Statement of Work Nuclear Test Personnel Review (NTPR) Program Support Revision Date: 20 Apr 2021

The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) is the Department of Defense (DoD) executive agent for the Nuclear Test Personnel Review (NTPR) Program, which serves 500,000 atomic veterans and DoD civilian employees (and/or their spouses, children, and elected representatives) who participated in U.S. atmospheric nuclear testing (1945-1962), with the occupation forces of and Nagasaki, Japan, or were prisoners of war in Japan at the conclusion of World War II. The program similarly supports an analogous 50,000 DoD personnel associated with U.S. underground testing (1951-1992), and 6,000 DoD personnel associated with the radiological clean-up of the Pacific Proving Ground. It interacts directly with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Department of Labor (DOL) to provide DoD’s input for veteran radiogenic disease medical assistance and financial compensation. It awards Atomic Veterans Service Certificates for the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD).

NTPR also serves as DoD’s subject matter expert for personnel radiation dose assessment, and provides this support at the request of the OSD, Combatant Commanders, and the military services.

1.0 BACKGROUND

1. In August 1945, the U.S. Army Air Corps detonated nuclear weapons over the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki that led to the end of World War II. The U.S. government also conducted about 200 atmospheric nuclear weapons tests from 1945 to 1962. The testing was principally conducted in Nevada and the Pacific. About 500,000 Department of Defense personnel, military and civilian, took part in these activities, and many were exposed to low levels of in the performance of their duties.

2. A group of approximately 50,000 DoD affiliated individuals were similarly associated with 828 underground nuclear tests between 1951-1992 at the Nevada Test Site, and a few other underground tests conducted on the Nellis Air Force Range; in central and northwestern Nevada; in Colorado, New Mexico, and Mississippi; and on Amchitka, one of the Aleutian Islands off the coast of Alaska.

3. A group of 6,000 veterans and DoD civilians were similarly associated with the radiological clean-up of the Pacific Proving Ground. This cleanup encompassed the in 1969 and Enewetak Atoll in the 1970’s.

4. The NTPR Program began in 1978 in response to reports indicating that military veterans who had participated in Shot SMOKY of the atmospheric nuclear weapons test series Operation PLUMBBOB had experienced a numerically small but larger-than-expected incidence rate of leukemia. Initially, program activities were accomplished by individual Service teams under the

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general direction of the Defense Nuclear Agency (DNA), now DTRA. In October 1987, the Service team efforts were consolidated into one cohesive program managed directly by DNA.

5. During the early program years, efforts were directed primarily toward: (1) identifying DoD military and civilian personnel who had participated in U.S. atmospheric nuclear testing during the period 1945 to 1962; (2) developing detailed descriptions of individual and military organizational activities; and (3) determining the radiation doses received by participants as a consequence of these activities. In 1988, the scope of the program was expanded to include roughly 230,000 additional personnel who, as Japanese-held prisoners of war or occupation force members located in proximity to Hiroshima and Nagasaki during the period September 1945 through 30 June 1946, may also have been exposed to ionizing radiation.

6. In 2015, the program expanded to include 55,000 U.S. underground nuclear test personnel and 7,000 Pacific Proving Ground Clean-up personnel. In 2019, the program assumed responsibility for issuing Atomic Veteran Service Certificates.

7. Recent non-atomic veteran radiation dose assessment support has included:

• U.S. Coast Guard’s request for assessment of 10,000 service member’s exposure to x- rays emanating from Long Range Navigation (LORAN) high voltage vacuum tube transmitter units, from 1942-2010, • ASN(E,I&E)’s request for assessment of a few thousand service member’s exposure to radiological releases from the McMurdo Station, Antarctica nuclear power plant between 1962-1979, and • ASD(HA)’s request for NTPR’s leadership of a joint service team to assess exposure to 75,000 DoD-affiliated individuals to radiological releases from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station in 2011.

2.0 SCOPE

The scope of this work requires the contractor to perform veteran participation verification, dose assessment, information management, veteran assistance/outreach, and program management tasks as follows:

(a) PARTICIPATION VERIFICATION: Verify veteran participation as per Title 38, Part 3.309, Code of Federal Regulations.

