ML20247F409
| ML20247F409 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 06/15/1989 |
| From: | Wiggins E NRC OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATION (ADM) |
| To: | Hadala P ARMY, DEPT. OF, ARMY ENGINEER WATERWAYS EXPERIMENT |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20247F090 | List: |
| References | |
| CON-FIN-D-1095, CON-NRC-02-89-002, CON-NRC-2-89-2 NUDOCS 8907270146 | |
| Download: ML20247F409 (10) | |
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UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION n
WASHINGTON. D. C. 20555 5
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m JUN t; 1989 Oepartment of.the Army Waterways Experiment Station, Corps of Engineers Attn:
Paul Hadala Geotechnical Laboratory P. O. Box 631 Vicksburg, MS 39180-0631
Dear'Or. Hadala:
Subject:
Interagency Agreement No. NRC-02-89-002 Entitled " Recommendations
.f to the NRC'for Laboratory Testing and Field Placement of Low-Permeability. Soils for Waste Covering" Pursuant to the Economy Act of 1932, as amended, the'U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. (NRC) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE) desire to enter into.an agreement whereby COE will assist the NRC Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Office by providing services as detailed below.
Accordingly, upon your agreement as provided below, the terms and conditions of this interagency agreement are as follows:
Statement of Work
1.0 Background
The NRC Division of Low-Level Waste Management and Decommissioning (LLWM) is planning.to develop a. technical position paper to establish specific criteria and guidance on the selection of low permeability soil materials to be placed as cover over both uranium mill tailings and low-level radioactive wastes (LLW).
Low permeability soil materials are typically used to cover both the uranium' mill tailings and the LLW at disposal facilities to 1) minimize infiltration from precipitation and surface runoff, 2) minimize the contact of water with the wastes, 3) minimize surface erosion, differential settlement and subsidence, 4) limit the radioactivity dose rate at the ground surface of the cover to acceptable levels and 5) provide long-term stability (greater than 300 years) over the covered wastes without the need for active maintenance on the completed disposal facility.
The. required technical assistance effort described in the following paragraphs is needed by the NRC as input for a staff technical position paper on.the selection and placement of low permeability soil cover L
materials and to provide a sound and defensible technical basis for the 4
criteria and guidance to be followed in the review of Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action. (UMTRA) projects and LLW Disposal Facility license applications, i
In the ef fort to be performed, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE) will use the applicable results of the work performed under FIN No. B 6965, "A 8907270146 890623
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. Study of Trench Covers to Minimize Infiltration at Waste Disposal Sites,"
(NUREG/CR-2478) as appropriate, in the performance of the work under this agreement.
2.0 Work Reauired The COE shall provide technical assistance and recommendations to the NRC by performing the following tasks.
The estimates of staff efforts provided for each task include allowances for costs associated with travel that is described in Paragraph 4.
2.1 Task 1 - Identification of Low-Permeability Soil Cover Materials The COE will develop a table listing potential low permeability soil materials that could be used to cover uranium mill tailings and low-level wastes and perform the cover functions identified in Section 1.0, such as:
- 1) minimize infiltration from precipitation and surface runoff, 2) minimize the contact of water with the wastes, 3) minimize surface erosion, differential settlement and subsidence, 4) limit the radioactivity dose rate at the ground surface of the cover to acceptable levels, and 5) provide long-term stability (greater than 300 years) over the covered waste without the need for active maintenance on the completed disposal facility.
This listing should also identify soil mixtures that may contain additives such as cement or bentonite clays where these mixtures would result in acceptable cover materials.
In addition to identifying the low permeability materials, the table listing should include columns that enumerate important cover material characteristics and properties including a rating system that will permit an assessment of the differences in properties between the materials that are identified.
The resistance of the cover material to cracking or its ability to impede water percolation are examples of possible column headings.
The identified materials should be categorized according to preferred, marginally acceptable and unacceptable cover materials.
The COE will provide a narrative to accompany the table listing, as necessary, to provide the bases for the selection of the cover materials.
The table and narrative shall be completed in a draft task letter report and provided to the NRC by November 24, 1989.
A preliminary draft report on the work accomplished in FY 89 for Task 1 will be provided to the NRC by October 13, 1989.
Task 1 is estimated to require 8 man-weeks of effort.
2.2 Task 2_- Development of Criteria for Laboratory and Field Testina Following tr.5 cevelop.. ant of the table under Task 1, the COE will develop recommendations for specific criteria to be used for laboratory testing and field testing of the identified low permeability cover materials.
The major objectives of the work under Task 2 are to: 1) identify the laboratory and field tests (classification, hydraulic conductivity, compaction, field density, chemical compatibility, capability to impede radioactivity releases, etc.) that should be conducted to assure that acceptable low-permeability cover materials have been selected and will be properly placed in the field and 2) recommend suitable laboratory and field testing standards and procedures for the identified tests.
