A newly released version of a Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Inspector General (IG) report on coordinated efforts between Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) and Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMC) to secure a noncompetitive extension of the Management and Operating contract at SNL reveals the role of former National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) officials in an alleged lobbying strategy. The original IG report released last November revealed SNL’s use of federal contract funds to lobby federal and congressional officials to extend LMC subsidiary Sandia Corp.’s contract, in violation of federal regulations.
The efforts began in 2009 with the creation of a Contract Strategy Team consisting of three consultants that provided guidance on outreach to federal officials and members of Congress. The newly released report, prior versions of which were redacted, notes that Everet Beckner, former deputy administrator for the NNSA and previous Vice President of LMC, was one of three paid consultants on the team. Beckner initially “did not believe that he was providing advice to SNL employees concerning contract extension strategy, but rather believed that the discussions were solely with LMC personnel,” the report says. He believed the team’s goal “was to assist LMC on their strategy to retain the contract. His role was to provide guidance on NNSA priorities if the contract was recompeted,” it adds.
Heather Wilson, a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives, was another one of the consultants. Among her recommendations, Wilson advised, “Linton Brooks [former Administrator, NNSA] and Everet Beckner [former Deputy Administrator for NNSA and Vice President of Lockheed Martin] should be contacted for advice and insights into means of influencing the NNSA.” The third consultant was an unnamed NNSA Site Office official who “believed that the ‘critical actions’ the Strategy Team performed to achieve their goals were mainly to produce a brochure to document the accomplishments that Sandia had achieved.” Sandia Corp. is required to pay $4.78 million to settle the lobbying claims. The DOE in May posted a “full and open competition” notice for management of the labs.
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