INL Innovation Spotlight
Novel Training Surrogates for Emergency Response Training
Novel short-lived radioisotopes in a variety of chemical forms used as surrogate materials that have short half-lives and decay to stable, environmentally friendly elements.
Overview:
Training with actual radioactive materials that are of concern to emergency response communities poses challenges due to their radiotoxicity. Radioactive materials used in industrial applications exist in different chemical forms, which affect their behavior when dispersed. Each radioisotope follows a unique radioactive decay path and emits particles accordingly. Most radioisotopes have long half-lives, lasting tens of years or more, and are environmentally and biologically persistent as well as radiotoxic. These properties make it impractical to use them for training purposes, except as sealed sources. Utilizing these isotopes for training in contaminated environments is not feasible due to the difficulties in developing and testing technologies to characterize large, contaminated areas. Simulating the detection of radioactive materials remains a challenge, as there is no suitable substitute available. The successful adoption of a surrogate material relies on its ability to match the radioactive emissions and chemical dispersion properties of actual radioactive materials.
Description:
Researchers at Idaho National Laboratory have developed a technique using short-lived radioisotopes as training surrogates for industrial radioactive materials. Each surrogate material is carefully selected and developed to mimic the particle and photon emission properties, as well as the chemical and physical properties, of the target industrial radioisotope material.
The radioisotopes chosen for training surrogates have several key attributes: 1) they have relatively short half-lives (<2 days), 2) they decay to stable or short-lived daughter isotopes that further decay to stable, non-toxic isotopes, 3) high-purity target matrices can be obtained to prevent the formation of harmful radioactive isotopes, and 4) the physical and chemical properties of the matrices closely resemble those of the radioactive material targets.
These surrogate materials have been extensively evaluated and tested, and have proven to be highly effective in providing realistic training for emergency response methods, procedures, and technologies, including detection and dispersal characterization technologies.
Benefits:
Applications:
Development Status:
TRL 7, full-scale prototype demonstrated in a relevant environment.
IP Status:
Provisional Patent Application No. 16/228,465, ”Surrogate Isotope-Containing Materials for Emergency Response Training and Methods of Formation and Dispersal,” BEA Docket No. BA-1017.
INL Tech Partnerships: Your Gateway to Innovation
INL offers strategic access to proprietary technology, enhancing small business growth and contributing to economic and public advancement. We cater licensing terms to each business we work with, ensuring mutually beneficial agreements. Engage with our diverse technology offerings to propel your company forward.
Learn more about our licensing opportunities and the support we provide at https://inl.gov/technology-deployment/. For specific discussions on how your business can benefit, please contact Andrew Rankin at td@inl.gov.
INL’s Technology Deployment department focuses exclusively on licensing intellectual property and partnering with industry collaborators capable of commercializing our innovations. Our goal is to commercialize the technologies developed by INL researchers. We do not engage in purchasing, manufacturing, procurement decisions, or providing funding. Additionally, this is not a call for external services to assist in the development of this technology.
THIS IS A PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENT SURVEY ONLY. This is not a request for proposal, request for quote, or an invitation for bids. A solicitation, specifications, or drawings are not available at this time.
This is a SPECIAL NOTICE. No proposals are being requested or accepted with this notice. The Corps of Engineers Walla Walla District is conducting this market research to gather pertinent information to help the contracting officer determine whether a Project Labor Agreement (PLA) for a large scale construction contract (exceeding $35 million) is appropriate for this project. The Government does not currently anticipate that this project will meet or exceed the $35 million threshold. However, whether a PLA is necessary depends on the price of the received proposals. If the proposals received exceed $35 million, the responses to this market survey will be used to determine whether requiring a PLA is appropriate for the project.
A PLA is defined as a pre-hire collective bargaining agreement with one or more labor organizations that establishes the terms and conditions of employment for a specific construction project and is an agreement described in 29 U.S.C. 158(f).
