Mobile and Transportable Microreactor System

Questions & Answers / Clarifications

This document contains responses from the government to questions submitted by potential offerors regarding solicitation 70RSAT26R00000003.

• Autonomous Control: Clarified that "autonomous operation" refers to local, onboard automatic control functions, while "remote operation" involves offsite command and control actions that can affect safety. Both modes must be supported.
• Milestone Tranches: Offerors should follow the percentages of total effort found in the pricing template, not the narrative. The narrative percentages do not sum to 100%, but the pricing template does.
• Dual-Mode Microreactor System: Both transportable and mobile modes must be supported using the same or similar configurations.
• HALEU Supply: The government acknowledges the risk associated with the factory-fueled systems requirement and the potential strain on domestic HALEU supply. Offerors are advised to address this risk in their proposals.
• Site Preparation: "Minimal Site Preparation" is not defined by temporal or man-hour limits but refers to the ability to place the system anywhere.
• NEPA Considerations: The government intends to address NEPA considerations for mobile systems.
• Core Life: Clarified that the "Key Deliverable Attributes" specify a core life of 3-10 years without refueling, while the "Dual-Mode Deployment Performance" section specifies a minimum of 5+ years. The 3-10 year range is the requirement.
• Operational Support: The contract includes 12 months of initial operational support for each unit, with an additional 5 years of operational support for each unit shown in the table.
• Licensing: Offerors are required to address all regulatory requirements, including obtaining Final Safety Analysis approval.
• Transportation: Offerors should propose solutions for transporting the prototype, considering Type B or equivalent transport certification requirements.
• Radiation Limits: Transport configuration requirements must meet both 10 CFR 20.1301 limits and NRC/DOT requirements in 10CFR71.47.
• Power Output: Individual reactor modules can provide 0.7 to 2MWe each, with the ability to integrate multiple reactors. The Key Attributes Table lists 1-5 MWe continuous electrical output.
• FOAK Delivery: The FOAK delivery requirement is December 31, 2027.
• Prototype Electrical Generation: The prototype electrical generation deadline is June 30, 2027.
• Regulatory Fees: Regulatory review fees should be embedded in proposed pricing.
• Contract Award Amount: The RFP contract amounts of $361,500,000 - $722,000,000.00 are for two contract awards.
• NOAK Delivery: DHS will not accept proposals where a compliant microreactor system for NOAK is delivered past 2028.

These clarifications address ambiguities and provide specific details regarding requirements, timelines, and responsibilities, which will impact how offerors prepare their proposals and technical approaches.

Amendment / Modification

This amendment (0001) provides responses to questions and comments submitted by offerors. These responses are contained in a separate file named "70RSAT26R00000003 Q and C Responses 20251231.pdf", which is available in the Attachments/Link section.

This amendment does not appear to change any specific sections of the original solicitation, but rather provides clarification.

Offerors are reminded that the solicitation's closing date remains Friday, January 9, 2026, at 4:00 PM Eastern Standard Time. No extension to the closing date is indicated by this amendment.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation (RFP) for the development, testing, and deployment of a mobile and transportable microreactor system. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) aims to accelerate the Nation's energy resilience by demonstrating and deploying the first federal microreactor system for critical missions across fixed-site and expeditionary environments, including emergency response in austere conditions.

• Dual-Mode System: Must function as both a transportable asset for fixed facilities and a mobile asset for rapid deployment in emergency/contingency environments.

• Quantity: Ten (10) mobile microreactor systems.

• Power Output: 1-5 MWe continuous electrical output.

• Core Life: ≥3–10 years without refueling.

• Design: Sealed-core, factory-fueled, minimal site preparation, transportable by road/rail/barge, compatible with microgrids, and compliant with NRC or DOE/DoD authorization pathways.

• Operational Deployment: Mission-ready by December 2028.

• Deliverables include: Prototype, First-of-a-Kind (FOAK) unit, and Nth-of-a-Kind (NOAK) units (Units 2-5 by July 1, 2028; Units 6-10 by December 31, 2028).

• Safety & Regulatory: Must meet all licensing, safety, and regulatory requirements (NRC or DOE licensing), including cybersecurity and transport certifications (Type B).

