“These contracts will help NNSA accelerate our efforts to keep dangerous material out of the hands of dangerous people,” said William Tobey, the head of NNSA’s nuclear nonproliferation programs. “We look forward to working with the private sector to increase the cost-effectiveness of our global threat reduction efforts.”

NNSA received seven timely proposals for the threat reduction work in response to a September 2006 solicitation for proposals from small businesses. Of the proposals, it was determined that three offers provided the best value to NNSA. The three small businesses are: Global Threat Reduction Solutions, LLC (GTRS) [a joint venture between TerranearPMC, LLC located in Exton, PA, and EnergySolutions Federal Services, Inc. located in Oak Ridge, TN]; Professional Project Services (Pro2Serve) located in Oak Ridge, TN; and GEM Technology International Corporation located in Coral Gables, FL with an office in Oak Ridge, TN.

Each of the small businesses will receive a 5-year contract, which will enable them to compete for up to $100 million worth of individual tasks for the GTRI program. Tasks include removing radiological and nuclear material, working at nuclear and radiological facilities to perform security vulnerability assessments, developing security system upgrade design work, installing security improvements, and training facility personnel.

GTRI’s mission is to reduce and protect vulnerable nuclear and radiological material located at civilian sites world wide. The department has removed approximately 65 nuclear bombs worth of nuclear material from sites overseas, recovered more than 14,400 excess U.S. and international radiological sources, and secured over 540 radiological sites around the world.

Established by Congress in 2000, NNSA is a semi-autonomous agency within the U.S. Department of Energy responsible for enhancing national security through the military application of nuclear science. NNSA maintains and enhances the safety, security, reliability and performance of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile without nuclear testing; works to reduce global danger from weapons of mass destruction; provides the U.S. Navy with safe and effective nuclear propulsion; and responds to nuclear and radiological emergencies in the United States and abroad.