Nuclear Security & Deterrence Vol 18 No 19 New NNSA Administrator Reacts to UPF Red Team Recommendations
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National Laboratories
SURA Decides Against Brookhaven Bid, Raises Questions about Competition
Todd Jacobson NS&D Monitor 5/9/2014 In a surprising move that raises questions about competition for the new Brookhaven National Laboratory management and operating contract, Southeastern Universities Research Association said late this week that it was taking a pass on bidding for management of the Long Island laboratory. Days after it appeared that SURA was preparing […]
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National Laboratories
Wrap Up: In the DNFSB, In the Industry
NS&D Monitor 5/9/2014 IN THE DNFSB The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board is closing a decade-old recommendation on oversight of complex, high-hazard nuclear operations, but it says it will continue to keep tabs on the Department’s progress in strengthening federal safety assurance. The recommendation, originally issued May 21, 2004, helped revitalize the implementation of Integrated […]
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Plutonium Pit Production
‘Zombie’ MOX Funding Boost Stripped out of FY 2015 Defense Auth. Act
Todd Jacobson NS&D Monitor 5/9/2014 A provision in the House Armed Services Committee version of the Fiscal Year 2015 National Defense Authorization Act that would have boosted authorized construction funding for the wobbling Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility was stripped from the bill late in the evening of May 7 with opponents of the project […]
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Nuclear Weapons & Stockpile
Attempt to Increase Funding for NNSA Dismantlement Work Thwarted
Todd Jacobson NS&D Monitor 5/9/2014 Republicans this week turned away an amendment to the House Armed Services Committee’s version of the Fiscal Year 2015 National Defense Authorization Act that would’ve authorized an increase in nuclear weapons dismantlement work. The amendment, sponsored by Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Calif.) during a markup hearing on the bill, would have […]
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Budget & Policy
House Appropriators Unveil $34.01B Allocation for E&W Subcommittee
Todd Jacobson NS&D Monitor 5/9/2014 The House Appropriations Committee formally unveiled its subcommittee allocations for Fiscal Year 2015 this week, and lawmakers on the House Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee will have a little less funding to work with this year. The committee set the Energy and Water allocation at $34.010 billion, $50 million less […]
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National Laboratories
NNSA Completes Negotiations on 2-Year Extension to Sandia M&O Contract
Todd Jacobson NS&D Monitor 5/9/2014 The National Nuclear Security Administration has wrapped up negotiations with the Lockheed Martin-run Sandia Corporation on a two-year extension to its management and operating contract to run Sandia National Laboratories, but it hasn’t released any details of the contract. NNSA spokesman Josh McConaha confirmed late last week that the Sandia […]
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National Laboratories
DNFSB to NNSA: Don’t Let Oversight Slip During Y-12/Pantex Transition
Todd Jacobson NS&D Monitor 5/9/2014 The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board is pressing the National Nuclear Security Administration to not let oversight slip with transition activities to a new contractor Consolidated Nuclear Security at the Y-12 and Pantex nuclear weapons plants ongoing. In an April 30 letter to new NNSA Administrator Frank Klotz, DNFSB Chairman […]
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Contracts & Procurement
New Y-12/Pantex Contractor Unveils Benefits Packages
NS&D Monitor 5/9/2014 Consolidated Nuclear Security this week revealed its plans for changing the benefits packages at the Y-12 and Pantex nuclear weapons plants and said the changes would help reduce costs and help sustain future operations at the National Nuclear Security Administration facilities. The incoming contractor at Y-12 and Pantex posted the plans on […]
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Uranium Enrichment & Fuel Cycle
NNSA to Transfer $56.65 Million to New American Centrifuge Program
Kenneth Fletcher NS&D Monitor 5/9/2014 The National Nuclear Security Administration is transferring $56.65 million from other programs to an effort to preserve the American Centrifuge technology under a new contract being managed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The ORNL subcontract, awarded to USEC, is worth $33.7 million through the end of this fiscal year, and […]
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International
Vietnam 123 Agreement Sent to Congress for 90-Day Review
Kenneth Fletcher NS&D Monitor 5/9/2014 A controversial nuclear cooperation agreement with Vietnam was sent by the Obama Administration to Congress this week for its 90-day review. The agreement has raised questions from some lawmakers on both sides of the aisle because it lacks legally binding restrictions on enrichment and reprocessing, known as the ‘gold standard.’ […]
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National Laboratories
At Livermore
NS&D Monitor 5/9/2014 Lab Seeking Industry Collaborators for New Supercomputer Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is opening up a recently commissioned supercomputer for industry collaborators to test big data technologies, architectures and applications. A high performance computing cluster dubbed Catalyst—a collaboration between Livermore, Intel and Cray—came on line at Livermore last fall, and the lab’s High […]
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National Laboratories
At Los Alamos
NS&D Monitor 5/9/2014 Jury Awards Business $3.64m in Contract Dispute with Lab An Albuquerque District Court jury has awarded a New Mexico-based business $3.64 million in a case that pitted the company against Los Alamos National Laboratory contractor Los Alamos National Security, LLC, in a dispute over a contract originally awarded five years ago. Orion […]
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National Laboratories
At Oak Ridge
NS&D Monitor 5/9/2014 Y-12 Voluntary Layoff Program Expanded Security was off-limits in the initial round of job reductions planned as part of the Voluntary Separation Program at Y-12 in Oak Ridge, but that has changed. Federal and contractor officials confirmed that the VSP has been expanded to include some security personnel at Y-12, although it […]