WC Monitor
12/5/2014
IN DOE
DOE Office of Environmental Management official Jay Rhoderick is set to retire from federal service, effective Jan. 2, WC Monitor has learned. Since February 2012, Rhoderick has held the position of Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary for Tank Waste and Nuclear Materials, where he helped oversee EM’s efforts to address high-level waste and nuclear materials at sites such as Hanford and Savannah River. Rhoderick has been with EM since its inception and has held numerous other positions, including Director of EM’s Office of Strategic Planning and Analysis and Director of EM’s Office of Project Oversight.
With Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz slated to speak at the Western Governors’ Association meeting Dec. 6 in Las Vegas, Moniz is also expected to meet with Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval (R) to discuss DOE issues in his state. In Nevada discussions between DOE and the state continue on the potential disposal of a controversial batch of uranium-233 at the Nevada National Security Site. The meeting would come just after a DOE-Nevada working group meeting on NNSS and the uranium-233 plans, which is scheduled for Dec. 5. DOE and Sandoval’s office did not respond to requests for comment this week.
Companies looking to bid on the new Paducah infrastructure contract now have an additional week to prepare and submit proposals. The Department of Energy extended the bid deadline to Dec. 12, from Dec. 5, in an amendment to the Request for Proposals for the new contract issued Nov. 21. The new contract is being set-aside for small businesses, with a size standard of $38.5 million. According to DOE, the new contract is estimated to be worth between $100-180 million, and is set to run for a three-year base period and a 22-month option period. Infrastructure services at the Paducah site are currently being performed by Swift and Staley under a contract set to expire in March 2015.
IN THE INDUSTRY
URS Executive Carl Beard is resigning as Los Alamos National Laboratory’s Principal Associate Director of Operations and Business to take a senior position at URS Nuclear & Environment. Beard has worked at Los Alamos for the last eight years, serving as associate director for Plutonium Science and Manufacturing and then later as the principal associate director for Operations and Business. He’ll serve as the Vice President of Operations with URS Nuclear & Environment, where he’ll report to Nuclear & Environment General Manager James Taylor. URS was recently purchased by AECOM.
CH2M Hill last week dropped its share price by more than 20 percent, to $45.93 per share, from a price set in mid-August of $60.20 per share. The drop, which resulted in CH2M Hill’s lowest share price since February 2012, came as the company also announced a net loss of $131 million for the third quarter of 2014. “The third quarter of 2014 presented significant financial challenges,” CH2M Hill said in a statement. “While several of CH2M HILL’s business units posted strong project and financial results, the company’s overall performance was negatively affected primarily by three large Engineer-Procure-Construct (EPC) projects.” CH2M Hill went on to say, “The company is taking aggressive action to limit these losses while enhancing its strong position serving clients in its core markets,” and stressed that it is “positioned to return to profitable financial performance in 2015 and beyond.” CH2M Hill’s stock is not publicly traded, but instead is traded on an internal market the company has maintained since 2000 for trading by employees and other eligible stockholders.
U.S. Nuclear Infrastructure Council (NIC) Chairman Eric Knox announced this week that he will step down from his position “to allow for new ideas and perspectives.” Knox served as Chair for three years, and he will continue to serve as Chairman Emeritus of the Executive Committee. The NIC is a membership organization dedicated to the advocacy of new nuclear and engagement of the American supply chain globally, and Knox said in a memo to members he wants to allow others in the organization a chance with leadership opportunities. “The strength of NIC comes from the diverse companies and participants who represent the Nuclear Industry and constitute our membership,” Knox said in his memo. “Because we are a membership organization, I believe it is important for the leadership of the organization to be refreshed regularly to allow for new ideas and perspectives and to allow more member organizations an opportunity to participate in leadership.”
