THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY REVISES DEPLETED URANIUM HEXAFLUORIDE (DUF6) CONVERSION SERVICES REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) AFTER RECEIVING INDUSTRY AND PUBLIC COMMENTS On July 30, 1999 the Department of Energy issued a draft Request for Proposals for DUF6 Conversion Services. Stakeholder and industry comments were requested by August 20, 1999. The Department was impressed by the number and quality of comments received from many industry organizations and from a wide range of representatives of the impacted communities. The Department is committed to working with stakeholders, including organizations representing the workforce at the gaseous diffusion plant sites and state and local interests to design an RFP that achieves our aggressive conversion goals in a safe and cost-effective manner. Comments received from these groups are being analyzed very closely by the Department. The number and nature of the comments received on the draft RFP have reinforced the Department's intent to apply a private sector approach to convert its DUF6 inventory to a more stable form. The Department continues to be open to conversion products that may be proposed by industry, limited by the condition that a viable disposal path must exist in order for that product to be acceptable to the Department. Due to the large number of comments received and the changes resulting from those comments, the Department plans to release a new draft RFP in November, 1999. The final RFP is expected to be released after a short comment period. This new schedule is not expected to impact the construction and operations schedule. The Department will continue to communicate DUF6 Management Program developments via its web site. Additionally, citizens and corporations who wish to be kept apprised of progress of this project are invited to place themselves on the Depleted Uranium Hexafluoride Management Program's electronic mailing list. This can be accomplished via the Internet by going to http://web.ead.anl.gov/uranium/indexnav.cfm, then selecting "Mail Services", and filling out the registration form. Alternatively, anyone without Internet access can be placed on a mailing list by phoning Ms. Julie Simmons at (301) 903-2348, sending a fax with name and address to (301) 903-4905, or sending a card or letter to Ms. Simmons, NE-30, U.S. Department of Energy, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD 20874. Announcements concerning the release and availability of documents, schedule revisions, meetings, etc. will be provided to all persons on the mailing list via e-mail or standard post, as appropriate. Posted 10/25/99 (W-SN394493).

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