PROPOSAL DUE DATE FOR Y-12/PANTEX LOOMING

Three teams are expected to submit bids for the National Nuclear Security Administration’s combined Y-12/Pantex management and operating contract by Tuesday’s deadline, closing the latest chapter in a protracted effort to change the agency’s contracting strategy for its nuclear production facilities. A team led by Babcock & Wilcox and including URS, Northrop Grumman and Honeywell (with Shaw and EnergySolutions as subcontractors) has long been formed, and will have competition from a team consisting of Bechtel, Lockheed Martin and ATK as well as a team made up of Fluor, Jacobs and Pro2Serve. The NNSA issued a final RFP for the contract in December and has made only minor changes over the last three months. The agency has previously said it hopes to begin contract transition by the start of 2013, but it will have its hands full in evaluating bids for the contract, which are anchored by cost savings proposals that are tied to fee.