RIO TECHNICAL SERVICES, INC.

GS-10F-0220K

 

RIO Technical Services, Inc. (RIO), a privately held small business and professional engineering firm, formed in 1995 to provide professional management, engineering and technical services to its clients. RIO s focus is environmental, energy, engineering, and information management. Since inception, RIO has maintained its focus to more than 50 clients, including the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, U.S. Department of the Treasury, national nuclear and energy companies, and commercial firms. Services provided by RIO include environmental and restoration services, engineering and technical consulting, project management, facilities design, technology integration, nuclear licensing, and regulatory compliance support. A majority of RIO clients have maintained multi-year relationships, underscoring the proven quality of RIO resource placement, confidence in its management approach, and the performance provided to client management, engineering, and field execution teams. RIO s corporate culture emphasizes performance responsibility and accountability, with appropriate levels of decision-making authority. RIO contract execution is accomplished at its national locations or provides experienced and qualified staff to the client-requested work locations, nationally. RIO maintains offices and work locations in Fort Worth, Amarillo, and Levelland, Texas; Haddam Neck, Connecticut; Oak Ridge, Tennessee; Las Vegas, Nevada; Chicago, Illinois; Portland, Oregon; Richland, Washington; and Morgantown, West Virginia.

 

Consulting Services (SIN 874-1):

RIO Technical Services is a professional service corporation providing premier

engineering, scientific, and management consulting services to the NRC, DOE, DOHS, DoD, NASA, and EPA, and the regulated spent nuclear fuel and high level nuclear waste handling industry. Using core competencies in regulatory compliance and analysis, quality program audits and evaluations, facility and process engineering, project management, programmatic engineering design and applications, and technical feasibility studies, RIO delivers professional and technical services and management systems that benefit client risk management and operating performance. RIO incorporates its technical experience and capabilities to mitigate client concerns, implement strategic approaches to satisfy technical requirements, and exceed client contract expectations.

RIO understands the unique requirements of each federal entity, and develops execution strategies that identify desired end-points that meet specific client needs through implementation of business process reengineering and Total Quality Management concepts. RIO s broad range of capability and experience encompasses the following discrete services and products:

Strategic, Business, and Action Planning: Singular or as part of an integrated suite of services and products, RIO provides strategic, business, and action planning assistance to organizations who intend to reengineer existing work practices or consider new endeavors. Included in this area of assistance are:

 

Process and Productivity Improvement: RIO works with the client at every organizational level to establish the key measures of mission performance, utilization, productivity, and efficiency. The RIO process results in a client Management System that is a decisive factor in achieving organizational success. RIO assists clients in development and interpretation of meaningful performance metrics, with performance comparisons against other organizations that provide similar products or services. Included in this area of assistance are:

 

Organizational Assessments, Quality Program Audits, and Evaluation:. RIO conducts Management Assessments, Technical Surveys and Quality System Audits in a comprehensive, systematic approach for setting, implementing, and sustaining the execution of quality expectations. An on-site service provider, RIO develops practices resulting in increased client operational efficiencies and risk reduction, based on quality-principled process and productivity improvement. RIO understands that quality program management is integral to all aspects of strategic, business, and action planning.

 

RIO maintains a currency of industry practices and regulatory requirements, with specific application to development of technical procedures, management guidelines, and strategic planning documents. Clients benefit by core competencies in quality assurance and control with RIO-developed quality system documents such as Quality Assurance Program Documents (QAPD), Quality Assurance Manuals (QAM), Quality Assurance Program Plans (QAPP), and Quality Assurance Project Plans (QAPjP). Additionally, RIO has the following competencies and services:

 

Facilitation Services (SIN 874-2):

RIO provides facilitation and related decision support services to customers engaged in work collaboration, dispersed groups, product and process integration, and self-directed teams. RIO s experienced facilitation professionals value the constructive advantage of assembling diverse teams or groups to plan and implement management, organizational, and business improvement initiatives. Facilitation services offered include the following:

 

 

Use of Problem Solving Techniques: RIO facilitators are trained to coach a systematic approach to problem solving through the use of specific proven tools and techniques for data collection and interpretation, problem diagnosis, decision-making, and team/group management.

