Sounds familiar?

Just doing some reading this weekend and came across this. Sure sounds familiar 

"
And what was the result? Brain drain. Why stick around and be the victim of a political witch hunt when you could escape to the private sector: a fatter paycheck, decent hours, and maybe, just maybe, a little respect and appreciation by the people you work for. We lost a lot of good men and women, a lot of experience, initiative, and priceless analytical reasoning. All we were left with were the dregs, a bunch of brownnosing, myopic eunuchs.

But that couldn’t have been everyone.

No, of course not. There were some of us who stayed because we actually believed in what we were doing. We weren’t in this for money or working conditions, or even the occasional pat on the back. We were in this because we wanted to serve our country. We wanted to keep our people safe. But even with ideals like that there comes a point when you have to realize that the sum of all your blood, sweat, and tears will ultimately amount to zero. "

Bechtel plans on bidding for LANL

Ok, here is some really big news. Bechtel plans on bidding for LANL again, they will state that UC was to blame for all the problems and Bechtel can get the job done if they go it alone. Bechtel managers have stated that one of the reasons for the failure of LANS was that the Ph.d's did not respect Bechtel managers. If this goes through and Bechtel gets 100% control than you can bet your bottom dollar that every last Ph.d at LANL is a dead man walking. This is not just some random rumor folks. The argument is that LANL was put up for bid the first time because of UC, since UC was still part of the next management team it failed.

 

It is true. People with above average intelligence do not respect the knuckle-dragging neanderthals of a construction company that has screwed up every project they have tried, from Hoover dam, through Iraq, to LANS/LLNS. You name it, they screwed it up, and reaped a fortune for Riley, friends, and family. Putting nuclear weapons in the hands of these bozos is nothing short of insanity!

UC is done!

UC is done with the whole thing, UNM and UNLV should run LLNL, LANL and Sandia. Unless someone can make money of this thing why bother? What is done at NNSA labs that cannot be done better and cheaper or not at all elsewhere? Bechtel can modernize an entire nation like Iraq to a more advanced level than Switzerland in a brutal war-zone but it cannot make workers have respect for management authority to NNSA labs? Tell me what is wrong with this picture and if you can you have the reason why UC has no interest in running these out of control labs.

UC not interested in Sandia?

It doesn't look like UC is making any play for the Sandia contract. Is this an acknowledgement by them that they are finished with the NWC? It would make sense that now is the time to throw in the towel, but this is a loss for LLNL which has had a good relationship with UC since it was started.

High executive pay, antiquated computers

Somehow it is ok to spend millions per year on compensation for a few Laboratory executives, but still use antiquated computers!! If what the GAO study reports is correct, shame on those that made the decisions!!

http://www.cnbc.com/2016/05/25/us-military-uses-8-inch-floppy-disks-to-coordinate-nuclear-force-operations.html

Problems with for-profit management of the NW complex.

Article pointing out some of the problems with for-profit management of the NW complex.

http://www.salon.com/2015/09/23/the_apocalypse_has_been_privatized_how_nuclear_weapons_companies_commandeer_your_tax_dollars_partner/

Lockheed Martin has strong competition for the SNL M&O contract

Lockheed Martin has strong competition for the SNL M&O contract.
A team of Battelle, Boeing, Texas A&M University System, The University of Texas System and UNM have signed a formal agreement to bid jointly to manage Sandia National Laboratories. Among other advantages, this team would add political support for Sandia from the states of Texas and Ohio.
The website for the consortium: 
http://www.togethersandia.com/

University of New Mexico (UNM) will announce proposal to take over management of SNL

University of New Mexico (UNM) will announce proposal to take over management of SNL from Lockheed Martin. 

http://www.abqjournal.com/778530/details-emerge-on-sandia-competition.html
This makes me sick. UNM and SNL are already too cozy. There is a constant flow of third rate UNM interns and grads to SNL. It's so inbred with UNM grads in most departments now, that applicants from schools like Caltech, Princeton, Stanford, MIT and Harvard are actually passed up in favor of buddies from UNM. And if they do take a job at SNL, they are routinely passed up for promotion in favor of the UNM grad who has friends and family all working at SNL.

If UNM takes over management, this is just going to make a bad situation worse.

Are our benefits going to take a hit?

Are our benefits going to take a hit with the new M&O contracts for LANL, LLNL, and SNL? Specifically, it seems to DOE is protecting pensioners, but screwing the younger crowd (seed corn) by clarifying that medical benefits can be more easily cut by the M&O to "be inline with market rates".

For example, Honeywell is leading the nation in terms of crappy health benefits. Already, the out of pocket cost to the employee there are $8,000/yr + $550/mo = $14,600/yr. Oh, and if you smoke or have high blood pressure in the annual company exam, they ding you another $2,000. I'm guessing these are the "market rates" that the DOE wants the new M&Os to emulate.

