EPA issues request for proposals for Navajo Nation Uranium Mine cleanup

In its continued efforts to clean up uranium contamination in the Navajo Nation, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently issued a request for proposals for the Navajo Area Uranium Mines Response, Assessment, and Evaluation Services contract.
 
“EPA’s contract is a vital step in the effort to clean up the legacy of uranium contamination in and around the Navajo Nation,” EPA Superfund Division Director for the Pacific Southwest Enrique Manzanilla said. “The RFP’s criteria aim to maximize job opportunities for Navajo businesses and individuals.”
 
The contract, which bears an estimated value of $85 million, requires environmental assessment services expertise, with a focus on uranium mines. The EPA has also stipulated that bidders should have expertise in working alongside tribes and communities. The agency expects to announce the contract winner in spring 2017.
 
The agency has also issued a request for information/sources sought for a potential procurement of Navajo Area Abandoned Mines Response Construction Services, through which it will garner input and recommendations on the draft scope of work.
 
The Navajo Nation was left with more than 400 abandoned mines with higher than usual radiation levels following mining conducted under the authority of the Atomic Energy Act.