 

Defining and Refining the Agenda. RIO facilitators can assist in the defining and refining the facilitation session agenda, including the following:

 

Convening and Leading Group Briefings and Discussions: RIO is experienced in planning, convening, and leading group interactions to meet the specific needs of our clients. RIO facilitator neutrality ensures group/team focus on objectives and ownership of session products, while assisting in the following tasks:

 

Resolving Disputes, Disagreements, and Divergent Views: The management and resolution of disputes, disagreements, and divergent views are an expectation in the collaborative decision-making process. RIO uses process models such as Integrated Definition (IDEF), customer needs analysis, and root cause analysis, to establish a group/team consensus, and subsequent concentration on the creative solution. RIO facilitators are trained in established conflict management techniques (e.g., listening techniques) to dispel confrontation through understanding different views and achievement of group/team objective(s).

 

Recording Discussion Content and Focusing Decision-making: The RIO facilitator focuses the collaborative problem analysis and decision-making process by utilizing storyboard techniques and/or decision-prompting computer programs during the session. A report summarizing group/team discussions and progress is promptly presented for participant review to capture and reinforce session results.

 

Providing a Draft for the Permanent Record: The RIO facilitator can provide a written report of the completed facilitation session. This report would document session objective(s), attendance, materials presented, results summary, and a lessons learned summary for subsequent sessions. The facilitator s report can be used as a draft for the permanent record.

 

Debriefing and Overall Planning: RIO can debrief the facilitation session s key stakeholders. RIO can develop action items to implement facilitation session recommendations. In addition, RIO can track progress on action items to help client management maintain commitment to overall planning and program management processes.

 

Survey Services (SIN 874-3):

RIO is experienced with a full range of survey data collection services. RIO s strategic planning approach to the collection and analysis of scientific or field data is based on the Data Quality Objective (DQO) Process. This strategic planning approach optimizes the deemphasizing a systematic approach to planning the data collection effort that improves the effectiveness, efficiency, and defensibility of decisions in a resource-effective manner. RIO s depth of survey capability allows for any data collection need, maintains total quality control, and to assemblage of effective project teams. RIO fully understands the key elements required to accomplish an effective survey:

         Determining appropriate data collection conditions

         Optimizing the sample collection size

         Specifying tolerable limits on decision errors

         Analyzing quantitative and qualitative survey data

         Reporting results

         Recommending implementation strategies

Understanding The Survey Objective: RIO works with the client to define the survey objective. This process identifies the specific, quantitative terms to facilitate the design of a study and estimates sample sizes required to fulfill the objectives. The objective statement includes:

 

Survey Design: Essential to an effective survey, clearly defined survey design elements are required, including understanding the level of effort. This equates to defining:

Survey Methodology: RIO capability and experience in the identification and resolution of methodological, measurement, and data collection issues provides benefit to clients. RIO capabilities in survey methodology provide client survey managers with an invaluable resources in the development of appropriate survey designs.

 

Instrument Design: RIO survey measurement experts design and customize survey

instruments based on specific client needs. RIO specialists evaluate survey instruments to ensure survey clarity to elicit accurate and reliable responses and minimize respondent reporting error.

Field Surveys: RIO develops cost-effective procedures for all field survey components, including identification of sample units, selection and training of field staff, development of special protocols for diverse groups, supervision of field interviews, implementation of survey quality control, and reporting.

Survey Sampling: RIO develops innovative tools for survey sampling, including software for sample selection, weighting, and analysis. RIO has extensive experience designing samples for surveys that involve a wide variety of populations and examining a range of issues.

 

Sampling Design: RIO specializes in sampling design techniques, including stratification, clustering, multistage and multiphase sampling, and composite measures of size, controlled selection, and multiple-frame sampling. RIO experience includes constructing and sampling from all types of sampling frames, although the stratified random sampling design is the predominant technique. Subject to single or multiple constraints on the variance of point estimates, or desired size and power for statistical tests, RIO estimates sample size requirements using cost and/or variance models to minimize costs.

 

Design Optimization: RIO utilizes state-of-the-art software in determining the optimal sample size and sample allocation that achieves multiple precision constraints at minimum cost. RIO formulates clients objectives into statistical precision constraints, develops survey cost and variance models, and determines the sample size and allocation that achieves precision requirements within available resources.

