ALBUQUERQUE, NM -- The U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) is seeking comments on a draft Request for Proposal (RFP) for the competitive selection of a management and operating (M&O) contractor for Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), an NNSA weapons laboratory located in Livermore, CA.

NNSA seeks offerors with the capability to manage world-class science and achieve excellent operations and management performance. Key elements of the proposed contract included in the draft RFP are:

• Unique contract clauses intended to redefine the federal-contractor relationship, to transition to industrial standards and best practices, to capitalize on private sector expertise, and to increase contractor accountability and efficiencies.
• An "award term" provision to permit extension of the resulting contract for incremental periods up to 13 years beyond the initial seven-year term as an incentive for superior performance.
• A requirement to retain LLNL's current workforce (excluding the laboratory director and the most senior managers) and provide comparable pay and benefits.

The draft RFP's evaluation criteria include the potential contractor's capability to successfully manage world-class scientific research and development, the capability to achieve excellence in laboratory operations and business operations, the proposed organization structure; the proposed key personnel, including the proposed laboratory director, and past performance.

The draft RFP is publicly available at the NNSA Service Center's LLNL M&O

Contract Competition Website: http://www.doeal.gov/LLNLCompetition/Default.htm. Responses to questions and other information about the draft RFP will also be posted to this site.

NNSA will hold a presolicitation conference for prospective offerors in Albuquerque, NM during the comment period, followed by a laboratory site tour. The presolicitation conference date and location will be posted on the Website listed above. The draft RFP comment period will be open until June 5, 2006. The final RFP will be issued after comments are considered.

The draft RFP provides that proposals will be due to NNSA 60 days after the final RFP is issued. Proposals will be reviewed by NNSA's Source Evaluation Board, comprised of NNSA technical and business experts, who will provide a report of findings to the NNSA Source Selection Official. The current LLNL M&O contract expires on Sept. 30, 2007. NNSA intends to select a contractor in the winter of 2006-2007 and begin full contract performance on October 1, 2007.

LLNL is a multi-program laboratory funded at approximately $1.7 billion annually by NNSA, other Department of Energy (DOE) programs, other government agencies and private industry. The University of California has operated the laboratory since 1952 for DOE and its predecessors.

LLNL has approximately 8500 employees. About a third of the lab's technical staff members are scientists, engineers and technicians.  The principal mission of LLNL is to strengthen American security by applying world-class science and technology to enhance the nation's security through stockpile stewardship and reduce the global threat from terrorism and weapons of mass destruction.

The contractor will be required to provide the intellectual leadership and management expertise necessary and appropriate to manage and operate the laboratory and to accomplish the missions assigned by NNSA.

Established by Congress in 2000, NNSA is a semi-autonomous agency within the U.S. Department of Energy that is responsible for enhancing national security through the military application of nuclear energy. NNSA maintains the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile, promotes international nuclear nonproliferation and safety, reduces global danger from weapons of mass destruction, provides the U.S. Navy with safe and effective nuclear propulsion, and oversees its national laboratories to maintain U.S. leadership in science and technology.

Media contact(s):
Al Stotts (505) 845-6094
Bryan Wilkes (202) 586-7371