MOAB, Utah - Portage, Inc., contractor for EM’s Moab Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Project, met the majority of its performance goals for fiscal year 2016, earning more than $1 million, or 72 percent, of the nearly $1.5 million available award fee, and scoring an overall rating of “good" for the evaluation period.
“Portage successfully managed and implemented the project, maintaining a focus on safety," Acting Federal Project Director Justin Peach said. “Portage also developed an innovative ‘roving crew’ staffing approach that allowed us to meet revised shipping goals within budget."
Contractor award fee evaluations determine payment based on performance against stated objectives in accordance with annual award fee plans. EM releases information relating to contractor fee payments to further transparency.
It was Portage’s last fiscal year under this contract. The contractor devised a plan to perform uranium mill tailings container maintenance, electrical upgrades and the replacement of equipment and containers. Workers completed the excavation and construction of Phase 3a of the disposal cell ahead of schedule, on budget and without safety or environmental incidents.
The contractor supported major assessments, surveillances, and walk-throughs. Portage had no chemical or biological personnel exposures and no releases of radiological or chemical contaminants to the environment. The project was in full compliance with storm water and dust permit criteria.
Following are Portage’s award fee ratings and weights for each criterion:
* Project Management (10 percent) - Good
* Tailings, Excavation, Haul, and Disposal (60 percent) - Good
* Health and Safety (30 percent) - Good
* Overall Weighted Result - Good
The award fee determination scorecard can be viewed.
Portage relocates the Moab site’s uranium mill tailings and other contaminated materials to the disposal cell near Crescent Junction, Utah, 30 miles north of Moab.
The tailings pile occupies about 130 acres of the Moab site’s approximately 480 acres. Workers have moved almost 8.6 million tons of tailings to the disposal cell since EM began excavation operations in 2009.
Source: U.S. Dept. of Energy, Office of Environmental Management
