EPA awards $892K contract for uranium mine remediation services in Oregon

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $892,474 ($892.5K)

Contractor: Heliotech

Awarding Agency: Environmental Protection Agency

Start Date: 2023-06-30

End Date: 2026-06-30

Contract Duration: 1,096 days

Daily Burn Rate: $814/day

Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION AFTER EXCLUSION OF SOURCES

Number of Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: TIME AND MATERIALS

Sector: Other

Official Description: R10 ESO: WHITE KING LUCKY LASS SITE TO PROVIDE MAINTENANCE, INSPECTION, MONITORING, OPTIONAL NON-TIME CRITICAL REMOVAL ACTION (NTCRA), REMEDY REPAIR SERVICES AT A REMEDIATED FORMER URANIUM MINE.

Place of Performance

Location: LAKEVIEW, LAKE County, OREGON, 97630

State: Oregon Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Environmental Protection Agency obligated $892,473.57 to HELIOTECH for work described as: R10 ESO: WHITE KING LUCKY LASS SITE TO PROVIDE MAINTENANCE, INSPECTION, MONITORING, OPTIONAL NON-TIME CRITICAL REMOVAL ACTION (NTCRA), REMEDY REPAIR SERVICES AT A REMEDIATED FORMER URANIUM MINE. Key points: 1. Contract focuses on essential maintenance, inspection, and monitoring for a remediated former uranium mine. 2. The contract includes provisions for optional non-time-critical removal actions and remedy repair. 3. Awarded to HELIOTECH, a single contractor, for services in Oregon. 4. The contract duration is approximately three years, ending in June 2026. 5. This award falls under remediation services, a critical environmental sector.

Value Assessment

Rating: fair

The contract value of $892,473.57 for a three-year period appears reasonable for specialized environmental remediation services. However, without specific details on the scope of work, the number of sites covered, or the complexity of the remediation, a direct comparison to similar contracts is difficult. The Time and Materials (T&M) pricing structure can sometimes lead to cost overruns if not closely managed, but it also offers flexibility for unforeseen issues common in remediation projects. Benchmarking the per-unit cost would require more granular data on the specific tasks performed.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: limited

The contract was awarded under 'FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION AFTER EXCLUSION OF SOURCES,' which suggests an initial broad solicitation followed by a specific exclusion, or a limited competition among pre-qualified vendors. The exact number of bidders is not specified, but the 'exclusion of sources' phrasing implies a narrowed field. This type of competition may not yield the most competitive pricing compared to a truly full and open process with multiple active bidders.

Taxpayer Impact: While the competition was not fully open, the exclusion of sources might have been justified by specific technical requirements. Taxpayers benefit from ensuring specialized expertise is engaged, but the potential for higher costs due to limited competition should be monitored.

Public Impact

The primary beneficiaries are the residents and environment of Oregon, protected from potential long-term risks associated with former uranium mine sites. Services delivered include ongoing maintenance, inspection, and monitoring to ensure the integrity of the remediation efforts. The geographic impact is localized to the specific remediated former uranium mine site in Oregon. This contract supports specialized environmental engineering and remediation jobs within the contractor's workforce.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Potential for cost escalation due to Time and Materials pricing structure if not rigorously managed.
Limited competition may result in less favorable pricing than a fully open solicitation.
Scope creep could increase costs if not carefully controlled within the optional NTCRA and repair services.

Positive Signals

Addresses critical environmental remediation needs at a former uranium mine site.
Ensures ongoing monitoring and maintenance to preserve remediation effectiveness.
Contract duration provides stability for long-term site management.

Sector Analysis

The environmental remediation sector is a significant part of the broader environmental services industry, driven by regulatory compliance and the need to address historical contamination. This contract fits within the niche of radioactive waste and site cleanup. Comparable spending benchmarks are highly variable, depending on the scale and complexity of the contamination, but federal agencies like the EPA and DOE regularly award contracts for such services.

Small Business Impact

The data indicates that this contract was not set aside for small businesses, and the contractor, HELIOTECH, is not explicitly identified as a small business in this context. There is no information provided regarding subcontracting plans. Therefore, the direct impact on the small business ecosystem appears minimal for this specific award, though larger prime contractors often utilize small businesses for specialized support services.

Oversight & Accountability

Oversight will likely be managed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) contracting officers and technical representatives. Accountability measures are embedded in the contract terms, requiring adherence to performance standards and reporting. Transparency is facilitated through federal contract databases, though detailed operational reports may be internal. Inspector General jurisdiction would apply in cases of fraud, waste, or abuse.

Related Government Programs

Superfund Remedial Actions
Department of Energy Uranium Mine Reclamation Program
Defense Environmental Remediation Services
RCRA Corrective Actions

Risk Flags

Potential for cost overruns with T&M contract type.
Limited competition may impact price discovery.
Scope definition for optional services needs clear management.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Environmental Protection Agency awarded $892,473.57 to HELIOTECH. R10 ESO: WHITE KING LUCKY LASS SITE TO PROVIDE MAINTENANCE, INSPECTION, MONITORING, OPTIONAL NON-TIME CRITICAL REMOVAL ACTION (NTCRA), REMEDY REPAIR SERVICES AT A REMEDIATED FORMER URANIUM MINE.