(b) RADIATION DOSE ASSESSMENT: Provide credible individual radiation dose assessments (RDA), to include external, independent review.

(c) QUALITY ASSURANCE: Support a rigorous Quality Assurance (QA) program that ensures NTPR work products are credible.

(d) INFORMATION MANAGEMENT: Manage a comprehensive, secure, and accessible NTPR information program, consisting of digital information (electronic, optical, and magnetic),

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microfilm, and paper records. Maintain a comprehensive database of participation and dose information, and supporting materials;

(e) PROCESS IMPROVEMENT AND SPECIAL STUDIES: Report and implement potential process improvement areas intended to improve current performance while satisfying capability requirements and potentially reducing cost and accelerating schedule. Provide studies and reports in support of Government endorsed initiatives as requested. Support studies to determine whether DoD affiliated individuals experience adverse health effects as a result of their activities.

(f) CUSTOMER SERVICE: Provide accurate and timely responses to requests for information from incoming inquiries.

3.0 APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS

3.1 PUBLIC LAWS

1. PL 93-579 (1974): The Privacy Act of 1974. Established “Fair Information Practices” regarding the government’s collection of personal data.

2. PL 97-72 (1981): Veterans’ Health Care, Training, and Small Business Loan Act of 1981. Provides health care services to atmospheric nuclear test participants and occupation of Hiroshima/Nagasaki forces.

3. PL 97-414 (1982): The Orphan Drug Act. Required the Public Health Service to develop radioepidemiological tables that set forth the relationships between probability of causation (PC) and radiation dose for various cancers.

4. PL 98-542 (1984): Veterans’ Dioxin and Radiation Exposure Compensation Standards Act. Directs VA to establish:

(a) Compensation standards for radiation exposure claims. (b) An advisory committee on environmental hazards. (c) Guidelines for reporting internal and external radiation doses.

5. PL 99-554 (1996): The Freedom of Information Act. Established public accessibility to executive branch agency and department records.

6. PL 99-576 (1986): Veterans’ Benefits Improvement and Health-Care Authorization Act of 1986. Requires VA to maintain Ionizing Radiation Registry (IRR) on veterans filing for radiation exposure. The IRR’s function is to contain relevant information provided by DNA.

7. PL 100-321 (1988): Radiation-Exposed Veterans Compensation Act of 1988. Presumes service-connection for veterans with certain illnesses and defines radiation-risk activities.

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8. PL 100-687 (1988): Veterans’ Judicial Review Act – Veterans’ Benefits Improvement Act of 1988. Establishes new Court of Veterans Appeals for review of claims denied by Board of Veterans Appeals and eliminates $10.00 attorney fee limitation.

9. PL 101-426 (1990): Radiation Exposure Compensation Act. Establishes a trust fund for paying claims to eligible “down winders” and uranium miners. In addition, establishes DOJ as fund administrator.

10. PL 101-510 (1990): National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1991. The above Act provides the following:

(a) Amends PL 101-426 by increasing funding and including atmospheric nuclear test participants. (b) Requires DoD and DOE input to determine participation. (c) Repeals and immediately re-enacts “Warner Amendment” provisions limiting contractor liability.

11. PL 102-86 (1991): Veterans’ Benefits Programs Improvement Act of 1991. Modifies PL 100-321 as follows:

(a) Changes the manifestation period for leukemia from 30 to 40 years. (b) Includes eligible reservists and National Guard members as beneficiaries.

12. PL 102-578 (1992): Veterans Radiation Exposure Amendments of 1992. Amends PL 100-321 as follows:

(a) Eliminates the latency period. (b) Adds salivary gland and urinary tract cancers to list of diseases. (c) Amends PL 98-542:

(1) Requires the identification and review of additional radiation-risk activities performed prior to 1970. (2) Requires the review of scientific evidence concerning the radiogenicity of bronchio- alveolar carcinoma.

