Request for Information/Sources Sought Notice

This is a Request for Information (RFI)/Sources Sought Notice (SSN). The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) is considering options for conducting a Package Performance Demonstration (PPD) to help build public trust and confidence in the safety of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) transportation casks and SNF transportation by rail, heavy-haul truck, and barge by demonstrating the ability of a SNF transportation cask to withstand hypothetical accident test conditions set forth in Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 71 (10 CFR Part 71).

The purpose of this RFI/SSN is to gather information related to a PPD from a wide range of sources, including general information from stakeholder input and feedback, as well as specific test parameter information from potential suppliers (e.g., cask vendors, testing facilities/sites to conduct demonstrations, and potential vendors to provide instrumentation, data collection, and/or high-resolution videography services). DOE-NE is requesting stakeholder input and feedback for consideration regarding the types of full-scale demonstrations that DOE-NE may conduct for a PPD [e.g., demonstrations based on the tests described in U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) regulations in Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 71 (10 CFR Part 71), and/or scenario demonstrations based on realistic transportation accident scenarios]. Additionally, DOE-NE is requesting information from potential suppliers that could provide products and/or services for a proposed PPD. Requested input and feedback for products and services relates to items such as the choice of a SNF rail-sized transportation cask, the type of demonstrations that could be conducted for a PPD, possible testing facilities/sites, and options for instrumentation, data collection, and/or high-resolution videography. Please note that while DOE-NE is requesting feedback and input from stakeholders for consideration as to the type and parameters of demonstrations that could be completed to show the ability of a SNF transportation cask to withstand hypothetical accident conditions, DOE-NE will ultimately decide how to proceed subject to the constraints of authorization, availability of appropriated funds, and practical/technical feasibility.