The Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has an ongoing need for a wide variety of very complex targets for ICF and related HEDP experiments. ICF/HEDP targets are complex, multi-component, systems often employing specialized materials. Typical components in a target are plastics, metals, alloys, low density foams, and cryogenically cooled hydrogen, deuterium, and/or tritium. Most targets are custom built to precise specifications: They have dimensions of only a few mm, require tolerances of a hundred nano-meters or better, and in some cases need control of impurities and/or dopants to less than a tenth of a percent. Equally important are the advanced techniques to characterize the targets to the same precision. Although suitable characterization and fabrication techniques have been developed to meet many of these requirements, there is an ongoing need to develop more advanced techniques that can provide greater precision, more control, or more efficiency, e.g. lower costs. The central motivation for this solicitation is to receive proposals in these areas, both from within and external to the traditional target fabrication community. Note that this solicitation is only for developing new process and characterization techniques. Delivery of targets for the ICF program will be carried out by other procurements.
It is anticipated that this planned solicitation will be released on or about December 6, 2010, and close on or about December 21, 2010, seeking proposals with a period of performance of 1-3 years with awards starting late in the second (2nd) quarter or early in the third (3rd) quarter of fiscal year (FY) 2011. The NNSA anticipates making awards for one year that may be renewed two additional years, in two option increments of one year each, given sufficient funding and technical progress and/or promise in meeting the overall objective of enhancing the capability/efficiency of the target delivery process. There is no expected number or size of awards. All applications will be new under this announcement. Cost sharing is encouraged but not required.
Contact:
RAY JAMES SISNEROS,
CONTRACT SPECIALIST
RSisneros@doeal.gov
Phone: (505) 845-5677
Fax: (505) 845-4210
Proposals are to cover the anticipated activities required to demonstrate proof of principle of the innovation. Proof of principle means the innovation worked in a laboratory environment and there is reason to believe that it can beneficially be applied to current ICF/HEDP target fabrication or characterization. Proposals that do not involve efforts within the scope of this solicitation will not be considered. Specifically, engineering and technical support services The Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has an ongoing need for a wide variety of very complex targets for ICF and related HEDP experiments. ICF/HEDP targets are complex, multi-component, systems often employing specialized materials. Typical components in a target are plastics, metals, alloys, low density foams, and cryogenically cooled hydrogen, deuterium, and/or tritium. Most targets are custom built to precise specifications: They have dimensions of only a few mm, require tolerances of a hundred nano-meters or better, and in some cases need control of impurities and/or dopants to less than a tenth of a percent. Equally important are the advanced techniques to characterize the targets to the same precision. Although suitable characterization and fabrication techniques have been developed to meet many of these requirements, there is an ongoing need to develop more advanced techniques that can provide greater precision, more control, or more efficiency, e.g. lower costs. The central motivation for this solicitation is to receive proposals in these areas, both from within and external to the traditional target fabrication community. Note that this solicitation is only for developing new process and characterization techniques. Delivery of targets for the ICF program will be carried out by other procurements.
It is anticipated that this planned solicitation will be released on or about December 6, 2010, and close on or about December 21, 2010, seeking proposals with a period of performance of 1-3 years with awards starting late in the second (2nd) quarter or early in the third (3rd) quarter of fiscal year (FY) 2011. The NNSA anticipates making awards for one year that may be renewed two additional years, in two option increments of one year each, given sufficient funding and technical progress and/or promise in meeting the overall objective of enhancing the capability/efficiency of the target delivery process. There is no expected number or size of awards. All applications will be new under this announcement. Cost sharing is encouraged but not required. Proposals are to cover the anticipated activities required to demonstrate proof of principle of the innovation. Proof of principle means the innovation worked in a laboratory environment and there is reason to believe that it can beneficially be applied to current ICF/HEDP target fabrication or characterization. Proposals that do not involve efforts within the scope of this solicitation will not be considered. Specifically, engineering and technical support services proposals, which usually involve performing work directed toward the accomplishment of a specified task, are not appropriate.
Current ICF target manufacturing equipment and procedures are described in the following Special Issues of Fusion Science and Technology:
Fusion Science and Technology / Volume 55 / Number 3 / April 2009 Fusion Science and Technology / Volume 55 / Number 4 / May 2009 Fusion Science and Technology / Volume 51 / Number 4 / May 2007 Fusion Science and Technology / Volume 49 / Number 4 / May 2006 Fusion Science and Technology / Volume 43 / Number 2 / March 2003
Individual proposals should be directed to the technical subject areas described below. Proposals addressing similar technical subject areas relating to development of advanced target fabrication/characterization techniques will also be considered. The offeror may submit proposals in more than one technical subject area. All technical subject areas are of importance. However, depending on the proposals received and programmatic needs, funding may not be distributed evenly among the technical subject areas.
Research is being sought and NNSA is requesting proposals in the following technical subject areas:
1. Fill Tubes or Alternate Capsule Filling Methods 2. Fabrication and Characterization of Uniform Doped CH Coatings 3. In Situ Characterization of Cryogenic Layers 4. Improvement in the Processes for Formation of DT Cryogenic Layers 5. Production and Formation of Special Configurations of Low Density Foams