Under this task the COE
Ia 4 will also provide assistance and written recommendations to address instances where standards or procedures either do not exist or are inadequate in addressing the needed material property requirements.
An example where assistance would be needed would be in determining whether laboratory prepared and compacted test samples are appropriate for establishing values of field saturated hydraulic conductivity or if there are more practical and accurate field testing procedures that are available.
The COE's recommendations for specific criteria on laboratory and field testing shall be completed in a draft task letter report and provided to the NRC by December 15, 1989.
Task 2 is estimated to require 6 man-weeks of effort.
2.3 Task 3 - Recommendations on Field Construction Procedures The COE will provide assistance and written recommendations for the development of field construction procedures to place and compact the low permeability soil cover materials.
The construction procedures should describe the necessary provisions to place and compact all of the cover materials identified in Task I to ensure that the final cover materials will perform as required to meet their intended purpose as defined by the regulations.
Examples of the considerations to be addressed by the field construction procedures include recommendations on: 1) the thickness of individual soil lifts and the total cover layer, 2) the need and scope of test fills, 3) the conditioning of fill (e.g. removal of oversize, moisture), 4) required moisture, gradation and compaction quality control testing (test standard and frequency of tests, etc.), and 5) placement and compaction equipment (types of roller, the speed and number of roller passes, etc.).
The COE's recommendations would need to consider the practical conditions (e.g., waste disposal environment, the need to protect facility workers from radiation exposures) that are likely to exist at the disposal facility.
The draft task letter report from the COE providing the written recommendations on field construction procedures shall be completed by January 20, 1990.
Task 3 is estimated to require 4 man-weeks of effort.
2.4 Task 4 - Identification cf Measures _to_ Permit penetrations Through the Cover Materials To verify design assumptions and the satisfactory performance of waste disposal facilities, it is often necessary to install monitoring installations.
The installations will often consist of monitoring wells that extend from the deepest portions of the completed disposal facility up to the surface through the constructed cover material.
The safe and effective sealing off of these necessary penetrations through tha cover materials is a very important consideration to avoid development of preferred paths for infiltration of water and the eventual contact with the waste.
The COE's efforts under this task will be to provide recommendations for ensuring safe and effective sealing off of installations that are likely to penetrate the cover materials.
The recommendations should be provided in a draft task report along with sectional views that illustrate the typical installation details for the various cover materials identified in Task 1.
The draft letter report for Task 4 shall be completed by February 9, 1990.
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. Task 4 is estimated to require 2 man-weeks of effort.
2.5 Task 5 - Peer Review
.It is recognized that many of the considerations to be addressed by the COE's efforts under Tasks 1, 2, 3 and 4 are not standardized and may be controversial, with potentially wide differences in professional opinion.
In order to address these areas of potential controversy and uncertainty,.
Task 5 has been established to permit an independent peer review of the COE's efforts with the purpose of developing a sound and defensible technical basis for the position paper that will eventually be issued by the NRC staff.
Under Task 5 the COE will select two unbiased qualified members to join the Principal Investigator to form the Peer Review Group.
These two members should be of recognized technical expertise with experience in the construction and performance of land disposal waste facilities.
The i
technical expertise and qualifications of the two peer group members should be discussed with the NMSS P0 before selection and be in the fields of geotechnical engineering and the soil sciences.
The two members to be selected shall be independent of the original work performed by the COE.
The major goal of the Peer Review Group is to make an in-depth critique of the COE's efforts completed under Tasks 1 through 4 to confirm the adequacy of the work.
A written draft task letter report documenting the results of the Peer Review Group shall be provided to the NRC by March 30, 1990.
The report shall be prepared under the direction of the Principal Investigator from the COE and is to be signed by each member of the Peer Review Group.
The report should indicate the areas of the COE's efforts where unanimous agreement of the Review Group has been reached and individual statements by group members where dissenting views or additional comments are appropriate.
Task 5 is estimated to require 7 man-weeks of effort.
2,6 Task 6 - Short-Term Technical Assistance The COE shall provide, short-term technical assistance, as requested by the NMSS Project Officer (NMSS PO) and the NRC Contracting Officer, on geotechnical engineering aspects of LLW Disposal Facilities and Uranium Mill Tallings Remedial Action Projects. This technical assistance includes reviewing technical documents and participating in technical meetings, symposia, and workshops on topics that directly relate to work under Tasks 1 through 5.
The nature of the technical assistance to be provided by the COE at these meetings will be in the form of providing advice and recommendations in response to discussions and questions by the staff and' other Technical Consultants and to public inquiries.
Each task will be initiated at the sole option of the NRC.
The NRC will identify the required work, reporting requirements, and schedule for completion.
