Government of Canada is now looking for private interest in Chalk River Labs

Government of Canada is now looking for private interest in Chalk River Laboratories: at the end of the day it doesn't matter who runs the lab, the government or a private firm (CRNL Partners, comprising EnergySolutions Canada, SNC Lavalin, AMEC NSS, Kinectric and Wardrop, and a team from CH2M Hill Canada, Babcock and Wilcox and the Battelle Memorial Institute are potential interested companies), what matters is whether there is a vision, direction and commitment to make that vision a reality... without a new research reactor replacing the aging NRU reactor, there is no way the lab could make any meaningful contribution is any of nuclear R&D, isotope and neutron scattering... http://www.ottawacitizen.com/business/Federal+government+tests+private+interest+Chalk+River+labs/6127544/story.html "A 2009 review of AECL found, “the primary issue surrounding CRL’s future is not whether it can become a profitable, commercially viable enterprise, but whether its activities are focused, driven by innovation and managed optimally.” It recommended the government, “seek an operating and management partner with the capacity to contribute risk capital, build new export markets, while sharing in the benefits of any gains. alliances with the private sector and academia, and develop new commercial opportunities in the domestic and export markets, while sharing in the benefits of any gains.”"... this is the direct link to the NRCan's announcement today: http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/media-room/news-release/2012/18/3768

and this is the direct link to the Request for Expression of Interest (RFEOI) website with more details: "The purpose of the RFEOI is to seek non-binding expressions of interest to better inform the restructuring of the Laboratories. The intent is to use the information to: assess the willingness of respondents to participate in, invest in and/or manage the Laboratories (including some or all of the activities, technical expertise, and/or facilities and site infrastructure); understand potential opportunities for, and viability of, partnership models inside or outside of the current Crown corporation model; understand the relevant experience, capabilities and solutions that respondents may bring to the restructuring of the Laboratories; benefit from the experiences of organizations in other countries involved in the management or restructuring of nuclear S&T or radioactive waste management; assess potential opportunities to enhance radioactive waste management and decommissioning activities; measure respondent interest in S&T activities for and beyond direct support of the existing CANDU fleet; and, identify the needs of respondents in terms of information that would be required to engage in any future procurement opportunity." http://www.merx.com/English/SUPPLIER_Menu.asp?WCE=Show&TAB=1&PORTAL=MERX&State=7&id=PW-%24%24ZG-419-23695&src=osr&FED_ONLY=0&ACTION=&rowcount=&lastpage=&MoreResults=&PUBSORT=0&CLOSESORT=0&IS_SME=Y&hcode=gZRjpGL1aBYQv%2ffLT32Gvw%3d%3d