Mobile and Transportable Microreactor System

The solicitation for the development of mobile and transportable microreactor systems under number 70RSAT26R00000003 was issued by the Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Acquisitions Division as a full and open competition under FAR Part 12 for commercial items, with the intent to procure a first-of-a-kind microreactor system capable of rapid deployment for emergency and austere operations. The system must be factory-fueled as a sealed, certified module, transportable via highway, rail, or air, and mobile on-site without core disassembly, with delivery of the first operational unit required by December 31, 2028. Evaluation of proposals focused on three major factors—technical capability for transport and mobility, feasibility of delivering the microreactor on schedule including licensing and supply chain readiness, and total cost of ownership—with technical factors carrying significantly greater weight than price. Proposals were required to demonstrate alignment with NRC and DOE authorization timelines, HALEU fuel availability, and compliance with IEEE, 10 CFR, and DHS nuclear and cybersecurity standards, with inspection and acceptance to occur at Idaho National Laboratory. Special contract requirements included strict prohibitions on remote or autonomous reactor operation, mandatory DHS security training for all personnel, formal control over configuration changes affecting safety or cybersecurity, accountability for government and contractor-acquired property, and limitations on the use of the DHS seal and contract data. Despite initial pursuit of this acquisition, the solicitation was ultimately cancelled via Amendment 0002, with no awards to be made. Prior to cancellation, Amendment 0001 had provided responses to offeror questions through a publicly accessible document, and the closing date for submissions remained set for January 9, 2026. The contract structure contemplated fixed-price milestones with incentive payments up to five percent of each milestone, along with clauses addressing patent rights, employment eligibility verification, pollution prevention, drug-free workplace, and government property, many of which included deviations from standard FAR language. Payment was to be processed electronically via a designated DHS email, with invoicing tied to CLINs for design, prototype, and unit delivery milestones extending through 2034. The point of contact for the acquisition was Darin Andrew Jones, with additional support from John Whipple. Notably, no set-aside was used, and while the solicitation referenced inclusion of a Federal Priorities and Allocations System rating in the future, the cancellation rendered all such plans moot, and