The Department of Energy’s (DOE), Oak Ridge Operations Office (ORO) may have a continuing requirement for the management and operation of the DOE’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) located in Oak Ridge, TN.

Located on a 4,421-acre site, ORNL and its staff of 4,750 staff conducts basic and applied research to deliver transformative solutions to compelling problems in energy and security. The Management and Operations contract covers the DOE Oak Ridge Reservation, which consists of over 30,000 acres of federally-owned land.

The mission for Oak Ridge National Laboratory is to deliver scientific discoveries and technical breakthroughs that will accelerate the deployment of solutions in clean energy and global security, and in doing so create economic opportunity for the nation. The Oak Ridge National Laboratory supports the Department of Energy’s mission to ensure America’s security and prosperity by addressing energy, environmental, and nuclear challenges through transformative science and technology solutions. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, subsequently referred to as the Laboratory, is a multiprogram Department of Energy (DOE) National Laboratory and a Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) established in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation Subpart 35 under the cognizance of the Office of Science (SC). The Laboratory, as established by DOE, maintains a wide variety of highly specialized capabilities and technical expertise in materials science, neutron science, and computational science, among other disciplines.

The Laboratory performs work for all DOE programs including Science, Electrical Delivery and Energy Reliability, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Nuclear Energy, Fossil Energy, Environmental Management, Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy, and the National Nuclear Security Administration. DOE programs are carried out in partnership with academia, the private sector, other DOE National Laboratories, the international scientific community, and other government agencies.

The Office of Science has substantial expectations of the Contractor in eight specific performance areas under two major categories.

• Science and Technology – Performance Goals under Science and Technology are:
  • Mission Accomplishments (Quality and Productivity of R&D
  • Construction and Operation of Research Facilities
  • Science and Technology Project/Program Management
• Management and Operations – Performance Goals under Management and Operations are:
  • Contractor Leadership and Stewardship
  • Environment, Safety, and Health
  • Business Systems
  • Facilities Maintenance and Infrastructure
  • Security and Emergency Management
• National Security
  • Maintain existing nuclear materials storage and processing facilities and develop related technologies

• The purpose of the contract is the management and operation of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory including support of all DOE mission-related work. The contractor will provide integrated line management of the research institution, aligning DOE multiple program scientific and technical missions with the appropriate resources, capabilities, and core competencies to deliver world-class science and technology in a cost-effective manner.The Contractor is responsible for accomplishing the mission of the Laboratory including but not limited to:
  • Develop and implement innovative approaches and adopt practices that foster continuous improvement while accomplishing the Laboratory mission
  • Partnering with industry in the ultimate application of scientific information and technology to solve DOE or broad public issues
  • Provide integrated line management of this diverse research institution, aligning multiple program scientific and technical assignments with the appropriate resources and support to deliver world-class science in a cost-effective manner
    • Integrated safety management
    • Integrated safeguards and security management
    • Cross-organizational teamwork recognizing matrix management, and
    • Efficient work practices and application to programmatic and operational efforts
    • Develop and maintain a long-range vision and supporting strategic and business plans for the Laboratory

  Research and Development – In accomplishing the mission, the Contractor shall maintain and advance the Laboratory R&D capabilities that support all three DOE Goals: (1) Science and Energy; (2) National Security; and (3) Management and Performance.

  • Science and Energy – maintain and advance Laboratory capabilities in:
    • Climate change science
    • Assessing national energy use and projections of future energy supply and demand
    • Supporting efforts in energy assurance and preparedness
    • Biomass renewable energy feedstock and conversion technologies and other technologies to diversify fuel sources
    • Energy-efficient technologies for buildings, industry, transportation, and utility end-use
    • Applied materials in support of energy-efficient technologies, electrical transmission and distribution, energy storage, renewables, vehicle technologies, and fossil fuel use
    • Nuclear technology and safety
  • National Security
    • Maintain existing nuclear materials storage and processing facilities and develop related technologies
    • Support DOE in the development of technologies that promote non-proliferation, international nuclear safety, enhanced national security, and safe stockpile stewardship
    • Maintain and improve capabilities in science and technology related to nuclear nonproliferation and national security as well as in cyber security
  • Management and Performance
    • Continue initiatives to improve efficiencies
    • Reduce the cost of doing business
    • In the laboratory planning process, focus on these initiatives to ensure highly efficient and effective business, technical, and facility operations are achieved
    • Maintain and improve capabilities in environmental technology development to support environmental management
    • Support greenhouse gas reduction efforts and environmental sustainability
    • Effectively and efficiently manage the minimization, characterization, and certification of Laboratory generated wastes and other materials, and optimize the treatment, storage, and disposal of newly generated Laboratory waste as directed by DOE
    • Support or lead various initiatives either alone or in concert with other Departmental entities, make recommendations, and disseminate results of activities the Laboratory supports on behalf of the Department
    • Effectively and efficiently manage and direct research in all of the Laboratories’ core capabilities as assigned during the annual Laboratory Planning process with the Office of Science including:
      • Nuclear physics
      • Accelerator science and technology
      • Plasma and fusion energy science
      • Condensed matter physics and materials science
      • Chemical and molecular science
      • Climate change science
      • Biological systems science
      • Environmental subsurface science
      • Advanced computer science, visualization, and data
      • Computational science, applied nuclear science and technology
      • Applied materials science and engineering
      • Chemical engineering
      • Systems engineering and integration
      • Large-scale user facilities/advanced instrumentation
    • Operate User Facilities supporting diverse DOE mission areas
    • Maintain efficient, effective, and safe operations of existing and planned user facilities, other ORNL facilities utilized by visiting scientists, and provide effective customer service to user clients
    • Plan and schedule user facilities experiments, and maintaining agreements to engage user facilities
    • Manage and maintain government-owned buildings and facilities at the Laboratory site, together with the utilities and appurtenances thereto, including certain buildings at the Y-12 plant
    • Operate the American Museum of Science and Energy in anticipation of the Department’s transition to an alternative model
    • Manage the resources and capabilities of the Laboratory and provide leadership for this scientific institution
    • Direct the day-to-day management of the Laboratory
    • Maintain and enhance the intellectual resource base in order to avoid erosion of the scientific and engineering foundations at the Laboratory and to promote world leadership and prominence in areas as mandated by the Office of Science
    • Be responsible for the employment of all personnel engaged in the SOW efforts and for the readiness and training of its personnel

