Laboratory awards nuclear facilities subcontract agreements

Contact: James Rickman, elvis@lanl.gov, (505) 665-9203

Recent News Los Alamos scientist named Asian American Engineer of the Year Los Alamos scientist featured in NASA science update Los Alamos muon detector could thwart nuclear smugglers Wojciech H. Zurek named Phi Beta Kappa visiting scholar Four Los Alamos physicists honored by American Physical Society Los Alamos National Laboratory organizations earn seven out of 13 NNSA Pollution Prevention awards Carter Hydrick returns to the Bradbury Science Museum Feb. 15 Laboratory supports summer science program New NASA IBEX mission to carry Los Alamos instrument Beason takes top threat reduction post at Los Alamos

LOS ALAMOS, N.M., April 13, 2001 -- Officials at the U.S. Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory on Thursday announced the award of two agreements for advisory and support services related to the operation of Los Alamos' major nuclear facilities. Los Alamos awarded agreements to BWX Technologies and Westinghouse Government Services Company. Both companies have experience operating nuclear facilities for DOE. The companies will help the Laboratory improve its operation of nuclear facilities, including the Plutonium Facility, Chemistry and Metallurgy Research facility, and critical experiment facilities. By awarding the agreements, the Laboratory has met one of the first specific requirements of Appendix O of the recently modified University of California management contract. Appendix O specifies performance milestones that Los Alamos and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory must attain before DOE will consider awarding certain performance fees to UC.

"We are very pleased to be able to have the experience base of BWXT and Westinghouse supporting us as we strive to improve the efficiency and operational excellence of our nuclear facilities," said Tony Stanford, director of the Laboratory's Facility and Waste Operations Division. "Both companies have a wealth of experience with nuclear facilities of the same complexity as the ones at Los Alamos. BWXT and Westinghouse will give us a fresh look at our nuclear facilities operations, and valuable insight into the best practices that industry leaders are implementing."

Under the agreements, the companies will focus on six areas: management processes; business management practices; facilities operations; facilities maintenance; and system design and engineering. The agreements could continue for up to five years, and potentially could be worth up to $20 million.

The first milestone in the agreements will be reached within 120 days: BWXT will work with Los Alamos personnel to produce an assessment of the Laboratory's major nuclear facilities. Based on the assessment, personnel from Los Alamos and the two advisory/support companies will make recommendations about how the Laboratory can modify, strengthen or improve nuclear facilities operations. Finally, DOE, the Laboratory, BWXT and Westinghouse will work together to implement recommendations -- which ultimately will assist in making Los Alamos' nuclear facilities operations among best in class.

"These agreements are a powerful tool that the Laboratory will use to make our nuclear facilities more efficient, more cost-effective and more on par with those who are setting the standards in the nuclear industry," Stanford said.

Nuclear facility safety improvement is one of six focus areas identified by the DOE under Appendix O. The other five major sections under the appendix are management accountability, safeguards and security, critical human resource skills, project management and construction project management, and evaluation and self assessment.

Los Alamos and LLNL will be graded on Appendix O measures at the end of this year and in December 2002.

Los Alamos National Laboratory is operated by the University of California for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration.

Additional news releases from the Facility and Waste Operations (FWO) Division