A -- RADIATION EMBRITTLEMENT ANALYSIS

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission intends to negotiate a sole source contract with the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) for a project entitled, Radiation Embrittlement Analysis, under the authority of FAR Subpart 6.302-1. This notice of intent is neither a request for proposals nor a solicitation of offers. The proposed contract is a follow-on to Contract No. NRC-04-01-064 with UCSB. Specimens from the previous project have been irradiated at the Ford Nuclear Reactor, but have not yet been tested and analyzed. In order to complete this effort, UCSB's expertise and extensive accrued knowledge is required. In this effort, the contractor shall develop and verify physical models based upon fundamental mechanisms for radiation embrittlement, and correlations needed to update the calculational procedures for predicting changes in toughness of irradiated pressure vessels given in Regulatory Guide 1.99 and as related to pressurized thermal shock. This procurement is being pursued on a sole source basis because the principal investigator, Dr. Odette, has unique expertise in this area of research needed for successful completion of the project. In addition, UCSB has unique facilities in order to carry out the research. The period of performance is three years from date of award. Interested firms must submit written capability statements demonstrating their ability to perform the required services to the above address not later than 15 calendar days from the date this announcement appears in the Federal Business Opportunities. Capability statements that do not fully demonstrated the respondent's ability to satisfy the requirements above will not be considered.