 

Experimental Design: At client request, RIO embeds experimental designs into sample surveys to estimate differences in response rates and in measurement errors with alternative survey instruments and/or alternative modes of interviewing. RIO also develops experimental designs to characterize the performance of analytical laboratory procedures.

 

Scales and Measurements: Quantitative measurement and qualitative determinations are essential in establishing the basis for the survey process. RIO customizes these survey components to meet specific customers expectations. This survey phase involves meeting with the customer to outline the survey focus, demographics, sample size, survey method, level of inquiry, and response scoring.

 

Weighting: RIO weighs survey data to reduce non-response and coverage errors. RIO utilizes classical weighting class, post-stratification, and ranking adjustments on a sufficiency basis.

 

 

Privatization Support Services and Documentation (SIN 874-6):

RIO has relevant, value added experience in managing privatization and outsourcing activities within federal and commercial facilities and organizations, which include changes to contractor responsibilities, operational restructuring, outsourcing of federal facility tasks, and privatization of government-owned entities

 

RIO provides expert advice, consultation, assistance and documentation in support of OMB Circular A-76 or other activities conducted under special studies and projects by the federal government to enhance federal government privatization objectives.

 

RIO provides support in the following areas:

proposed Interservice Support Agreement (ISSA) Prices

 

Initial Study Plans: RIO focuses on identifying areas of cost and technical resource consolidation, recommendations on consolidation methodology for each area, and facilitates of change/transition implementation. RIO implements this methodology by analyzing risks of potential paradigm shifts and develops mitigation strategies for problems which could arise due to organizational personalities, technical issues, regulatory constraints, or financial obstacles. RIO s disciplined approach clarifies the outsourcing or privatization strategy advantage.

 

Strategic, Tactical and Operational Planning Support: RIO is experienced in many facets of management including employee relations, organizational structuring, contract and project management, financial management, and operations management.

 

RIO supports client planning sessions by preparing cost comparison studies to locate areas of strengths and weaknesses within the operational organization.

 

Performance Work Statement Development: Clarity of work scope and performance requirements is a vital first step to successful work performance that meets the project requirements. RIO provides facilitation and support services to assist performing organizations to identify and/or clarify work scope and performance requirements. The completed Statement of Work can serve as the foundation for the Work Breakdown Structure, Organizational Breakdown Structure and Responsibility Assignment Matrix.

 

Once the scope has been identified, RIO recommends implementation of key project management elements, for measuring and reporting of progress. RIO provides assistance in establishing systems for conducting actual operations, and provide for accumulation of actual and accrued costs, Variance Analysis Reporting, and Earned Value and Critical Path Method Analysis, Trends Analysis, and Performance Reports. This reporting and analysis allows clients the ability to establish and maintain performance baselines, transaction logs, and to perform cost and schedule impact evaluations.

 

In-House Government Cost-Estimate Development and Comparisons to Proposed Inter-service Support Agreement (ISSA) Prices: RIO utilizes the government entity s Management Plan to analyze the effects of the proposed cost estimates to determine and identify the optimal organizational structure, staffing, and operation procedures, necessary to ensure that in-house activities to be transitioned will be performed efficiently and cost effectively by the ISSA entity.

 

By analyzing the management plans, RIO creates performance baselines, which quantify projected data, provide a cost-comparative basis to government cost estimates, and establishes a basis for outsourcing or privatizing recommendations and strategies.

 

Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan Development: RIO maintains a currency of industry practices and unique regulatory requirements of the federal agencies. To RIO, quality program management is integral to all aspects of strategic, business, and action planning. RIO is a leader in improving organizational performance through identifying process and productivity improvements through surveillances and plan development. Clients have benefited from RIO-developed technical procedures, management guidelines, and strategic planning documents. RIO has developed Quality Assurance Surveillance Plans, which describe the methods of inspection to be used, implementation processes, reporting requirements, and necessary resources that will be employed.

 

RIO provides core competencies through field performance reviews of task monitoring, completion analysis and reporting. Additionally, RIO determines quality program adequacy and effectiveness through the performance of Management Assessments, Technical Surveys and Audits to determine the adequacy of the Management plans, MEO, QASP and ISSA performance.

