ML103070125

Letter Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute - Approval of Request for an Extension Response to Request for Additional Information Dated July 19, 2010

ML103070125
Person / Time
Site:	Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute
Issue date:	10/19/2010
From:	Melanson M US Dept of Defense, Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute
To:	Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
TAC ME1587
Download: ML103070125 (2)

Text

IARMED FORCES RADIOBIOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE 8901 WISCONIsN AvENUE BETHESDA, MARYLAND 20889-5603 October 19, 2010 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ATTN: Document Control Desk Washington, DC 20555-0001

SUBJECT:

ARMED FORCES RADIOBIOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE -

APPROVAL OF REQUEST FOR AN EXTENSION, RE: RESPONSE TO REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION DATED JULY 19, 2010 (TAC NO. ME1 587)

Sir:

By letter dated September 27, 2010, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission requested additional information regarding our request for extension until December 31, 2011 to respond to RAIs which require outside technical assistance.

Upon consideration by AFRRI staff of RAIs received from NRC, questions 4,8,9,12, and 13 will require additional time and resources to provide comprehensive answers. For these questions, an extension until January 3 1st, 2011 is requested.

For the three questions requiring outside assistance, 3, 5, and 6, the request for extension until 31 December 2011 is predicated on the time required to contract a vendor to provide mathematical modeling services that are not available at AFRRI. Question 3 refers to a proprietary GA code. We are currently operating under a continuing resolution and cannot justify this as a national emergency; therefore resources cannot be allocated until Congress approves the DoD budget (estimated January 2011). Once the budget is allocated to DoD, the budget still has to filter down to the University. Once the FY 2011 budget is in place, the contracting process can commence (typically 3-6 months for this size contract),

plus the time it will take the selected vendor to perform the work requested of them. The contracting process requires a formal statement of work, then an advertising period, followed by a period of time for prospective vendors to prepare and submit formal proposals. Once proposals are received, a panel must convene to evaluate the proposals and select the best value for the Federal Government. When the contracting process is complete, a package is prepared for legal to review. Only then can a contract be let. The typical period of performance for a contract is 1 year, but in this case I will try to shorten the time frame, but the vendor can insist on a sufficient amount of time to complete the work.

The time line is in no way tied to AFRRI's willingness to provide resources.

Also promising but not certain at this point, I have requested assistance from Jim Wade at DOE with these questions. Since DOE already has a contract in place, they may be able to provide assistance within a shorter time frame. If we are able to get DOE's assistance, the timeline will likely be shortened.

If you need further information, please contact Mr. Stephen Miller at 301-295-1290 or millers@afrri.usuhs.mil.

I dec lare under penalty of perjury tmt/ohe-foeregoi ng-a nd-a ll-en closed -info rmatio n.

is true and correct to the best of m owledge. Executed on October 19, 2010.

SMark elanson COL, MS, USA Director