The COE shall provide a cost estimate in the next monthly status report for the task assigned by the NRC.
Task 6 is estimated to require 2 man-weeks of effort.
2.7 Task 7 - Preparation of Final Reports Final letter reports for each of Tasks 1,2,3,4 and 5 are to be prepared by the COE by April 30, 1990.
The final letter reports are to appropriately i
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respond to NRC's comments on the draft letter reports and to results of the deliberations of the Peer Review Group.
Final revisions, editing, typing and preparation of figures for a camera-ready project report that will encompass n11 five tasks will be accomplished by the COE under this task and be subject to the final approval of the NRC.
All reports shall be prepared in accordance with NRC Manual Chapter 3202 and be checked in accordance with the quality assurance requirements addressed in this IA.
Upon report completion, the COE will provide appropriate copies as shown in Paragraph 3.2.
The NRC staff concurs with the COE's request to separately publish a COE report, provided that the contents of the COE report are identical to the final NRC approved report that results from this Interagency Agreement.
3.0 Reporting Requirements 3.1 Monthly Letter Status Reports Each month, the COE shall submit a brief letter status report which summarizes significant findings and results and (1) the work performed; (2) personnel time expenditures; (3) travel costs for each individual by trip and (4) costs and uncosted obligations including subcontracts, listed separately:
(a) during the previous month; (b) cumulative to date (fiscal year and total); and (c) projection by month to completion of the work effort for the current fiscal year.
The first monthly report shall provide the initial projections, and subsequent reports shall either indicate j
revised projections or indicate "no change in the cost and uncosted l
obligation projection." The report shall be due by the 15th of each month to the Project Officer (1 copy) and Contracting Officer (1 copy).
3.2. Deliverable Products The following summarizes the required report distribution under this IA.
The NMSS Project Officer shall provide the COE with current NRC mailing addresses for this distribution:
Draft / Final Monthly Ltr
- Meetings, Technical Status Workshops, Ltr
&_ Trip Rpts.
Reports Reports r
NMSS project Officer 1
1 1
NRC Document Control Center 1
0 0
NRC Contracting Officer, Division of Contracts 1
1 1
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NOTE:
Proprietary information must be properly identified by the COE in accordance with 10 CFR 2.790, Availability of Official Records, and will not be submitted to the PDRs.
The COE shall clearly identify, by FIN number, all documents transmitted to the NRC.
4.0 Meetings and Iravel The COE shall allow for two visits to the NRC Rockville, MD office to attend NRC meetings.
These meetings would be scheduled at the start of the project work and near the completion of work required.
Visits to an VMTRA project site and one operating LLW disposal facility for the COE's Principal Investigator will be scheduled, if necessary.
The timing of the visits is flexible but should be arranged at the most opportune time to support the development of practical recommendations required in the task efforts.
One meeting of the Peer Review Group is anticipated.
The meeting should be held at the office of the COE's Principal Investigator at the time the report for Task 5 is being prepared.
Three additional meetings to support NRC's efforts to keep the States and other public organizations informed of the developments in the work under this IA have previously been described in Section 2.6.
The NMSS Project Officer will be notified prior to all travel performed under this S0W.
Approval of the NMSS Project Officer will be required for any travel to be charged against project funds.
No' foreign travel will be required.
All travel associated with this S0W shall result in trip reports, which may be issued separately or as part of the next monthly progress letter.
Copies of trip reports issued separately shall be sent to the NMSS Project Officer within 15 days of the completion of such travel.
The COE shall provide upon request by the NRC Project Officer, in any fiscal year, two day meetings at the Waterways Experiment Station (WES).
These meetings will serve the following purpose:
- 1) to evaluate progress made in previous months, and 2) to re-affirm and lay out work for the remaining time period of agreement.
The NMSS Project Officer shall advise the COE on the area (s) of emphasis and/or modifications to the proposed work plans.
S.0 Key Personnel The Principal Investigator will be R.D. Bennett of the U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station (WES).
Dr. Paul Hadala of WES will serve as chairman of the Peer Review Group and will provide direct input into and supervision of the writing of the final task letter reports.
6.0 NRC Furnished Material NRC will provide the performing organization with pertinent reports, and data /information received from other sources which the COE identifies as
l beneficial to its understanding of the work to be completed. The NRC will provide the COE with a copy of the Standard Format and Content Guide (NUREG-1199) and the Standard Review Plan (NUREG-1200) for LLW disposal faci 1ity.
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c ~ ay'e n p/n 7.0 Period of Performance The periori of performance covered by the work specified in this S0W and in pursuant task orders issued under this FIN shall commence on the effective date of this. agreement and extend to September 30, 1990. -MkGEthrough=h A d x:
shalfisesc'oEf>teted;in FY89,--and-Task-5 maw be completed in FY90. Work'on short term technical assistance may be initiated any time during this IA depending on the completion of Tasks 1 through 5.