 

Introduction of New Services (SIN 874-99):

RIO provides a broad range of professional management and technical services for nuclear facility Deactivation & Decommissioning (D&D) projects, Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI) projects, and other specialized nuclear facility projects. A few examples of services available encompass the following discrete disciplines:

 

 

Project Management and Control: RIO provides stand-alone advisory services or can assume project management control responsibilities. RIO can assist during the start-up of new projects or provide review/improvement recommendations for ongoing projects.

 

RIO develops project tools such as Statements of Work, Work Breakdown Structure, Organizational Breakdown Structure, and Responsibility Assignment Matrix. RIO can prepare the planning and control system implementation plans and procedures. RIO provides technical assistance in selecting the planning and control system hardware and software.

 

Planning and budgeting forms the foundation of all subsequent project work: RIO can assist or lead project teams in:

 

 

Key to successful project management is work measurement and progress reporting: RIO provides leadership and assistance to project teams in the establishing and utilizing effective project measurement tools and techniques; such as establishing systems for and conducting actual operations that provide accumulation, actual, and accrual cost, variance analysis reporting, earned value and Critical Path Method analysis, trend analysis, and performance reports.

 

Project change control is vital to assuring project continuity: RIO can assist or lead project teams in the establishment and implementation of configuration management systems and procedures, including baseline establishment, baseline maintenance, transaction logs, and change evaluation.

 

QA Program Management and Support: RIO can provide Quality Assurance program development and management services to Nuclear Facilities and Nuclear Waste Management Projects. RIO has significant relevant experience in establishing and implementing QA Program requirements at every organizational level in the Nuclear Regulatory Commission environment. RIO expertise in quality assurance application to nuclear facility design, construction, operations, and decommissioning, includes independent spent (nuclear) fuel storage facilities, nuclear waste storage facilities, and spent fuel storage and transportation casks.

 

Licensing and Regulatory Compliance: RIO offers a full range of systems and regulatory analysis services, including compliance assessment and strategy development for meeting Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Transportation (DOT), and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requirements. RIO possesses the diverse set of communication and technical skills required to effectively address complex regulations and required interface with regulatory agencies. RIO provides licensing support for facility decommissioning, independent spent fuel storage installation licensing, and transportation package licensing. RIO develops licensing documents as required under the Code of Federal Regulations (e.g., 10 CFR 50, 71, and 72), including the license application, safety analysis report, emergency plan, environmental report, QA plan, radiation protection plan, fuel handler program, and technical specifications. RIO interfaces with the NRC and other agencies on behalf of the nuclear facility owner.

 

Nuclear Security Design and Management: RIO provides professional advisory services in NRC security regulatory requirements (e.g., 10 CFR 72.180 and 73). RIO has the knowledge and experience in the design, operation, and maintenance, audit, and assessment of security programs, systems, and facilities. The coordinated RIO Total Quality Management approach to security management and resource utilization ensures cost efficient and effective operations.

 

Engineering and Operations Support: RIO provides engineering and operations support services which include:

 

 

RIO develops and implements Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI) engineering and operations programs. RIO develops the pre & post operational testing and training procedures, and operation procedures for loading. RIO integrates these products with existing plant procedures for radiation protection, nuclear fuel handling, rigging and heavy loads, welding, and material control. RIO prepares of procurement bid packages, bid evaluations, bid negotiations and award, and vendor oversight. RIO performs fabrication and procurement oversight activities on behalf of spent fuel storage cask vendors and owners.

 

Technology Assessment and Coordination: RIO assists in the development, evaluation, demonstration, deployment and coordination of safe and cost-effective technologies for deactivating and/or decommissioning contaminated nuclear facilities. RIO participated in the Department of Energy s (DOE) Deactivation and Decommissioning Focus Area s (DDFA) Large Scale Deactivation and Decommissioning Projects (LSDDP) and was a member of the Integrated Contractor Team or the Technologies Working Group for large scale efforts currently in progress. These large-scale demonstration projects lower the cost to taxpayers for the decommissioning of the large number of facilities in the DOE complex. RIO supports the demonstrations through detailed cost and performance assessments of emerging technologies and comparison to baseline technologies planning. A number of new technologies transitioned from the research demonstration phase to commercial deployment and are now considered baseline technologies.

