IFDP Contractors' Workshop
January 30 & 31, 2008
 

ETEBA held a two-day workshop January 30-31 at ORAU’s Pollard Auditorium in Oak Ridge to help shape contracting and management strategies for the Integrated Facilities Disposition Project (IFDP). Jenny Freeman, chair of the Tennessee chapter of ETEBA, led the planning and execution of the successful workshop with a team of volunteers from ETEBA member companies, UT-Battelle and B&W Y-12, co-sponsors of the workshop.

The IFDP scope includes the demolition of more than 200 old nuclear facilities and 5 million square feet of space at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and the Y-12 nuclear weapons plant. Newspaper columnist Frank Munger is calling it “The Next Big Thing.” It's a big thing because the project could cost as much as $8 billion, take up to 15 - 20 years to complete, and provide jobs - directly and indirectly - for thousands of workers. In addition, the project would make way for new, modern facilities needed to ensure future national research missions at ORNL and defense missions at Y-12. The project planning is complicated by the fact that cleanup activities must take place next to ongoing operations and ensure the safety of thousands of workers going about their daily jobs. Much of the work will also take place in a high-security environment, especially the demolitions being planned within the high security area at Y-12.

The IFDP is tentatively scheduled to begin around 2010. "We are going to see the requirements for the East Tennessee Technology Park start to fall off in the 2011 timeframe and our challenge then will be to ramp up funding for the IFDP," said Gerald Boyd, DOE's Oak Ridge manager, at the workshop's kickoff session. DOE is hoping to maintain the current level of cleanup funding in Oak Ridge throughout the life of the IFDP. Congressman Zach Wamp (R-TN) also addressed the crowd stating that while “it’s going to be very, very hard” to get the funding for the IFDP, “it is a major priority” and he is “totally committed to it.”

Workshop participants evaluated four different contracting and management strategies for the project: 1) a single integrating contractor to coordinate work at both Y-12 and ORNL and award subcontracts; 2) a separate integrating contractor for each site; 3) use of current management contractors at the sites to direct the cleanup efforts and oversee subcontracts; and 4) multiple contracts directly with DOE, with federal officials directing the work. Approximately 160 technical experts and business managers broke into sessions aligned with each of the four contracting strategies, identified the advantages and disadvantages of that particular strategy, and determined innovative ideas that might help that strategy be more successful.

General findings for each of the four contracting strategies were presented during a closing session on the second day of the workshop. J.T. Howell, DOE project leader for the IFDP, was on hand to listen to the summary presentations which discussed advantages and disadvantages of each of the four contracting approaches, as well as some innovative ideas to consider under each strategy. Howell said that the workshop results come at a timely point in the planning process as his team finalizes the Critical Decision-1 (CD-1) package which he anticipates sending to DOE headquarters by the end of March for review and approval.

CD-1 approval would confirm the alternative selection and cost range for the project and mark the completion of the project Definition Phase. This phase uses a systems methodology that integrates requirements analysis, risk identification and analysis, acquisition strategies, and concept exploration to evolve a cost-effective, preferred solution to meet the mission need. Approval of CD-1 also provides the authorization to begin the project Execution Phase. Additionally, long-lead procurements may be approved during this phase, provided National Environmental Policy Act documentation is prepared, where applicable.

The workshop summary findings, as well as a more detailed report, will be provided to DOE and posted on ETEBA's web site.

Attendees