performance appraisal
process, which the department developed to enhance management of its science
labs.
Ames has been managed by ISU since 1947. It conducts fundamental science
research that supports energy production, conversion, transmission and storage
technologies, and other areas associated with DOE missions.
"Ames Laboratory provides leadership in basic research across a board
spectrum of science, with great expertise in biology, chemistry, physics and
related disciplines, which helps the [United States] maintain our global
competitiveness," Under Secretary for Science Raymond Orbach said. "Through
this contract process, DOE seeks the best possible management of this
laboratory to sustain our cutting-edge resources."
Just how many bidders will actually compete for this contract remains to be seen.
ISU has said it would submit a bid to retain sole management of the lab.
University officials were not available for comment last week.