Compliant demilitarization via recycling and metals recovery for non-Cathode Ray Tube Electron Tubes

This Sources Sought Announcement is issued solely for information and planning purposes only - there is no actual requirement or any further information available at this time. The DLA Disposition Services is not seeking proposals and will not accept unsolicited proposals. Responses to this Announcement are not offers and cannot be accepted by the U.S. Government to form a binding contract or agreement. The Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this Announcement. All costs associated with responding to this Announcement will be solely at the responding party's expense. All information received in response to this Announcement that is marked as proprietary information will be handled accordingly. The DLA Disposition Services is conducting market research to determine the capabilities and qualifications of businesses in the continental United States to potentially perform compliant demilitarization by recycling and smelting for metals recovery of various types of non CRT electron tubes. If a contract is eventually pursued, magnetrons and klystrons may also be offered if the contractor has the capability to compliantly and safely remove dielectric fluids and gases in non-air cooled models prior to destructive processes. Purpose of this Announcement is to (1) identify compliant recyclers capable of recycling non-CRT electron tubes via smelting while safely managing the hazardous components these tubes may contain such as lead, cadmium, mercury, ceramics containing beryllium, and dielectric gases or fluids (magnetrons and klystrons) and in the event a contract is pursued, to (2) meet demilitarization storage, handling and verification requirements during the receipt, storage, processing of DEMIL required electron tubes and to (3) recover ferrous, non-ferrous and precious metals. Quantities generated vary annually depending on the needs of the military services. An average of 22,000 electron tubes required DEMIL each year between 2005 and 2010. Weights of individual tubes ranged from a few ounces to hundreds of pounds. The recycling process is expected to yield ferrous material, copper and copper alloys, nickel and nickel alloys, and small amounts of precious metals including silver and gold. Hazardous residue from recycling is expected to include lead, cadmium, mercury and ceramics containing beryllium. Limited TCLP testing of various types of non-CRT electron tubes identified lead and cadmium at regulated levels in some tube types and barium, chromium and silver in lesser amounts. Manufacturers identify mercury as a component of some electron tubes. While the Government, in the event of a possible contract, would make every effort to identify and not ship electron tubes containing non-regulated low level alpha and beta emitting radioactive components, the recycler would need a process to screen electron tubes at the time of receipt and during any destructive processes for radioactive components using multiple techniques including radiation monitors and visual examination of tubes and packaging for indication of radioactive sources. Electron tubes identified with any radioactive components during screening processes would be returned to the Government prior to any destructive processing. The following table provides examples of non-CRT electron tubes that may require demilitarization via recycling and smelting. This list is only provided to demonstrate the diversity in the types of non-CRT electron tubes that may be offered for recycling and smelting. There are over 10,000 different unique electron tubes identified via a national stock number in DOD inventories. This listing is for illustrative purposes only and does not necessarily represent all types of non-CRT electron tubes that may require DEMIL via recycling: Examples of Non-CRT Electron Tubes National Stock Number Name Type Additional Information 5960-00-193-5117 Klystron 6BL6 Fails TCLP for Lead and Cadmium, may contain dielectric fluid/gas 5960-00-193-5135 Triode 5676 Fails TCLP for Lead 5960-00-1888627 Triode 3A5 Passes TCLP metals 5960-00-617-4873 Unknown Unknown Passes TCLP metals 5960-983-5464 Triode Unknown Passes TCLP metals 5960-00-148-4493 Amplifier Unknown Passes TCLP metals 5960-00-106-0694 Pentode Unknown Passes TCLP metals 5960-00-840-1055 Tetrode 7609 Passes TCLP metals 5960-00-952-7202 Pentode 7788 Passes TCLP metals 5960-00-061-1186 Pentode Unknown Passes TCLP metals 5960-01-030-5345 Klystron Unknown May contain dielectric fluid/gas 5960-01-349-5380 Transmitter OT-128 TPQ36V None 5960-01-098-1169 Traveling wave guide Unknown None 5960-01-090-9291 Magnetron Unknown May contain dielectric fluids/gas 5960-01-323-6432 Transmitter Traveling wave guide OT-128 TPQ36V None 5960-01-291-5593 Nuclear radiation detector Unknown None 5960-01-084-7380 Magnetron T6254 May contain dielectric fluids/gas If a contract is eventually pursued, the work effort may include but is not limited to: 1) Providing comprehensive demilitarization of non-CRT electron tubes via recycling and smelting for metals recovery 2) Meeting demilitarization facility requirements such as providing secured storage for electron tubes during all phases of processing from initial receipt through smelting 3) Removing dielectric fluids or gases from magnetrons and klystrons prior to destructive processes 4) Screening all electron tubes received for radioactivity prior to destructive processing 5) Providing for compliant collection, storage and disposal of any regulated hazardous material generated from the recycling and smelting processes 6) Providing cradle-to-grave tracking documentation, including a Certificate of Destruction (CD), demonstrating electron tubes were demilitarized via recycling and smelting and any hazardous wastes were properly disposed of 7) Returning proceeds from the sale of recovered non-precious metals to the Government 8) Returning recovered precious metals to the Government (where applicable) 9) Ensuring fair and reasonable pricing for services rendered to the US Government 10) Ensuring that environmental, safety, and occupational health practices are conducted in compliance with applicable laws and regulations 11) Electron tubes would be shipped by the Government to the contractor facility for processing In order for DLA Disposition Services to properly gauge the capability of industry, interested parties must provide: - 1) Statement of Capability. Please provide a general statement informing DLA Disposition Services of the general capabilities your firm offers. Include a brief overview or flow chart that summarizes the cradle-to-grave process for recycling non-CRT electron tubes. Please identify the facility, city and state at each step. Discuss the specific types of materials you can process through smelting, and include the type of smelter proposed for use. Please clearly indicate which types of electron tubes identified in the table above that your firm is able to process and whether you have the capability to recognize electron tubes containing dielectric fluids and gases and capability to remove the dielectric fluids and gases.. 2) Statement of Qualifications. Please provide information to address the following: (a) Describe the types of materials and volumes you are authorized to recycle via smelting including how materials containing TCLP metals (lead, cadmium, mercury, silver, etc.) are compliantly handled. (b) Provide the locations of your recycling/treatment facilities and the technology that each facility utilizes for metals recovery. (c) Describe the method utilized for the disposal of hazardous residues generated by the recycling process. (d) Describe, if applicable, any previous experience with recycling and smelting of non-CRT electron tubes. (e) Describe Federal, state, and/or local permits and/or authorizations relating to your facility operations. (f) Describe ability to screen electron tubes for non-regulated low level alpha and beta radioactive sources. (g) Describe ability to recognize and remove dielectric fluids or gases from magnetrons and klystrons. 3) Statement of Business Size/Socioeconomic Concern Status. Please identify the firm's business size and, if applicable, socioeconomic representation (i.e., small business, veteran-owned small business, service disabled veteran owned business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business or woman-owned small business). Firms capable of providing these services are encouraged to respond to this Announcement via email by submitting their response to James Chitty, Environmental Support Branch, J-332, DLA Disposition Services, via email at james.chitty@dla.mil by 4:30 p.m. EST, January 17, 2012. If e-mailing your response, please send it in PDF or MS Word format and reference "Demilitarization and Recycling of Non-CRT Electron Tubes Sources Sought" in the subject of your e-mail. Do not include or attach brochures in addition to your response. Responding to this request for information does not obligate a firm to respond to any resulting solicitation, nor is the Government obligated in any way to issue a solicitation as a result of this request, regardless of the responses received. The Agency will review information submitted in response to this Announcement but may not respond to submissions.