North Wind Services recently won a $14 million competitive bid contract from the U.S. Department of Energy. North Wind Services will build hazardous waste retrieval structures and systems for their lead nuclear research and development facility, the Idaho National Laboratory. North Wind Services is a recently formed subsidiary of North Wind Inc., a wholly owned CIRI subsidiary.
The contract calls for the construction of a 135 foot by 240 foot tensioned membrane fabric retrieval enclosure structure, which will include an 88.5 foot by 135 foot air lock structure, multiple snow canopies, and a 20 foot by 91 foot connecting passageway to an existing waste retrieval enclosure structure.
North Wind Services is performing the project, officially known as Pit-10 West Accelerated Retrieval VII, in the Subsurface Disposal Area (SDA) at the Radioactive Waste Management Complex at the Idaho National Laboratory. The SDA, which was created in 1952, is a radioactive waste landfill encompassing approximately 97 acres, of which approximately 35 acres has waste buried in shallow surface sediments and unlined pits. Waste in the landfill consists of hazardous chemicals and radionuclides.
North Wind Services will manage all aspects of the construction and will also be responsible for furnishing and installing all interior and exterior electrical components, mechanical ventilation equipment, fire protection, camera systems, thermal imaging and four drum packaging systems for containerizing radioactive waste materials excavated from the site.
North Wind Services is self-performing materials procurement, building erection and fabric cladding, site-wide equipment operations, employee transportation services and heavy lifting operations. To complete the project, North Wind Services will be hiring three new employees and 26 to 30 union staff, and will also share two staff from another Idaho National Laboratory contractor. The project is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
North Wind Services is a SBA 8(a) small business. The company offers environmental cleanup and restoration, engineering, project management and construction services for government and private entities. For more information, please go online to www.northwind-services.com.
