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WSRC loses SRS contract appeal
4/26/2008 12:31 AM   0 comment(s) on this story E-mail this story to a friend



By HALEY HUGHES Staff writer

The Washington Savannah River Company, the Savannah River Site's longtime contractor, will no longer maintain and operate the site.

Parent company URS Washington Division has lost in its bid to retain the site's management and operation (M&O) contract to Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS). URS Washington Division filed an appeal in January with the U.S. Government Accountability Office to keep the contract after the U.S. Department of Energy awarded it to SRNS. WSRC has been the primary contractor for 18 years.

SRNS announced Friday it had received a "Notice to Proceed" from the U.S. Department of Energy for the contract.

"We are absolutely delighted with this great news," said SRNS President and CEO Chuck Munns. "Delay and uncertainty are now behind us and we and the men and women of SRS can now move forward to effect a positive, safe transition."

Recently formed, SRNS is a five-company consortium headed by the Fluor Corporation. It had put on hold the 90-day transition period between the two companies until a decision was handed down, but it announced the transition will start immediately. SRNS will assume site operational responsibilities in mid-summer.

"We are glad to have these protests resolved and to be able to move forward. Throughout this process we have remained confident in our team and in our proposal," said John Hopkins, group executive of Fluor Corporation. "The combined vision, knowledge and expertise of our team will enable us to meet the DOE's expectations, as well as those of the site employees and the neighboring South Carolina and Georgia communities."

As it did when it learned the DOE had awarded the contract to a rival company, URS expressed its disappointment over this recent move.

"We are disappointed with the Government Accountability Office's announcement," said Keith Wood, spokesperson with URS-led Savannah River Alliance team. "We are currently reviewing the decision."

The DOE could not be reached for comment.

This is the first time in almost two decades and only the second time in the site's history that management has changed. The Washington Savannah River Company and SRNS were the only two companies to submit bids for the five-year contract estimated at $4 billion.

WSRC has applied to DOE asking that the contract for liquid waste operations remain with the company. That decision is expected at a later date.

SRNS reported it would immediately begin detailed communications with its new SRS team, the current site management and operation workforce, DOE site management and the Washington Savannah River Company. SRNS is also planning a series of off-site town-hall style meetings for employees, family members and the public to meet the new leadership.

SRNS was formed by Fluor Daniel as the senior partner with Northrop Grumman and Honeywell. Lockheed Martin and Nuclear Fuel Services are subcontractors.





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