Oak Ridge Today

NNSA awards, then rescinds contract to manage, operate Nevada National Security Site

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The National Nuclear Security Administration awarded but then rescinded a contract to manage and operate the Nevada National Security Site, where some waste from Oak Ridge is shipped.

The NNSA, a semi-autonomous agency within the U.S. Department of Energy, awarded the contract to manage and operate the Nevada National Security Site, or NNSS, to Nevada Site Science Support and Technologies Corporation, or NVS3T, on August 26, a statement said. The winning proposal identified NVS3T as a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin.

In making the award, NNSA evaluated past performance and other factors based upon the proposal as submitted, the statement said. The award was valued at $5 billion over 10 years if all options were exercised.

But after the award was made, DOE and NNSA learned that Leidos Innovations Corporation had acquired NVS3T from Lockheed Martin. [Read more…]

Registration for Tennessee Valley Corridor Summit closes Monday

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Includes discussion of federal missions in Oak Ridge

Registration for the annual Tennessee Valley Corridor Summit closes Monday. The summit will include a discussion of federal missions in Oak Ridge.

Organizers expect more than 300 national and regionals leaders at the 20th Annual Tennessee Valley Corridor Summit. It’s being held at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City on May 27-28. The Summit will be at the D.P. Culp University Center at ETSU.

“Hundreds of regional leaders will gather in Johnson City to focus on education from the business and industry perspective at the 20th annual Tennessee Valley Corridor Summit,” a press release said. “The sessions at the two-day event will focus on how to ensure tomorrow’s workforce has the skills they need to find quality jobs at home and how the region’s educational institutions can partner with businesses and organizations for better success.” [Read more…]

Guest column: President Obama’s manufacturing announcement—what it means for UT, ORNL, East Tennessee

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Jimmy Cheek and Martin Keller and Shelby Cobra

University of Tennessee Knoxville Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek, right, stands with Martin Keller, associate laboratory director at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, in front of a Shelby Cobra printed as a collaboration between ORNL and UT personnel. The car served as a highlight of President Obama’s visit to the area on Friday. (Photo courtesy UT) 

 

KNOXVILLE—President Obama’s announcement on Friday that the University of Tennessee in Knoxville would be the lead institution in a $259 million advanced composites manufacturing project known as the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation, or IACMI, was met with applause, but also a few questions.

Many wondered what advanced composites manufacturing really means, why the UT-led consortium was selected, and what the impact for the area might be.

Here are some answers.

What is IACMI?

IACMI is the newest federally funded institute for manufacturing innovation. Its focus is on advancing innovation in the manufacturing of composites used in automobiles, wind turbines, and compressed gas storage tanks. [Read more…]

Demolition of Building 9744 completed at Y-12

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Y-12 Building 9744 Demolition

The Y-12 National Security Complex completed the demolition of Building 9744 this week. The facility was a deteriorated, former utilities and maintenance facility taking up more than 9,000 square feet in Y-12’s high-security area. Despite challenges, the CNS demolition team was able to bring down the facility nearly two months ahead of schedule. (Photo courtesy NNSA)

 

The Y-12 National Security Complex recently celebrated another improvement in its site infrastructure with the demolition of Building 9744, a former utilities and maintenance facility occupying more than 9,000 square feet in Y-12’s Protected Area.

“This facility was in danger of collapse and posed a risk to the site’s personnel and operations,” said James McConnell, the National Nuclear Security Administration’s acting associate administrator for infrastructure and operations. “Upon realization of this risk, we were able to secure funding to stabilize the area from both a safety and environmental perspective.

The demolition proved challenging due to the deteriorating facility conditions, precluding the standard approach of entering the facility to abate hazards and remove hazardous waste prior to the structural demolition. Despite structural issues and associated waste disposal concerns, the facility was safely demolished nearly two months ahead of schedule. The demolition team collaborated with several internal and external organizations to accomplish the aggressive schedule in accordance with environmental and safety standards. [Read more…]

Depending on protests, transition to new Y-12, Pantex contractor could start in November

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Y-12 National Security Complex Sign

The transition to a new contractor at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge and Pantex Plant near Amarillo, Texas, could start later this month—after the period for protests is over, federal officials said Friday afternoon.

The transition to a new contractor at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge and Pantex Plant near Amarillo, Texas, could start later this month—after the period for protests is over, federal officials said Friday afternoon.

The protest period ends around Nov. 25, the National Nuclear Security Administration said. The transition could start the day after the protest period ends and last four months, but the NNSA will ask the new contractor, Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC of Reston, Va., to complete the transition quicker if possible.

It’s not clear yet if the two teams that submitted unsuccessful bids will lodge new protests. There have already been two rounds of protests over the contract, which could be worth up to $22.8 billion during a 10-year period, and they have delayed the transition. The NNSA said it will not speculate on the possibility of any new protests. [Read more…]

D’Agostino, companies celebrate contract award, key step in NNSA transition

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Y-12 National Security Complex

Y-12 National Security Complex (Submitted photo)

Less than two weeks before his retirement, a federal official celebrated the consolidated contract award announced Tuesday, calling it a key element in a long list of decisions and actions designed to reduce redundancies in national nuclear security work and make operations more efficient.

It reflects a change in how the National Nuclear Security Administration does business, NNSA Administrator Thomas D’Agostino said during a Tuesday teleconference. The transition began several years ago.

“We embarked on a journey from an old Cold War nuclear enterprise to a 21st Century nuclear enterprise,” D’Agostino said. “I’m immensely proud of the team.”

The NNSA announced Tuesday that, after months of anticipation and three to four years’ worth of work, Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC, or CNS, had won a five-year contract to manage the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge and the Pantex Plant near Amarillo, Texas. The company will also manage construction of the Uranium Processing Facility at Y-12 and, after the first year, could manage tritium operations at the Savannah River Site near Aiken, S.C.

[Read more…]