DOE tackles U.S. tracer facility

The U.S. Department of Energy this month issued a request forproposal for project definition studies of a National BiomedicalTracer Facility (NBTF). The facility would create a domestic sourcefor radioisotopes produced by linear accelerators (SCAN 4/21/93).

Nuclear medicine advocates claim that the NBTF is needed becauseof a shortage of domestically-produced radioisotopes. They successfullylobbied Congress to order the DOE to appropriate $2 million tofund the project definition studies, which would examine variousfactors involved in building the NBTF, such as cost, locationand construction schedule. The $2 million appropriation is likelyto be approved shortly.

The DOE is expected to approve five applications for fundingproject definition studies, with federal funding amounting to$300,000 per study. Applications must be received by Feb. 1, 1994.

The request for proposal was published in the Oct. 14 issueof the Federal Register.