Glovebox Manufacturing Expansion Initiative

The objective of the Glovebox Manufacturing Expansion Initiative cooperative agreement is to support investments in facility expansion and equipment modernization of commercial facilities in the United States for the front- and back-end fabrication of Nuclear Quality Assurance (NQA-1) or International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9001 nuclear gloveboxes.
To meet its mission, “to protect the Nation, our allies and our partners by providing a resilient and responsive Nuclear Security Enterprise,” the DOENNSA must rely on commercial manufacturers to help meet important mission objectives. In late 2022, the DOENNSA determined the need to ensure a sufficient supply of nuclear capable gloveboxes is available for necessary capital projects and equipment replacements and installations within designated facilities. After extensive market research, the DOE/NNSA is working to coordinate efforts of federal management & operating (M&O) partners across technical, fiscal, contracting, and industrial base domains to create a coherent approach that uses all levers to meet prioritized mission requirements and support the nuclear security enterprise.
Funding will support investments in facility expansion and equipment modernization of commercial facilities in the United States for the front- and back-end fabrication of Nuclear Quality Assurance (NQA-1) or International Organization Standardization (ISO) 9001 nuclear gloveboxes. Applications must identify achievable expansion goals to increase current nuclear glovebox manufacturing capacity no later than December 31, 2027.
Applicants should be prepared to show how facility expansion and/or equipment purchases will increase (at least double) their manufacturing capability. Multiple metrics may be appropriate. Applicants should estimate benefits in their applications and appendices using the same metrics which they intend to measure success.
Implemented cooperative agreements will be monitored through reporting and within two years of granted funding, a review of efforts will be completed, and an assessment made if funding should continue.

Only U.S. Commercial entities with the established capability to manufacture nuclear NQA-1 or ISO 9001 certified gloveboxes in accordance with the goals of this NOFO may submit applications. M&O contractors, Institutions of Higher Education and Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDC) are not eligible to apply for an award under this NOFO.

U.S. Commercial entities with the established capability to manufacture nuclear NQA-1 or ISO 9001 certified gloveboxes in accordance with the goals.

Applicants must submit a project narrative and supporting appendices to be officially considered for the expansion initiative. The narrative should detail the following:
Brief company history and key personnel expected to be involved in the GMEI program.

Contact information; the name, e-mail address, and telephone number

Letter validating NQA-1 or ISO 9001 relevant glovebox work with DOE/NNSA M&O facility.

Letter can be from relevant M&O project manager and must be on M&O approved letterhead.

Current manufacturing capacity
1.) Total floor space and current available floor space for DOE/NNSA work
2.) Number of gloveboxes (by type) produced in a year.
3.) Brief description of other work on fabrication floor including any work contracted with an NNSA Management and Operating (M&O) contractor.

Expansion plan description
Include objectives of the expansion efforts

Projected impacts to manufacturing capacity once expansion is complete.
1). Total floor space available for NNSA work after expansion.
2). Projected number of gloveboxes by glovebox type after expansion

If partnering with an established NQA-1/ISO9001 glovebox manufacturer, please provide a joint statement of efforts and how the equipment will impact the overall manufacturing capability of the primary fabrication location.

If other process improvements/manufacturing initiatives have been implemented, please describe the effort(s).
Short description of NIST SP 800-171 Rev 2 cybersecurity implementation efforts
If a security audit has been conducted by an NNSA M&O contractor, please provide a summary of findings and remediation efforts.

The Merit Review Panel Chairperson is responsible for reviewing the independent findings and ratings of each evaluator, and ultimately completing a Merit Review Panel Chairperson’s Report to summarize the findings and make recommendations for awards to the Selection Official. The Selection Official will consider the merit review recommendation, program policy factors, budget evaluations of the expansion plans, and the amount of funds available, when making a decision for awards. The program policy factors and budget evaluations are not point scored, but the Selection Official could consider them in making the selections for negotiation of award. The Selection Official will make a decision to select for award a group of projects which represented a diversity of expansion approaches, methods, applications and/or market segments. Upon the Selection Official making the final decisions, the Contracting Officer notified selectees and non-selectees.