Forward Hadronic Calorimeter Absorber Structures
Overview
Buyer
Place of Performance
NAICS
PSC
Set Aside
Original Source
Timeline
Qualification Details
Fit reasons
- NAICS alignment with historical contract wins in similar service areas.
- Scope strongly matches core technical capabilities and delivery model.
Risks
- Past performance thresholds may require one additional teaming partner.
- Potential clarification needed on staffing minimums before bid/no-bid.
Next steps
Validate eligibility requirements, assign capture owner, and schedule partner outreach to confirm teaming strategy before submission planning.
Quick Summary
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), through Brookhaven Science Associates, LLC (BSA) at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), is preparing to solicit for the manufacturing and testing of Forward Hadronic Calorimeter Absorber Structures. This presolicitation outlines requirements for the longitudinally segmented forward hadronic calorimeter (LFHCal) steel absorber modules for the Electron-Ion Collider (EIC) detector. This opportunity is designated as a Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Program Set-Aside. The anticipated solicitation release or information request deadline is January 27, 2026.
Scope of Work
The scope involves the procurement of an initial five (5) pre-production 8M steel absorber modules. Upon successful acceptance of these units, there is a potential for follow-on production of 645 8M modules, with additional options for 416 8M modules and 72 4M modules. The manufacturing process requires the creation of absorber layers from magnetic carbon steel, alternating with scintillator plates, utilizing electron-beam welding of steel pieces, and nickel-plating of the full weldment. Detailed engineering drawings for both 4M (EPC-FWD-HCL-DET-ASM-200) and 8M (EPC-FWD-HCL-DET-ASM-100) Tower Body Assemblies specify materials (AISI 1020 Carbon Steel, AISI 304 Stainless Steel), dimensions, tolerances, and manufacturing notes.
Key Requirements
- Technical Specifications: Adherence to detailed technical requirements (EIC-DET-SPC-021) for materials, manufacturing processes (electron-beam welding, electroless nickel-plating), and performance characteristics. Compliance with ASME Y14.5 - 2018 tolerances and AWS D1.1/D1.1M - 2010 welding standards is critical.
- Quality Assurance: Contractors must maintain an ISO-9001 compliant quality system, as detailed in BNL-QA-101. This includes providing Material Mill Test Reports, Dimensional Reports, and Weld Inspection Reports. First article testing and site acceptance testing for all modules will be conducted at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).
- Deliverables: Required deliverables include a Program Plan, Manufacturing/Inspection/Test Plan, Acceptance Test Procedures (ATP), pre-production units, and comprehensive end-item documentation packages.
- Schedule: Pre-production units are due 10 weeks after award, followed by a 16-week BSA evaluation period. Subsequent production deliveries for the 645 8M modules are expected 52 weeks after award, with option deliveries ranging from 78 to 130 weeks after award.
Contract & Timeline
- Opportunity Type: Presolicitation
- Set-Aside: Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Program Set-Aside
- Anticipated Response/Information Due: January 27, 2026
- Published Date: January 12, 2026
- Place of Performance: Upton, NY, United States
Additional Notes
Prospective bidders should review the BSA General Terms and Conditions (Attachment A) which will govern the contract. Contractors are encouraged to recommend value engineering solutions. For inquiries, contact Mark Bryan at MBRYAN@BNL.GOV.