Nuclear Lab Contracting Changes Opposed

New Mexico’s U.S. senators are objecting to changes in how the competition will be conducted for a new contract for Los Alamos National Laboratory, saying it’s biased against the current manager, the University of California.

Republican Sen. Pete V. Domenici and Democratic Sen. Jeff Bingaman say the changes threaten the northern New Mexico nuclear lab’s mission.

Los Alamos has been managed by the University of California since its creation in 1943 as a top-secret World War II project to develop the atomic bomb.

But management failures and security problems led then-Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham to announce in April 2003 that the contract would be put up for bid. UC’s contract expires in September.

The National Nuclear Security Administration, part of the Department of Energy, made changes to the bidding criteria last month, including requiring a stand-alone pension and benefits plan and establishing a separate corporate entity to run the laboratory.

The two senators, in a joint letter last week to new Energy Secretary Sam Bodman, said the changes could cause the most senior weapons designers to leave so as to secure their current UC retirement benefits. They said younger scientists could decide to look for work elsewhere.

As part of preparations aimed toward a bid, the University of California also is using a search firm to look for a possible laboratory director.

Current lab director Pete Nanos has given no indication that he is leaving, but said in a written statement released Friday that he serves at the pleasure of the UC regents.

Some scientists have criticized Nanos for how he handled safety and security failures last summer.