Interested parties are requested to respond to this PLA Special Notice with the following information:
(1) Do you have knowledge that a PLA has been used in the local area on projects of this kind? If so, please provide a list of recent (2-5 years) construction projects in the local labor market of the project under consideration. Include the following items:
Project Name/Location; Detailed Project Description; Initial Cost Estimate/Actual Final Cost; Was the project completed on time; Number of craft trades present on the project; Was a PLA used? (Y/N); Were there any challenges experienced during the project (delays, investigations, health and safety issues, labor shortages, management/organizational issues, etc.)?
(2) Are you aware of skilled labor shortages in the area for those crafts that will be needed to complete the project? If so please elaborate and provide supporting documentation where possible. Are there other projects in the vicinity that could limit the pool of skilled labor available for this project?
(3) Are you aware of time sensitive issues/scheduling requirements that would impact the rate at which the project should be completed? If so, please elaborate and provide supporting documentation where possible.
(4)Identify specific reasons why or how you believe a PLA would advance the Federal Government's interest in achieving economy and efficiency in federal procurement.
(5) Identify specific reasons why you do not believe a PLA would advance the Federal Government's interest in achieving economy and efficiency in federal procurement.
(6) Please identify any additional information you believe should be considered on the use of a PLA on the referenced project.
(7) Please identify any additional information you believe should be considered on the non-use of a PLA on the referenced project.
Interested parties must respond to this Special Notice no later than 20 December 2024. E-mail your response to Preston.E.Jones@usace.army.mil and Leanne.R.Walling@usace.army.mil. Please provide your contact information in the submitted response. This Special Notice is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government, nor will the Government pay for the information solicited.
There is an Industry Day for this project scheduled for 10 December 2024. Please see special notice ID W912EF25RSN02 for more information. Please see attached for summary scope of work.
PRE-SOLICITATION NOTICE:
THIS REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL IS EXPECTED TO RESULT IN A FIRM FIXED PRICE CONTRACT WITH ONE, 100% OPTION PERIOD.
NOUN: Axle Assembly, Automotive
NSN: 2520-01-572-2756
BASE QTY: 25 each
OPTION QTY: up to 25 each
PART NUMBER: 3824083
CAGE: 75Q65
PRESERVATION: MIL
PACKING: B
INSP/ACCP: Origin/Origin
FOB: Destination
Technical data is not available for this procurement.
Solicitation release to web will be approximately 2 February 2024; expected closing date is 4 March 2024.
UPDATE 11/12/2024: Site visit was held as planned on November 5th, 2025. Attendance roster and questions/answers are attached. The government plans to solicit the project in February/March 2025 with an anticipated start date of July 1st, 2025 and an estimated completion date of October 31st, 2025. See attachments for details.
“THIS PRESOLICITATION NOTICE IS ISSUED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR VENDORS TO ASSESS THE PROJECT SITE PRIOR TO INCLEMENT WEATHER OR SEASONAL CLOSURES AND PRIOR TO ISSUANCE OF THE SOLICITATION. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL/QUOTE OR BID. The Forest Service anticipates issuing a full solicitation at a time when the project site will be unavailable due to seasonal closures/weather. Interested vendors are encouraged to visit the site for a full understanding and, if desired, take photos or videos.”
General Information
Solicitation No.: 1240LT25Q0005
Document Type: Site Visit
Posted Date: 10/25/24
Site Visit Date: 11/05/2024
Site Visit Meeting Time: 1:00 PM (MST)
Description of Work
This project includes all work to rehabilitate siding of a collection of buildings owned by the Forest Service at a historic Guard Station.
Items to complete:
The work includes but is not limited to: cleaning and preparing and/or repairing any exterior substrate conditions necessary to complete the work, and capturing lead-based paint in preparing exterior building surfaces for painting, disposing of hazardous lead-based paint and other associated waste, painting clapboard siding, eaves, window trim, etc. on the exterior of the buildings, and any other task required to preserve the siding of these historic buildings.
OR
The work includes but is not limited to: cleaning and preparing and/or repairing any exterior substrate conditions necessary to complete the work, providing and installing new aluminum siding to seal and preserve the exterior of the building, and capturing lead-based paint in preparing eaves and window trim surfaces for painting, disposing of hazardous lead-based paint and other associated waste, painting eaves and window trim, providing siding and associated fasteners and installing over existing siding being careful to preserve existing historic siding.