13. PL 103-446 (1994): Veterans’ Benefits Improvement Act of 1994. Amends PL 103-446 as follows:

(a) Reaffirms coverage of U.S. veterans participating in non-U.S. atmosphere nuclear weapons tests under PL 100-321. (b) Allows veterans to file claims of service connection for other than radiogenic diseases listed under PL 98-542. (c) Directs NAS to evaluate the feasibility of performing a study on adverse reproductive outcomes involving veteran test participants’ families.

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14. PL 105-85 (1997), Sec. 244: The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1998. Provided $300,000 for bioassay testing of veterans exposed to ionizing radiation during military service.

15. PL 106-117 (1999): Veterans Millennium Health Care and Benefits Act. Modified PL 100-321 by adding bronchiole-alveolar carcinoma to the list of presumptive diseases.

16. PL 106-245 (2000): Radiation Exposure Compensation Act Amendments of 2000. Added seven cancers to the list of compensable diseases.

17. PL 106-398 (2000): National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001. Enacted the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act of 2000.

18. PL 106-419 (2000), Sec. 305: Veterans Benefits and Health Care Improvement Act of 2000. Required DoD to establish a contract with the National Academy of Sciences to conduct a review of DTRA’s dose reconstruction program.

19. PL 108-183 (2003), Sec. 601: Veterans Benefits Act of 2003. Amends PL 108-183 as follows:

(a) Required a 90 day report to Congress from VA/DoD on DoD’s radiation dose reconstruction program. (b) Established the Veterans’ Advisory Board on Dose Reconstruction.

20. PL 115-232 (2018), Sec. 581: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019. Established Atomic Veteran Service Certificates.

3.2 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS

1. 28 CFR Part 79: DOJ - Claims Under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act.

2. 32 CFR Part 218: DoD - Guidance for the Determination and Reporting of Nuclear Radiation Dose for DoD Participants in the Atmospheric Nuclear Test Program.

3. 32 CFR Part 285 and 286: DoD - Freedom of Information Act.

4. 32 CFR Part 310: DoD - Privacy Program.

5. 38 CFR Part 1.17: VA - Evaluation of Studies Relating to Health Effects of Dioxin and Radiation Exposure.

6. 38 CFR Part 3.309d: VA - Diseases Specific to Radiation Exposed Veterans.

7. 38 CFR Part 3.311b: VA - Claims Based on Exposure to Ionizing Radiation.

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3.3 GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTING OFFICE REPORTS

1. GAO 1985. Operations Crossroads: Personnel Radiation Exposure Estimates Should be Improved.

2. GAO 1987. Nuclear Health and Safety: Radiation Exposures for Some Cloud-Sampling Personnel Need to be Reexamined. Washington DC.

3. GAO 1992. Nuclear Health and Safety: Mortality Study of Atmospheric Nuclear Test Participants is Flawed. Washington DC.

4. GAO 2000. Veterans’ Benefits: Independent Review Could Improve Credibility of Radiation Exposure Estimates. Washington DC.

3.4 NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCE REPORTS

1. National Research Council 1985a. Mortality of Nuclear Weapons Tests Participants. Washington DC.

2. National Research Council 1985b. Review of Methods Used to Assign Radiation Doses to Service Personnel at Nuclear Weapons Tests. Washington DC.

3. National Research Council 1985c. Radiation Dose Reconstruction for Epidemiological Uses. Washington DC.

4. National Research Council 1989. Film Badge Dosimetry in Atmospheric Nuclear Tests. Washington DC.

5. National Research Council 1990. Health Effects of Exposure to Low Levels of Ionizing Radiation (BEIR V). Washington DC.

6. National Research Council 1995. Adverse Reproductive Outcomes in Families of Atomic Veterans: The Feasibility of Epidemiological Studies. Washington DC.

7. National Research Council 1996. Mortality of Veteran Participants in the CROSSROADS Nuclear Test. Washington DC.

8. National Research Council 2000. The Five Series Study: Mortality of Military Participants in U.S. Nuclear Weapons Tests. Washington DC.

9. National Research Council 2003. A Review of the Dose Reconstruction Program of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency. Washington DC.