  Protection of Workers, the Public, and the Environment

  • Operate an Environment, Safety, and Health (ES&H) program
  • Implementation of the ORNL Integrated Safety Management System (ISMS)
    • Prioritizing work planning and execution
    • Establishing clear ES&H priorities
    • Allocating the appropriate level of trained and qualified resources to address programmatic and operational considerations
    • Continued implementation of integrated safeguards and security management systems and policies to provide a safe and healthful work environment
    • perform all activities in compliance with applicable health, safety, and environmental laws, orders, regulations, and national consensus standards (contained in ORNL Work Smart Standards); and governing agreements and permits executed with regulatory and oversight government organizations
    • Take necessary actions to preclude serious injuries and/or fatalities, keep worker exposures and environmental releases as low as reasonably achievable below established limits, minimize the generation of waste, and maintain or increase protection to the environment, public and worker safety and health
  • Put in place a system that clearly communicates the roles, responsibilities, and authorities of line managers
  • Establish effective management systems to identify deficiencies, resolve them in a timely manner, ensure that corrective actions are implemented, (addressing the extent of conditions, root causes, and measures to prevent recurrence) and prioritize and track commitments and actions
  • Consider ES&H performance in selection of its subcontractors and incorporate ES&H requirements into subcontracts

  Project Management

  • Manage all project, engineering, design, fabrication, and construction efforts in a manner that allows completion of project objectives in a safe and environmentally sound manner within the planned schedule, cost, and technical baselines
  • Achieve all project deliverables associated with upgrades involving R&D facilities, infrastructure modernization projects, and the demonstration and deployment activities associated with the United States contributions to ITER Project
  • Ensure that variance from established cost and schedule baselines for major construction, upgrade, or equipment procurement projects are kept to less than 10%

  Mission-Related Partnerships

  • Maintain and improve appropriate existing partnerships and develop new technology partnership activities
  • Provide widespread notice of availability of promising technology, and fairness of opportunity to potential partners in moving technology to market
  • Prioritize activities that maximize mission impact such as Laboratory capabilities in neutrons for science, biological systems science, isotope production, advanced computational systems, and advanced energy and materials
  • Develop and implement programs that utilize laboratory resources in collaboration and cooperation with other academic and research institutions

  Security

  • Be responsible for the security posture that fully supports safe and secure accomplishment of the Laboratory’s mission
    • Information and cyber security
    • Nuclear materials control and accountability
    • Personnel security
    • Physical protection
    • Operational planning and management

  Other Activities

  • Manage facilities and resources to optimize the effectiveness of operations in support of the DOE mission
  • Maintain critical skill mixes and resources at the Laboratory
  • Examine Laboratory operations to consolidate work efforts, eliminate duplication of scientific effort, identify underutilized facilities, and reduce operational costs
  • Conduct site planning activities proactively addressing concerns of DOE, regulatory agencies, and stakeholder groups
  • Support DOE in its responsibilities for land use planning and land management activities and natural resource management for the DOE Oak Ridge Reservation, which consists of over 30,000 acres of federally-owned land
    • The Contractor’s responsibilities are land and facility planning for the Laboratory site, coordinating and conducting research and its associated operational and maintenance activities within the Environmental Research Park
  • Assist DOE through direct participation and other support in achieving DOE’s energy efficiency goals and objectives in electricity, water, and thermal consumption, conservation, and savings, including goals and objectives contained in Executive Order 13423, Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy and Transportation Management, and Executive Order 13514, Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy and Economic Performance
  • Maintain and update, as appropriate, its Infrastructure/Mission Readiness Plans and supporting Site Plans
  • Perform services as DOE and the Contractor shall agree in writing that will be performed from time to time under this contract at Oak Ridge or elsewhere