MARKET DRIVEN STRATEGY FOR ACQUISITION OF WASTE ACCEPTANCE AND TRANSPORTATION SERVICES FOR COMMERCIAL SPENT FUEL IN THE UNITED STATES

The Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM) in !}le United States Department of Energy (DOE) has the responsibility under the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (the Act) for the shipment of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) from commercial reactors to a Federal facility for storage and/or disposal. The Act requires the utilization of private industry to the \"fullest extent possible\" in the transportation of spent fuel. An OCRWM goal is to develop a safe, efficient, and effective transportation system while meeting the mandate of the Act. Initially, as existing equipment and systems were not optimally desi,gned for the large quantities of older and cooler SNF that would have to be transported, OCRWM embarked on a program to have private industry design, certify, and fabricate high capacity, advanced technology transportation casks. However, OCRWM's later assessment of activities in the private sector indicated that several storage-transport canister and cask designs were being developed for utility applications. It became apparent to OCRWM that private industry could take a greater role than originally envisioned. These factors and others lead OCRWM to develop a strategy for a market driven approach for the acquisition of transportation services and equipment. To implement this strategy, OCRWM is planning to issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the provision of the required services and equipment to accept SNF from the utilities and transport the SNF to a Federal facility. Two draft RFPs have been issued with the second draft incorporating comments on the first draft from potential contractors and other interested parties. The overall strategy as outlined in the draft RFP relies on private industry to use the innovative powers of the marketplace to help DOE accomplish its mission objectives. DOE intends to pursue this procurement strategy whether or not the OCRWM program includes interim storage. The concept described in the draft RFP provides for DOE to purchase services and equipment from a contractor-operated waste acceptance and transportation organization. The contractor is expected to provide initial financing for the project including that necessary for initial acquisition of operational equipment, establish the necessary management organization, and mobilize the necessary resources and capabilities to provide the SNF delivery services at a fixed rate. DOE