Report Urges Coordinated Bids for Lab Contracts

Bids on contracts to manage Los Alamos and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories should be evaluated together, urges a new report by the National Research Council (NRC). Due to their nuclear weapons mission, the two facilities are owned by the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration. NNSA is now considering bids to run the facilities because of congressional concerns over security and management problems under the current contractor, the University of California. The report notes that there is strong opinion at the labs of the importance of the interplay between the two facilities and that the relationship should continue. The report adds that the quality of science at the labs has not been challenged and that quality should continue with a new contractor. Consequently, the report urges that a single review board evaluate the contract proposals with assistance by science and technology management experts who recognize the importance of coordination between the labs. NRC, however, did not conclude that a single contractor should necessarily manage both facilities.