Early last month, the National Nuclear Security Administration said it would ask bidders for its combined Y-12/Pantex contract for more information about their cost savings proposals, but with nearly a month having elapsed—and a new energy secretary in office—speculation has grown that the agency could be changing its plans. Asked yesterday about the path forward for the Y-12/Pantex procurement during a visit to Oak Ridge, Energy Secretary Ernie Moniz gave away little about future plans, but suggested DOE/NNSA could take action quickly. “Clearly this is an active procurement so what I can say is somewhat limited,” Moniz said. “But let me say that, first of all, we should remember that the GAO gave a clean bill of health on all but one of the issues raised [by the protesting bidders]. … I think it was 16 of 17. And we are taking seriously the GAO’s 17th issue. I think one can expect resolution of that and the path forward pretty promptly, and I think that’s really where I have to leave it at the moment.” Bechtel-led Consolidated Nuclear Security was awarded the contract in January, but teams led by Babcock & Wilcox and Jacobs/Fluor successfully protested the contract, and the NNSA said May 8 that it would ask the bidders for more information “in the coming weeks.”
Jobs