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3.5 DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE DOCUMENTATION

1. Many documents describing the NTPR Program are available via the following public webpages: • DTRA: https://www.dtra.mil/DTRA-Mission/Reference-Documents/NTPR-Info/ • Nuclear Test Participants, System of Records Notices (SORN): https://dpcld.defense.gov/Privacy/SORNsIndex/DOD-wide-SORN-Article-View/Article/570291/hdtra-010/

2. NTPR Program Support Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)

4.0 REQUIREMENTS (TASKS)

4.1 TASK 1 – VETERAN ASSISTANCE AND CASE FILE MANAGEMENT (O&M)

4.1.1 – Program Helpline: The contractor shall operate the government furnished NTPR Program Helpline between the normal work hours of 0800 – 1700 Eastern Standard Time (EST) on federal workdays and receive calls with an answering machine outside normal work hours and on federal holidays. The typical number of calls received is approximately 40-50 calls per month. This task includes eliciting information from callers using a government questionnaire and answering basic questions concerning the NTPR Program. Since many of the callers are both elderly and ill, the contractor shall provide program knowledgeable individuals who are patient and caring to support the Helpline.

4.1.2 – Questionnaires: The contractor shall send a DTRA Form 150 and associated questionnaire(s) to claimants as necessary to obtain historical information regarding claimed participation in any applicable NTPR activity.

4.1.3 – Verification of Participation: The contractor shall use all reasonable means to research claimant participation in accordance with Title 38, Part 3.309, Code of Federal Regulations.

4.1.4 – Case File Generation and Management: The contractor shall create and secure a case file for each veteran identified as a participant during historical research. Case files will commonly be generated as a result of VA and DOJ requests and personal inquiries. There are currently 122,000 individual case files with approximately 600-650 new case files generated per year.

4.1.5 – Correspondence: The contractor shall manage and prepare correspondence (Contract Data Requirements List (CDRL A001) in accordance with the NTPR Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), using DTRA provided letterhead. The contractor will post and mail correspondence directly or transfer it electronically as requested by the inquiring agencies and individuals. NTPR correspondence includes, but is not limited to, requests from various government agencies and individuals as well as from members of Congress. Correspondence letters are approximately 150-200 per month.

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4.2 TASK 2 – RADIATION DOSE ASSESSMENT (O&M)

4.2.1 – Triage: The contractor shall perform the triage task of separating incoming correspondence in accordance with the NTPR SOP, prior to Scenario of Participation and Radiation Exposure (SPARE) development.

4.2.2 – SPARE: The contractor shall develop SPAREs for individual participants or their units. The scenarios shall include specific information where available, such as: duration of fallout, intensity of fallout, available film badge records, estimated location of individual or unit, specific hour-to-hour activity of individual or unit, inhalation, ingestion, and adsorption pathways, general protective and decontamination measures taken, and other information relevant to potential radiation doses. The contractor shall ensure that all claimants are provided time to review and endorse SPAREs in accordance with the NTPR SOP. Additionally, the contractor shall incorporate claimant comments into the SPARE; however, questionable comments shall be resolved in accordance with the NTPR SOP.

4.2.3 – RDA: The contractor shall perform radiation dose assessments (including uncertainties), using the NTPR SOP, and shall conform to RDA priorities set by the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR). This task includes:

(a) For external radiation, reconstruction of initial neutron, initial gamma, residual gamma, and residual beta organ dose; (b) For internal radiation, reconstruction of committed dose equivalent from alpha, beta, and gamma radiation from internalized isotopes; and (c) Report alpha and neutron doses separately.

The contractor shall apply to the level appropriate to each case RDA methodologies as documented in reports prepared previously for the NTPR program using the following guidelines:

(a) Address all exposure pathways from contributing nuclear tests. (b) Include inventories of all radionuclides pertinent to exposure from each test (including resuspension of fallout from previous tests, if applicable). (c) Use most current International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) and National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) (and other scientific organizations) and DTRA sponsored contractor’s findings, computer codes, and recommendations per the COR. (d) Use NTPR-approved computer code to determine the internal dose from all internally deposited radionuclides, relative to the intake of Pu-239 and parent radionuclides, for the range of radiation exposure conditions and nuclear test radiochemistries pertinent to participants.

