The Transuranic Waste Processing Center is located on Highway 95 near the western edge of the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge reservation. (DOE photo)

After two protests were withdrawn and another one dismissed, the U.S. Department of Energy is moving ahead with a $123.9 million contract awarded earlier this year to North Wind Solutions LLC. The contract is for management and operation of DOE’s Transuranic Waste Processing Center in Oak Ridge.

The contract has a three-year base and a two-year options, with the maximum valued based on all options being included.

The TWPC is currently managed by Wastren Advantage Inc., and DOE spokesman Mike Koentop said the transition to North Wind should begin soon.

According to DOE’s announcement, the Government Accountability Office last week denied the protest filed by Aerostar Perma-Fix TRU Services LLC. Two other losing bidders — Omega TRU Solutions, LLC and ARS EnergX, LLC — withdrew their appeals on the contract award.

“DOE is now prepared to start transition to the primarily Firm-Fixed-Price contract,” the agency said. DOE said the contract also includes cost-plus-award-fee contract line items, as well as a line item for indefinite deliver/indefinite quantity tasks.

“The primarily FFP nature of the contract will allow DOE to shift cost risk from the government to the contractor during execution of the contract requirements,” DOE stated in its announcement.

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