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.n 8.0 Technical Direction
,.,y, Joseph Kane (301-492-3449) is designated the NMSS Project Officer (NMSS PO) for the purpose of assuring that the services required under this S0W are delivered in accordance herewith.
All technical instructions to the performing organization shall be issued through the NMSS P0.
As used herein, technical instructions are those which provide details, suggest possible lines of inquiry, or otherwise complete the general scope of work set forth herein.
Technical instructions shall not constitute new assignments of work or changes of such nature as to justify an adjustment in cost or period of performance.
Directions for changes in cost or period of performance will be provided by modification by the NRC Contracting Officer.
If the COE receives guidance from the NMSS P0 which is believed to be invalid under the criteria cited above, the COE shall immediately ] notify the NMSS P0.
9.0 Quality Assurance 9.1 For all draft and final reports delivered under this agreement, the COE shall assure that an independent review and verification of all numerical computations and mathematical equations and derivations are performed by qualified personnel other than the original author (s) of the reports.
If the COE proposes to verify / check less than 100 percent of all computations and mathematical equations and derivations in the report (s),
(such as might be the case when there are a large number of routine, repetitive calculations), the COE must first obtain written approval from the NMSS P0.
Computer generated calculations will not require verification where the computer program has already been verified.
The NMSS PO has the option of auditing all documentation including project correspondence, drafts, calculations and unrefined data.
9.2 In addition, all reports, including those which do not contain numerical analyses must be reviewed by the COE's management at a level above the program manager.
9.3 When revisions for the reports are issued, a section must be included in the revised report to document dates of, reasons for, and scope of all
i changes made since the issuance of the first performing organization's approved report.
10.2 Estimated Level of Effort The estimated level of effort required to perform this work is 33 man-weeks to satisfactorily complete the work described in this S0W.
11.
Payment Payments shall be on a reimbursable basis. The COE shall submit invoices in accordance with the enclosed Billing Instructions for NRC/COE Interagency Agreements which is made a'part hereof.
Requests for payment shall cite the following data:
Appropriation No.:
31X0200.950 B&R No.:
950-19-04-03-0 FIN No.:
D1095 Interagency Agreement No.:
NRC-02-89-002 12.
Oblication of Funds and Estimated Amount The total estimated amount of this agreement for the two-year period of performance is $112,300.00 The amount presently obligated by the NRC for this agreement is $50,000.00.
If this agreement is acceptable to the COE, please so indicate by signing in the space provided below and return two fully executed copies to me.
The third fully executed copy is for your records.
Any questions regarding this agreement should be directed to Mary Little on (301) 492-4289.
ACCEPTED:
ACCEPTED:
COE NRC BY:
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BILLING INSTRUCTIONS FOR NRC/C0E INTERAGENCY AGREEMENTS General.
COE shall submit vouchers for cost-reimbursement in the following manner.
Form. Claims shall be submitted on the Standard Form 1081, Voucher for Transfers Between Appropriations and/cr Funds.
Number of Copies.
An original and four copies shall be mailed to the NRC office identified below.
Frecuency.
COE shall submit claims for reimbursement as each task is completed.
Billino of Costs After Expiration of Acreement.
If cost-reimbursements are incurred during the agreement period and claimed after agreement has expired, the period during which these costs were incurred must be cited.
Preparation and Itemization of the Voucher. C0E shall furnish the information set forth in the explanatory notes below.
(a) Pavor's Name and Address.
Address the original voucher (with copies) to:
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Office of the Controller, Division of Accounting and Finance, ATTN:
GOV /COM Accounts Section, Washington, DC 20555.
(b) Voucher Number.. Insert the appropriate serial number of the voucher.
This must be in sequential order beginning with 001 as the number to be used for the first voucher submitted under this agreement.
(c) Date of Voucher.
Insert the date the voucher is prepared.
(d) Aoreement Number and Date.
Insert the agreement number and the effective date of the agreement.
(e).Pavee's Name and Address.
Show the name and address of C0E and include name of toucher preparer and telephone number.
(f) Billino Period.
Insert the beginning and ending dates (day, month, and year) of the period in which costs were incurred and for which reimbursement is claimed.
(g) Billino Detail.
Insert the major cost elements as follows.:
(g) (1) Direct Labor.
This consists of salaries and wages paid (or accrued) for direct performance of the contract.
(g) (2) Material and Supplies. This is consumable materials and supplies and equipment.
Specify separately all items over $1,000.
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I (g) (3) 0ther. ' List all other direct costs.
(g) (4) Overhead.- Show that amount of the billing which is overhead.
-(h) Amount Billed for Current Period. ~ Insert.the amount billed for adjustments and adjusted amounts for. the period.
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