The contractor shall produce and deliver RDAs (CDRL A002) with a minimum of the following data set:

(a) Participant’s name, rank/rate, service number, unit and/or technical project identification

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(b) Film badge identification number and monitored dose, if applicable (c) Periods of exposure to ionizing radiation (d) Category of participation (e.g. operation(s) or occupation of Japan) (e) Total mean and upper bound external dose (gamma + beta) in rem (f) Total mean and upper bound external dose (neutron) in rem (g) Internal dose (expressed as Committed Organ Dose Equivalent); alpha dose reported separately (h) Skin contamination dose (beta) and dose to lens of the eye, if applicable (i) All affected anatomical location(s), as applicable (j) Identification of analyst

The contractor shall document all RDA tools and methods in the NTPR SOP.

4.2.4 – Quality Assurance: The contractor shall provide an external RDA quality assurance process (CDRL A003) that not only analyzes and evaluates the contractor’s processes but also the processes and products of the NTPR partners (including the Government and subcontractors).

4.3 TASK 3 – RECORDS RESEARCH AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT (O&M)

4.3.1 – Historical Research: The contractor shall conduct historical research to support the NTPR Program objectives. This task includes data collection, abstraction, reproduction, and integration into the NTPR records repository and case files, as applicable. This includes frequent visits (e.g. weekly) to federal records repositories within Washington, DC and outlying suburbs (to include Quantico, VA and College Park, MD).

4.3.2 – NPRC Support: The contractor shall maintain a research presence at (and appropriate research agreements with) the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis, MO in support of the NTPR Program. The contractor shall ensure designated personnel acquire and/or maintain adequate security clearance to receive appropriate classified documentation as needed, submit requests for and review, abstract, and reproduce records onsite at NPRC per NPRC procedures. The contractor shall be responsible for transmittal of information between their research presence in St. Louis and their office in the Washington, DC area.

4.3.3 – Unclassified Records: The contractor shall manage, operate, maintain and secure all unclassified NTPR microfilm archives and paper records in accordance with the NTPR SOP. Microfilm records include backup records of existing paper records. Paper records include an extensive technical library (approx. 620 linear feet) and an extensive veteran case file repository (approx. 515 linear feet). This will include scanning and creating Adobe Acrobat .pdf format records of new correspondence, and previously stored microfilm and paper records.

4.3.4 – NTRR Computer System: The contractor shall manage, operate, and maintain DTRA’s government furnished Nuclear Test and Radiological Review (NTRR) computer system. Management includes maintaining DoD authorization to operate (ATO) accreditation, as described in DoD Inst 8510.01, “DoD Information Assurance Certification and Accreditation.” The NTRR system includes two unique NTPR software applications:

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• NuTRIS-Web, a database that tracks program interactions with over 550,000 atomic veterans or other individuals requesting program information, veteran demographic information, veteran duty location information, veteran radiation exposure information, links to the veteran’s digitized documentation, and various other items. o Ref: DTRA-TR-19-039, “Design Aspects of DTRA’s NuTRIS-Web Software Application”: DTIC Accession No. AD1093055. • NTPR Digital Library Catalog, a Knowvation® based database that includes over 300,000 historical documents (PDF format) that are used to perform veteran verification functions.

The NTRR system resides on DTRA’s principal unclassified computer network providing encrypted communications among various NTPR nodes, via the internet. DTRA IT staff operate the servers and perform system back-ups. Management of the NTRR digital information (electronic, optical, and magnetic) shall be performed in accordance with the NTPR SOP and GFP listing (including workstations, laptops, printers, and scanners).

4.4 TASK 4 - PROGRAM MANAGEMENT (O&M)

4.4.1 – Reviews: The contractor shall host and conduct periodic program reviews covering all aspects of performance, schedule, staffing, risk management, technical and program progress as well as other issues deemed important to the contractor and/or government. Representatives from external agencies and major subcontractors may also attend. A separate, but associated review to discuss cost, restricted to the prime contractor and government representatives (e.g. COR) should also be hosted and conducted by the contractor.