 

 

 

 

RIO Rates

 

 

Labor Category

Hourly Rate @ Customer Facilities

Hourly Rate @ RIO Facilities

Executive Consultant I

$249.36

$249.36

Executive Consultant II

$224.42

$224.42

Principal Consultant I

$199.49

$199.49

Principal Consultant II

$174.55

$174.55

Principal Consultant III

$149.61

$149.61

Program Manager I

$157.28

$184.14

Program Manager II

$147.46

$172.63

Program Manager III

$137.62

$161.22

Project Manager I

$127.80

$149.61

Project Manager II

$117.97

$138.10

Project Manager III

$108.13

$126.59

Project Manager IV

$98.31

$115.08

Principal Engineer/Scientist I

$127.80

$149.61

Principal Engineer/Scientist II

$117.97

$138.10

Principal Engineer/Scientist III

$113.05

$132.35

Principal Engineer/Scientist IV

$108.13

$126.59

Principal Engineer/Scientist V

$103.22

$120.84

Senior Engineer/Scientist I

$98.31

$115.08

Senior Engineer/Scientist II

$93.39

$109.34

Senior Engineer/Scientist III

$88.47

$103.58

Senior Engineer/Scientist IV

$83.55

$97.83

Senior Engineer/Scientist V

$78.65

$92.07

Staff Engineer/Scientist I

$76.18

$89.19

Staff Engineer/Scientist II

$73.73

$86.32

Staff Engineer/Scientist III

$71.27

$83.43

Staff Engineer/Scientist IV

$68.81

$80.56

Staff Engineer/Scientist V

$66.36

$77.68

Engineer/Scientist I

$63.90

$74.81

Engineer/Scientist II

$61.44

$71.93

Engineer/Scientist III

$58.98

$69.05

Engineer/Scientist IV

$56.52

$66.18

Engineer/Scientist V

$54.07

$63.30

Engineer/Scientist VI

$51.61

$60.42

Engineer/Scientist VII

$49.15

$57.54

Engineer/Scientist VIII

$44.24

$51.79

Engineer/Scientist IX

$39.32

$46.03

Engineer/Scientist X

$34.41

$40.28

Junior Engineer/Scientist I

$29.49

$34.53

Junior Engineer/Scientist II

$24.58

$28.78

Principal Support Services Spec. I

$117.97

$138.10

Principal Support Services Spec. II

$108.13

$126.59

Principal Support Services Spec. III

$98.31

$115.08

Senior Support Services Spec. I

$93.39

$109.34

Senior Support Services Spec. II

$88.47

$103.58

Senior Support Services Spec. III

$83.55

$97.83

Staff Support Services Spec. I

$78.65

$92.07

Staff Support Services Spec. II

$73.73

$86.32

Staff Support Services Spec. III

$68.81

$80.56

Staff Support Services Spec. IV

$63.90

$74.81

Associate Support Services Spec. I

$58.98

$69.05

Associate Support Services Spec. II

$54.07

$63.30

Associate Support Services Spec. III

$49.15

$57.54

Associate Support Services Spec. IV

$44.24

$51.79

Support Services Specialist I

$39.32

$46.03

Support Services Specialist II

$34.41

$40.28

Support Services Specialist III

$29.49

$34.53

Support Services Specialist IV

$24.58

$28.78

Principal Technician I

$63.90

$74.81

Principal Technician II

$58.98

$69.05

Senior Technician I

$54.07

$63.30

Senior Technician II

$49.15

$57.54

Staff Technician I

$44.24

$51.79

Staff Technician II

$39.32

$46.03

Technician I

$34.41

$40.28

Technician II

$29.49

$34.53

Junior Technician I

$24.58

$28.78

Junior Technician II

$19.66

$23.02

Junior Technician III

$16.71

$19.57

Senior Admin. Spec. I

$44.24

$51.79

Senior Admin. Spec. II

$39.32

$46.03

Administrative Specialist I

$34.41

$40.28

Administrative Specialist II

$29.49

$34.53

Administrative Assistant I

$24.58

$28.78

Administrative Assistant II

$19.66

$23.02

Administrative Support I

$17.21

$20.14

Administrative Support II

$14.74

$17.27