"High performance computing is central to keeping our nuclear stockpile safe, secure and reliable," said Energy Secretary Bill Richardson. "The Strategic Computing Complex will allow us to continue the pursuit of cutting-edge large-scale computing in the national interest into the 21st century."
Laboratory Director John Browne praised the efforts of those working hard to make stockpile stewardship a strong and valuable program at the Laboratory and around the DOE complex. "Everyone has done a great job getting us to this point," Browne said. "With the signing of this contract we can now look forward to building a facility that will become an essential resource in fulfilling our stockpile stewardship mission."
The Hensel Phelps Construction Co. of Austin, Texas won this contract after competing for the award over the last six months. Their winning proposal included a number of opportunities for economic growth in northern New Mexico. Locally hired personnel and companies will perform much of the construction effort. The mechanical and electrical work has been subcontracted to the Gardner Zemke Co. from Albuquerque, N.M.
Hensel Phelps has committed to holding a "Contract Fair" early in the project to educate the local New Mexico subcontractor and supplier community with knowledge of the project and the opportunities that exist. This fair will be followed by routine briefings to the subcontractor and supplier community in order to keep them informed in advance of specific solicitation opportunities.
The Strategic Computing Complex will be a three-story structure with a total of approximately 291,000 square feet of space. A specially designed 43,500 square-foot computer room will house the world's largest and most capable computer (initially 30 TeraOPS, or 30 trillion floating-point operations per second). Electrical and mechanical rooms in excess of 60,000 square feet will support the computer area.
The facility will provide a dynamic environment for approximately 300 nuclear weapons designers, computer scientists, code developers, and university and industrial scientists and engineers to collaborate to extend the cutting edge of simulation and modeling development in support of the Stockpile Stewardship Program. The Strategic Computing Complex will be operational by the 2nd quarter of fiscal year 2002. The building will be located in Technical Area 3 at the Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Los Alamos National Laboratory, a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security, is operated by Los Alamos National Security, LLC, a team composed of Bechtel National, the University of California, The Babcock & Wilcox Company, and Washington Group International for the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration.
Los Alamos enhances national security by ensuring the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear stockpile, developing technologies to reduce threats from weapons of mass destruction, and solving problems related to energy, environment, infrastructure, health, and global security concerns.