US Environmental Protection Agency issued a request for proposals for the Navajo Area Uranium Mines Response, Assessment, and Evaluation Services contract.
This RFP, with an estimated value of $85 million, is a solicitation for firms capable of performing the work to submit proposals.
“EPA’s contract is a vital step in the effort to clean up the legacy of uranium contamination in and around the Navajo Nation,” said Enrique Manzanilla, EPA Superfund Division Director for the Pacific Southwest. “The RFP’s criteria aim to maximize job opportunities for Navajo businesses and individuals.”
Specifically, EPA is seeking expertise in environmental assessment services related to uranium mines, as well as expertise in working with tribes and communities. EPA anticipates awarding this contract in spring 2017.
In addition, EPA is issuing a Request for Information/Sources Sought for the potential Navajo Area Abandoned Mines Response and Construction Services procurement. This RFI is a market research tool seeking input from businesses with experience in environmental remediation and construction services. EPA wants recommendations on the draft scope of work, and will use them to ensure any formal solicitations are executed effectively. EPA is also asking businesses to submit capability statements to determine the availability of qualified companies technically capable of meeting the government’s requirements.
To provide businesses with more information on these upcoming opportunities, EPA will be hosting two pre-proposal workshops in September. The first will be held at Twin Arrows Navajo Casino Resort, near Flagstaff, Ariz. on September 12; the second will be at Navajo Technical University in Crownpoint, N.M. on September 15. At both events, morning sessions will focus on the RFP, and afternoons will be devoted to the RFI.
Thirty million tons of uranium ore were mined on or adjacent to the Navajo Nation under the authority of the Atomic Energy Act, leaving more than 400 abandoned mines with elevated radiation levels. Previous efforts by EPA resulted in funding Navajo organizations like Navajo EPA, the Navajo Abandoned Mine Lands program, the Community Housing and Infrastructure Development to replace contaminated homes, and the Navajo Engineering and Construction Authority to build water infrastructure. A recent legal settlement with Anadarko Petroleum will make available almost $1 billion to EPA for cleanup efforts at approximately 50 of those mines, formerly operated by Kerr-McGee.