AMARILLO, Texas – The National Nuclear Security Administration posted this week that the competition starts this month to manage the Pantex nuclear weapons plant in Amarillo and the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
Earlier this year, the NNSA declined to renew the contract of Consolidated Nuclear Security, the current operator.
The NNSA says the contract, worth about $28 billion over 10 years, will consist of a four month transition.
It is the policy of the U.S. Department of Energy to provide for full and open competition in the award.
There are nearly 3,000 employees at Pantex who assemble, modernize and take apart nuclear weapons. They also develop, test and make high explosives for the weapons.
This month, the NNSA will post draft Request for Proposal documents for the management and operation contract competition to gain industry feedback.