4.4.2 – Training: The contractor shall ensure that all NTRR users comply with training documented in the NTPR SOP, and will maintain a record of this training (CDRL A004).

4.4.3 – GFP: The contractor shall maintain NTPR’s Government-Furnished Property (GFP) and perform annual inventories (CDRL A005).

4.4.4 - Status Reports: The contractor submit quarterly program status reports (CDRL A006).

4.4.5 – Procedures: The contractor shall maintain the NTPR SOP (CDRL A007).

4.4.6 – Travel: The contractor shall travel to meetings and conferences in support of the NTPR program, with DTRA COR concurrence prior to each trip.

4.4.7 – Process Improvement: The contractor shall recommend and, if endorsed by the COR, undertake process improvement activities.

4.5 TASK 5 – PROGRAM MANAGEMENT (R&D)

4.5.1 – Technical Studies/Process Improvement: The contractor shall research new radiation dose studies and document them in technical report format (CDRL A008). The contractor shall recommend and, if endorsed by the COR, undertake process improvement activities.

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4.5.2 – Travel: The contractor shall travel to meetings and conferences in support of the NTPR program, with DTRA COR concurrence prior to each trip.

4.6 TASK 6 – FACILITIES AND OTHER SUPPORT (O&M)

4.6.1 – Facilities: The contractor’s facility shall be located within the Washington, DC area and will include the administrative functions and personnel that support the NTPR Program. This facility will also provide:

(a) Office space for use by government personnel, during normal working hours, with access to restrooms and parking within reasonable distances. This office will include a desk, shelves, and access to the internet. It is envisioned that one government representative will visit this facility weekly to bring incoming correspondence, review and sign outgoing correspondence, and to hold review sessions (of approximately 1-2 hours) with contract management staff. (b) Conference room space (seating approximately 15 personnel) to support meetings between the contractors, the government, and any government invited guests. The conference room will support electronic presentations of data residing on the NTRR computer network and be able to support teleconferences and internet webinars to multiple participants. (c) Space for the NTPR technical library and veteran file repository. (f) Space for the contractor’s administrative personnel and their support equipment (workstations, telephones, desks, shelving, etc.). (g) Photocopy services and consumable materials to support NTPR Program objectives, to include scanning and saving in Adobe Acrobat .pdf format for archiving records.

4.6.2 – Security: The contractor’s staff supporting this contract shall maintain staff security clearances per the DD Form 254. The contractor shall comply with the security requirements specified in the DD form 254 attached to the contract. The contractor shall institute appropriate security procedures to ensure that classified information, controlled unclassified information (CUI), and personally identifiable information (PII) is properly safeguarded.

4.7 – OPTIONS • Option 1 – Provide additional O&M surge support of O&M tasks stated above. • Option 2 – Provide additional O&M surge support of O&M tasks stated above. • Option 3 – Provide additional O&M surge support of O&M tasks stated above. • Option 4 – Provide additional O&M surge support of O&M tasks stated above. • Option 5 – Provide additional O&M surge support of O&M tasks stated above. • Option 6 – Provide additional O&M surge support of O&M tasks stated above. • Option 7 – Provide additional O&M surge support of O&M tasks stated above. • Option 8 – Provide additional RDT&E surge support of R&D tasks stated above. • Option 9 – Provide additional RDT&E surge support of R&D tasks stated above. • Option 10 – Provide additional RDT&E surge support of R&D tasks stated above. • Option 11 – Provide Incoming Transition Plan (O&M) (CDRL A009) • Option 12 – Provide Follow-on Transition Plan (O&M) (CDRL A010)

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5.0 – DELIVERABLES • A001: Inquiry Response • A002: Radiation Dose Assessment • A003: Quality Review • A004: Training Documentation • A005: GFP Inventory • A006: Program Status Report • A007: Standard Operating Procedures • A008: Scientific Technical Report • A009: Incoming Transition Plan • A010: Follow-on Transition Plan

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