• Operations: Local control, no remote operation, automated startup/shutdown, and minimal staffing for onsite maintenance.

• Contract Type: Anticipated as Fixed-Price with Incentives (FFP) with optional CLINs.

• Estimated Value: $361,500,000 - $722,000,000.00

• Period of Performance: Date of award through 12/31/2034 (based on unit deliveries).

• Incentive: Potential for a 5% incentive payment per milestone for early delivery (6 months in advance).

• Closing Response Date: January 9, 2026, 4:00 PM EST.

• Submission: Via email to the points of contact listed.

• Evaluation Factors (in order of importance):

  1. Transportable and Mobile Capability
  2. Ability to Deliver FOAK Operational System by December 31, 2028
  3. Price

• Note: Technical factors are significantly more important than price. Failure to meet mandatory minimums in Factors 1 or 2 may result in proposal unacceptability.

• Set-aside Status: This solicitation is not set-aside for small business.

• The solicitation incorporates provisions and clauses by reference; full text available at www.acquisition.gov.

• Questions and feedback must be submitted via email using the provided template by December 30, 2025.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This solicitation (RFP 70RSAT26R00000003) is issued by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Office of Procurement Operations (OPO). The purpose is to solicit proposals for the design and development of a transportable and mobile microreactor system. The goal is to accelerate the Nation's energy resilience by demonstrating and deploying the first federal microreactor system capable of powering critical DHS missions.

• Design and development of a transportable and mobile microreactor system.

• The system should be capable of powering critical DHS missions.

• The system should be suitable for fixed-site and expeditionary operating environments.

• The system should support emergency response/disaster recovery in austere and degraded environments.

• The solicitation is issued as a Request for Proposal (RFP).

• The period of performance and estimated value are not explicitly stated in this document.

• Offer Due Date: January 9, 2026, 1600 EST.

• The solicitation incorporates FAR 52.212-1, 52.212-3, and 52.212-5 by reference.

• Specific proposal submission instructions and evaluation criteria are not detailed in this document but are expected to be in referenced FAR clauses or attachments.

• The acquisition is marked as "UNRESTRICTED".

• This document is Standard Form 1449.

• Contact for solicitation information: John Whipple.

• Contracting Officer: Darin Andrew Jones.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is an Excel spreadsheet intended for offerors to submit questions and comments regarding the solicitation. It serves as a structured method for bidders to communicate with the government.

• Column B (Document & Section Citation): Offerors should provide a specific citation within the solicitation documents for their question or comment.
• Column C (Offeror Question/Comment): Offerors should input their questions or comments in this column.
• Government Response: This column is reserved for the government's response to the offeror's questions or comments.

Bidders must use this form to submit any questions or comments they have about the solicitation. The government has instructed offerors to input their questions in Column C and provide a citation in Column B. The completed file should be submitted via email in MS Excel format. This process ensures that all questions are documented and addressed systematically.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is a General Pricing Template (Excel spreadsheet) for the opportunity. It outlines the cost breakdown by milestone and includes a mapping of Contract Line Item Numbers (CLINs) to specific work phases. Bidders will likely use this template to structure their pricing proposals.

• Summary Sheet: Details five major milestones with associated percentages of total cost, cost drivers, and potential incentives. Milestones include Contract Stand-Up, Prototype Completion, First-Of-A-Kind (FOAK) Delivery, Subsequent Novel-Of-A-Kind (NOAK) Manufacturing & Delivery (Units 2-10), and Secure Operations/Lifecycle Support.
• Milestone Breakdown Sheet: Provides a more granular view of cost elements within each milestone, including specific tasks and descriptions.
• CLIN Mapping Sheet: Assigns Contract Line Item Numbers (CLINs) to each milestone and sub-milestone. It indicates Fixed Price (FFP) contract types and notes optional CLINs with potential incentives, particularly for NOAK units (Units 2-10).
• Costs: All specific cost figures are marked as "TBD" (To Be Determined).

This template is crucial for bidders to understand the proposed contract structure, the phasing of work, and the government's expectations for cost reporting. It provides a framework for developing detailed pricing for each CLIN and milestone, including any optional CLINs and associated incentives. Bidders must use this structure to submit their pricing in a format consistent with the government's requirements.