The Government does not intend to award a contract(s) based solely on this site visit nor does it intend to pay for any costs incurred in response to this announcement. The intent of this notice is to ensure that prospective vendors may see the areas prior to heavy snowfall and issuing the solicitation. This is not a final solicitation or scope of work . This project is in draft and is subject to change when the solicitation comes out.
Site Visit Location:
Address: 5000 E South Fork Boise River Road
Featherville, ID 83716
Latitude: 43.615866°, Longitude: -115.164218°
Google Maps: 43°36'57.1"N 115°09'51.2"W
***If using navigation, recommend copying Latitute/Longitude as address does not show in Google Maps.***
Map Photos are attached in the Presolicitation Notice.
Those participating in the site visit must furnish their own transportation. Please inform Braidy Richins, Project Engineer, if you plan to attend, by e-mailing him at Braidy.Richins@usda.gov by noon of the day before the site visit.
Magnitude of the Proposed Project: In accordance with FAR 36.204, the estimated magnitude of construction for this project is between $100,000 and $250,000.
Point of Contact:
Braidy Richins
Braidy.Richins@usda.gov
FAR 52.237-1 Site Visit.
Offerors or quoters are urged and expected to inspect the site where services are to be performed and to satisfy themselves regarding all general and local conditions that may affect the cost of contract performance, to the extent that the information is reasonably obtainable. In no event shall failure to inspect the site constitute grounds for a claim after contract award.
INL Innovation Spotlight
Cyber Resilient Trade-off Evaluation (CyRTE): Pioneering Strategy for Operational Technology Security
CyRTE introduces a groundbreaking approach to evaluate and enhance the cyber resilience of Operational Technologies (OT), balancing security measures with operational integrity.
Overview:
As critical infrastructure increasingly relies on networked control systems, they become vulnerable to sophisticated cyber threats. Traditional cybersecurity measures, while necessary, often fall short in protecting OT systems effectively. CyRTE is developed in response to this challenge, providing a resilience-informed, AI-driven process to assess the impact of cybersecurity mitigations on the operation and stability of OT systems. This technology is essential for evaluating automated responses in advance of application, leveraging the power of software defined networks and other response technologies that can nullify an intrusion. Industries where operational technology is critical, such as utilities, manufacturing, and transport, will be benefited in advancing cyber resilience, especially in a landscape where cyber threats are rapidly evolving and becoming more automated.
Description:
CyRTE offers a novel methodology for assessing cyber-physical interactions and their implications on OT systems. It involves a comprehensive evaluation of potential cybersecurity mitigations and their effects on system performance and reliability. The core of CyRTE is the creation of a "buzzer" concept – a unique tool that systematically tests the resilience of OT systems against various cyber-physical response strategies. This includes the development of digital twins for systemic testing, ensuring that cybersecurity measures do not adversely affect the physical operations of the system before application. By integrating this approach into existing engineering workstations and design tools, CyRTE enables a holistic understanding of communication dependencies and potential impacts of cyber responses.
Benefits:
Applications:
Development Status:
Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 2: Technology concept and/or application formulated.
IP Status:
US Patent Application No. 18/465,852, “Cyber Resilient Trade-Off Evaluation Systems for Operational Technology Environments, Including Related Methods and Computer Readable Media,” BEA Docket No. BA-1407.
INL Tech Partnerships: Your Gateway to Innovation
INL offers strategic access to proprietary technology, enhancing small business growth and contributing to economic and public advancement. We cater licensing terms to each business we work with, ensuring mutually beneficial agreements. Engage with our diverse technology offerings to propel your company forward.
Learn more about our licensing opportunities and the support we provide at https://inl.gov/technology-deployment/. For specific discussions on how your business can benefit, please contact Andrew Rankin at td@inl.gov.
INL’s Technology Deployment department focuses exclusively on licensing intellectual property and partnering with industry collaborators capable of commercializing our innovations. Our goal is to commercialize the technologies developed by INL researchers. We do not engage in purchasing, manufacturing, procurement decisions, or providing funding. Additionally, this is not a call for external services to assist in the development of this technology.
