Consolidated Nuclear Security resuming contract transition at Pantex, Y-12

Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC has been authorized by the National Nuclear Security Administration to resume its transition to manage and operate the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge and Pantex Plant in Amarillo, Texas, the company announced Thursday.

The announcement comes one week after the U.S. Government Accountability Office denied the third and possibly final protest by one of the two teams that unsuccessfully bid on the $22 billion contract to manage the two nuclear weapons plants. The protests had been filed by Nuclear Production Partners LLC, a team led by The Babcock and Wilcox Co., which is currently the lead contractor at Y-12 and Pantex.

The decision to award the consolidated contract to CNS, first announced in January 2013, has now been upheld by the NNSA and GAO, the company said. The five-year contract with the NNSA includes options that could allow the contract to be extended for up to five more years, based upon performance.

“The CNS team submitted a very strong and credible solution for managing and operating the Pantex and Y-12 sites, and we are eager to begin implementing our proposal together with the dedicated employees of Pantex and Y-12,” said Jim Haynes, CNS chief executive officer. “We look forward to partnering with the communities of Amarillo and Oak Ridge.”

The Consolidated Nuclear Security team includes Bechtel National Inc., Lockheed Martin Services Inc., ATK Launch Systems Inc., and SOC LLC, with Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., as a teaming subcontractor. The NNSA initially awarded the consolidated contract to CNS on Jan. 8, 2013.

“After reviews by the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the NNSA upheld its selection and confirmed that CNS provided the best value to the government,” a press release said. “The team has begun mobilizing to immediately resume transition activities.”

“Our team has maintained a high state of readiness to effect a smooth transition, and we are ready to begin work with the NNSA,” Haynes said. “We remain committed to high standards of safety, security, and efficiency as we deliver our work during transition and throughout the length of our contract.”

The press release said the Pantex Plant and Y-12 National Security Complex are key facilities in the U.S. Nuclear Security Enterprise, charged with maintaining the safety, security, and effectiveness of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile. Pantex is responsible for nuclear weapons life extension programs; weapons dismantlement; development, testing, and fabrication of high explosive components; and storage and surveillance of plutonium pits. Y-12 is responsible for safe and secure uranium storage, processing, and manufacturing operations.

The CNS team will assume responsibility for managing and operating these government facilities from B&W Y-12 and B&W Pantex, both companies owned by Babcock and Wilcox Co. and Bechtel National Inc.

CNS spokesman Jason Bohne said “key functions are fully mobilized, and we are actively meeting with our customer counterparts at both the Pantex and Oak Ridge sites.” The CNS transition website is expected to be online Thursday afternoon.

More information will be added as it becomes available.