The Government Accountability Office this week rejected a protest against the new long-term Energy Department contract for support services at the Hanford Site in Washington state.
The potential 10-year, $4 billion contract was awarded in December to Hanford Mission Integration Solutions, comprised of Leidos, Centerra, and Parsons. A Huntington Ingalls Industries-led team that also bid on the work appealed the following month.
This protest is covered by a protective order, which means some information in the decision is deemed business confidential and might require redaction before public release, the GAO said in a brief notice on its website. A final redacted version of the decision will be posted when this process is complete, which usually happens within two weeks.
The GAO note does not offer any detail on the reasoning for its decision. Unlike in court cases, filings submitted by parties in contract protests are not made public and the watchdog agency does not discuss them.
“We are aware that the protest was denied and are disappointed,” said Huntington Ingalls spokeswoman Beci Brenton. “We have not seen the decision because it is protected and have no further comment at this time.”
The shipbuilder and DOE contractor previously declined to identify any other members of its team, Hanford Integrated Infrastructure Services Contractor, or discuss the nature of its bid protest.
“On behalf of HMIS, we look forward to helping the DOE accelerate the Hanford cleanup mission and produce cumulative cost savings,” said Leidos spokeswoman Suzzanna Martinez. She declined further comment.
The Energy Department has said three teams submitted applications to provide Hanford site-wide services, which cover tasks including site security and emergency services, recordkeeping, and managing the Hazardous Materials Management and Emergency Response (HAMMER) Federal Training Center. Industry speculation suggested that PAE, a government contractor once known as Pacific Architects and Engineers, was the third team.
Leidos and Centerra comprise the incumbent site services vendor at Hanford, Mission Support Alliance, which has held the business currently worth about $4.6 billion since May 2009. It is working under a six-month extension set to expire May 25, although DOE said last month it intends to extend another six months.
The contract awarded Dec. 5 calls for a 120-day transition period as part of a five-year base period plus two option periods extending for three years and two years, respectively. The deal is chiefly a cost-plus-award-fee contract with some cost-reimbursement and indefinite-delivery indefinite-quantity line items.
There is a second Hanford contract protest awaiting GAO action within the next week.
The 10-year, $10-billion Hanford Central Plateau cleanup contractwas issued Dec. 12 to Central Plateau Cleanup Co., a team consiting of Amentum, Fluor, and Atkins. The protest was filed in January by Project W Restoration, a joint venture consisting of Bechtel, Tetra Tech, and EnergySolutions. The GAO is expected to rule by April 30.
CH2M Hill Plateau Remediation holds the current $6.4 billion deal that started in October 2008 and is currently due to expire Sept. 30. The work includes finishing demolition of the Plutonium Finishing Plant and preventing radioactive or chemical contamination from reaching the Columbia River.
