Los Alamos National Laboratory Contract Competition Heats Up

Recent months have seen the Source Evaluation Board, responsible for the federal contract to run Los Alamos National Laboratory, meeting with 25 interested parties in one-on-one settings. Four potential bidders have announced their intentions: Northrop Grumman Corp., Lockheed Martin Corp., the University of California with Bechtel National Corp., and Nuclear Watch of New Mexico with Tri-Valley Citizens Against a Radioactive Environment of California. Each contender brings unique strengths and partnerships, setting the stage for a highly competitive bid.

Key Takeaways:

• Northrop Grumman Corp., the nation's third-largest defense contractor, will lead its team but has not announced a team leader or other partners.
• Lockheed Martin Corp., the largest defense contractor and Sandia National Laboratories operator, has partnered with the University of Texas System, with Paul Robinson, a former Los Alamos lab employee, as the team leader.
• The University of California and Bechtel National Corp. team includes BWX Technologies, Washington Group International, and a consortium of New Mexico universities, with Michael Anastasio, current lab director of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, leading the group.
• Nuclear Watch of New Mexico and Tri-Valley Citizens Against a Radioactive Environment of California, two anti-nuke groups, are keeping their industrial partner undisclosed, with an unannounced team leader.
• Most bidders, including the four announced, have made their intentions publicly known.
• Lockheed Martin has begun discussions with other potential team members to finalize its team.

Statistics:

• The Source Evaluation Board has met with 25 interested parties in one-on-one settings.
• Four potential bidders have announced their intentions to pursue the contract.
• Northrop Grumman Corp. has over 125,000 employees and is the nation's third-largest defense contractor.
• Lockheed Martin Corp. operates Sandia National Laboratories, managing nuclear areas for the Department of Energy.
• The University of California has run Los Alamos National Laboratory for 62 years without an industrial partner.
• Bechtel National Corp. has 40,000 employees and operates as the government-services arm of Bechtel Group.
• Nuclear Watch of New Mexico and Tri-Valley Citizens Against a Radioactive Environment of California are anti-nuke groups with an undisclosed industrial partner.

Sources:

• Tyler Przybylek, chairman of the Source Evaluation Board
• "Most, if not all the bidders, have made their intentions known publicly"
• Northrop Grumman Corp.
• Lockheed Martin Corp.
• University of California
• Bechtel National Corp.
• BWX Technologies, Inc.
• Washington Group International
• Nuclear Watch of New Mexico
• Tri-Valley Citizens Against a Radioactive Environment of California