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is HELIOTECH.

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Environmental Protection Agency (Environmental Protection Agency).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $892,473.57.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2023-06-30. End: 2026-06-30.

What is the specific nature of the remediation performed at this former uranium mine site, and what are the key risks being mitigated?

The provided data indicates the contract is for 'MAINTENANCE, INSPECTION, MONITORING, OPTIONAL NON-TIME CRITICAL REMOVAL ACTION (NTCRA), REMEDY REPAIR SERVICES AT A REMEDIATED FORMER URANIUM MINE.' This suggests that initial remediation efforts have already taken place, and this contract focuses on ensuring the long-term effectiveness and integrity of those efforts. Key risks being mitigated likely include the potential for residual radioactive contamination to leach into groundwater, spread via wind erosion, or pose direct exposure risks. The NTCRA and repair services imply that the EPA anticipates potential issues or degradation of the existing remedy that may require intervention. Specific details on the type of remediation (e.g., capping, soil removal, groundwater treatment) and the exact contaminants (beyond general radioactivity from uranium mining) are not provided but would be crucial for a full risk assessment.

How does the pricing structure (Time and Materials) compare to industry standards for similar environmental remediation oversight contracts?

Time and Materials (T&M) contracts are common in environmental remediation, particularly for services involving unpredictable conditions, emergency response, or ongoing monitoring where the exact effort is difficult to define upfront. For oversight, maintenance, and inspection, T&M offers flexibility. However, it carries a higher risk of cost overruns compared to fixed-price contracts if not managed diligently. Industry standards often involve a blend of contract types. While T&M is accepted, agencies typically prefer more defined scopes for cost predictability. Benchmarking requires comparing loaded labor rates, material markups, and indirect cost ceilings against similar EPA or DOE contracts for remediation support services. Without specific rate data, it's hard to definitively state if this T&M pricing is above or below market, but the potential for cost growth is inherent.

What is HELIOTECH's track record with the EPA or other federal agencies for environmental remediation projects?

Information regarding HELIOTECH's specific track record with the EPA or other federal agencies for environmental remediation projects is not detailed in the provided data. A comprehensive assessment would require reviewing past performance evaluations, contract history, and any reported issues or successes on similar projects. Federal procurement databases (like SAM.gov or FPDS) would typically contain records of previous awards and performance information. Without this external data, it's impossible to evaluate their experience level, reliability, or past performance quality in the context of uranium mine remediation.

What are the potential long-term implications for the environment and public health if the monitoring and maintenance services under this contract are not adequately performed?

Inadequate performance of monitoring and maintenance services at a remediated former uranium mine site could have significant long-term implications. Uranium mining activities often leave behind radioactive tailings and contaminated soil or water. If the remediation 'cap' or barrier degrades due to lack of maintenance, or if monitoring fails to detect issues, contaminants could leach into groundwater sources, impacting drinking water supplies and ecosystems. Wind erosion could spread radioactive dust. Failure to perform NTCRA or timely repairs could allow contamination plumes to expand, requiring more extensive and costly remediation in the future. This could lead to long-term public health risks, including increased cancer rates, and necessitate costly long-term environmental cleanup efforts, potentially exceeding the initial remediation investment.

How does the $892K contract value compare to historical EPA spending on similar uranium mine remediation oversight in Oregon or other states?

Comparing this $892K contract value to historical EPA spending on similar uranium mine remediation oversight requires access to broader historical spending data. Uranium mine remediation is often a complex and long-term undertaking, with individual site costs varying dramatically based on the scale of contamination, geography, and chosen remediation technologies. Smaller sites or those requiring only basic monitoring might fall within this budget range. However, larger or more complex sites could involve tens or hundreds of millions of dollars over decades. Without specific data on the number of sites covered by this contract, the extent of remediation already completed, and the specific tasks required, it's difficult to establish a precise historical benchmark. It appears to be a moderate-sized award focused on ongoing stewardship rather than initial large-scale cleanup.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services › Remediation and Other Waste Management Services › Remediation Services

Product/Service Code: NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT › ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS PROTECTION

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION AFTER EXCLUSION OF SOURCES

Solicitation Procedures: SUBJECT TO MULTIPLE AWARD FAIR OPPORTUNITY

Solicitation ID: 68HE0723R0023

Offers Received: 1

Pricing Type: TIME AND MATERIALS (Y)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Address: 3201 C ST, ANCHORAGE, AK, 99503

Business Categories: Category Business, Small Business, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $2,828,541

Exercised Options: $892,474

Current Obligation: $892,474

Actual Outlays: $625,152

Subaward Activity

Number of Subawards: 1

Total Subaward Amount: $74,646

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES PROCEDURES NOT USED

Cost or Pricing Data: NO

Parent Contract

Parent Award PIID: 68HE0118D0014

IDV Type: IDC

Timeline