INL Innovation Spotlight
Precision Enhancement for Thermocouples: A Leap in Measurement Accuracy
This technology stabilizes thermocouples using ohmic heating, improving their accuracy and lifespan and meeting the need for reliable temperature measurements in various industries.
Overview:
Thermocouples, the backbone of temperature measurement in virtually every industry, suffer from accuracy drift over time, especially under high temperatures or radiation. This affects the quality and safety of processes and leads to frequent replacements and downtime. The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) has developed a groundbreaking method to extend the lifespan and accuracy of thermocouples, addressing these challenges head-on. With a market spanning from manufacturing to aerospace, where precision is paramount, this solution opens the door to unprecedented reliability in temperature monitoring. As industries strive for efficiency and sustainability, the demand for durable, accurate thermocouples is more pronounced than ever, positioning INL's technology as a critical advancement.
Description:
The technology introduces a precise method of short-range ordering (SRO) on thermocouple wires through ohmic heating. This process rearranges the atomic structure of the thermocouple's alloys to combat drift and instability. This procedure can be performed in situ and post-manufacture, ensuring that thermocouples retain long-term accuracy. Unlike traditional calibration methods, which are often cumbersome and less effective, this approach uniformly treats the entire length of the thermocouple, ensuring consistent accuracy and significantly reducing the potential for drift. This method is a step forward in thermocouple technology and represents a paradigm shift in how temperature is measured and managed across applications.
Benefits:
Applications:
Development Status:
TRL 8 - Testing and demonstration were completed, and the system was validated.
IP Status:
US Patent Application No. 18/525,563, “Methods for Heat Treating Thermocouples Using Ohmic Heating and Related System,” BEA Docket No. BA-1531.
INL Tech Partnerships: Your Gateway to Innovation
INL offers strategic access to proprietary technology, enhancing small business growth and contributing to economic and public advancement. We cater licensing terms to each business we work with, ensuring mutually beneficial agreements. Engage with our diverse technology offerings to propel your company forward.
Learn more about our licensing opportunities and the support we provide at https://inl.gov/technology-deployment/. For specific discussions on how your business can benefit, please contact Andrew Rankin at td@inl.gov.
INL’s Technology Deployment department focuses exclusively on licensing intellectual property and partnering with industry collaborators capable of commercializing our innovations. Our goal is to commercialize the technologies developed by INL researchers. We do not engage in purchasing, manufacturing, procurement decisions, or providing funding. Additionally, this is not a call for external services to assist in the development of this technology.
Open Source Software: MOOSE: The Multiphysics Simulation Powerhouse
The demand for versatile, powerful simulation tools in scientific computing and engineering has never increased. Enter the Multiphysics Object-Oriented Simulation Environment (MOOSE), a state-of-the-art finite-element framework that promises to revolutionize how researchers and engineers approach multiphysics problems.
Developed by the prestigious Idaho National Laboratory, MOOSE emerged from a need to tackle complex, real-world scientific challenges with precision and efficiency. Traditional simulation tools struggled with the nonlinear complexities inherent in multiphysics problems, leading to the development of MOOSE, which leverages advanced nonlinear solver technology to offer unmatched computational capabilities.
MOOSE provides a high-level interface that simplifies the complexity of multiphysics simulations. Its core features include a fully-coupled, fully-implicit multiphysics solver, dimension-independent physics, automatic parallelization for large-scale simulations, and modular development for code reuse. With built-in mesh adaptivity and Continuous and Discontinuous Galerkin methods, MOOSE is designed to be both powerful and intuitive, ensuring researchers can focus on their work without getting bogged down by the intricacies of the simulation software.
Advantages:
Applications:
Embark on a journey of discovery and innovation with MOOSE. Visit mooseframework.org or download it today to explore its capabilities, access installation instructions, and start transforming your research with the leading edge in multiphysics simulation technology.
INL’s Technology Deployment department focuses exclusively on licensing intellectual property and partnering with industry collaborators capable of commercializing our innovations. Our goal is to commercialize the technologies developed by INL researchers. We do not engage in purchasing, manufacturing, procurement decisions, or providing funding. Additionally, this is not a call for external services to assist in the development of this technology.