Disposition of the lab management fee earned by UC

One of the other threads asked about this. Beckwith and his staff in UCOP administer the funds that come to UC, minus all the operating expenses of Budil's office and staff. When it is all done, there isn't that much remaining to distribute, $5-6M per year from all three labs fees. When you look over the prior awards, many of them were for collaborations with LBL, with some to other locations.

http://ucop.edu/research-initiatives/programs/lab-fees/files/lfrp_brochure_2013.pdf

Will he stick around?

When McMillan was named Director, there were several stories that he planned to serve in that capacity for 5 years and then move on. With the anniversary date coming up this summer, will he stick around?

Going away from contractor hosted web sites

Nice to see the savings of $10M per year by going away from contractor hosted web sites to government hosted ones.

http://energy.gov/em/articles/los-alamos-latest-em-field-office-transition-energygov-website

Satan 2 missile

While American workers have been focusing on on pensions, lawsuits, whistleblowing, and shoes that grip, Russian scientists have developed the Satan 2 missile, which is capable of destroying an entire country. Will the LANL and LLNL teams be able to pull themselves out of their misery long enough to counter this new threat?

FY 2015 NNSA site evaluations now posted

https://nnsa.energy.gov/sites/default/files/nnsa/multiplefiles/FY2015%20LANL%20FDO%20Letter_Redacted.pdf

LLC model

Why did the LLC model for Lab contract operations not work for LANL? It works rather well for other DOE Labs, so maybe it was the leadership of the LLC that was the problem, not the contract model.

Another lawsuit

More lawyers getting money:

http://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/nuclear-watchdog-group-sues-feds-lanl-over-accord/article_903292c2-5a67-5468-9768-a167fdcf668b.html

Questions about LLNL

I am a long time Union skilled trade worker. I have a few acquaintances that work or have worked at the lab. I have heard some good and bad things about working at the lab. I am considering apply for a position but was looking for a few opinions of what it is like to work at the lab. Can I please ask what is a typical day like for a trades employee, pay, the benefits, and Union leadership. I would also like to know if all work falls under Davis Bacon prevailing wage guidelines. If Davis Bacon applies are there two different rates for the site in Livermore and the other site out inTracy?

For those wondering I am looking to stay in my trade but am looking for something more stable and closer to home. I currently drive over two hours each way to job sites that are all over the bay. 

Thanks for your open and honest replies

No Public Funds For Legal Fees for Contractors Who Fight Whistleblower Suits

"Markey to DOE: No Public Funds For Legal Fees for Contractors Who Fight Whistleblower Suits" 

http://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/markey-to-doe-no-public-funds-for-legal-fees-for-contractors-who-fight-whistleblower-suits_

http://www.markey.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/DOE%20legal%20fees%2004.07.16.pdf

NNSA recommendations for SNL

From NNSA DOE, plans for future contracts, labs and plants( benefits, award fees, pensions, overhead etc) first up SNL.

https://nnsa.energy.gov/sites/default/files/nnsa/multiplefiles/NNSA%20Implementation%20of%20Governance%20Recommendations%20in%20SNL%20RFP.PDF

NNSA manager optimistic about LANL budget

http://www.lamonitor.com/content/nnsa-manager-optimistic-about-lanl-budget

More on LANS extension

LANS gets to stay through September 2018. Presumably this means the NNSA thinks that they can't manage the transition in a mere 2 years and that they think they can oversee LANS adequately to ensure that they do something like a passably good job. Who knew?

http://www.ladailypost.com/content/nnsa-extends-lanl-management-contract

Sad but what is happening with LLNL? Do they get to keep their Bechtel parasites still longer?

LANS extended through 2018

“NNSA has determined to grant Los Alamos National Security, LLC (LANS) a final Award Term for performance in Fiscal Year (FY) 2015, extending the period of performance through FY 2018. No further award terms are available under the contract, therefore, it will expire on September 30, 2018. 

Both NNSA and LANS are committed to the success of the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), its essential and enduring mission, and its people. Together we seek to ensure the long-term health and vitality of LANL as a world-class institution for harnessing the latest developments in science, technology, and engineering to address the many challenges to our national security and our economy.

The current management and operating (M&O) contract for LANL was awarded on December 21, 2005. It contained a transition period, a base period of seven years (through FY 2013), and the potential to earn up to thirteen award terms, in one-year increments, based on very good performance across the Laboratory. LANS earned four additional terms for performance in FY 2008 through FY 2011, extending the period of performance to the end of FY 2017. LANS did not earn additional Award Terms for performance in FY 2012 through FY 2015. In accordance with the terms of the contract, if the Contractor doesn’t earn additional award term four times, the operation of the Award Term clause will cease. This means there is no additional opportunity to earn term. 

Despite not earning the Award Term for performance in FY 2015, this extension acknowledges the improvements made by LANS in mission performance during FY 2015. NNSA offered to grant LANS an additional term in order to facilitate environmental cleanup programmatic changes and to allow DOE EM and NNSA contract competitions.”

TCP1: closed-ended or open-ended?

If Charlie takes questions at this week's all-call, could be interesting to hear what he has to say about TCP-1 allegedly now not being a closed plan.

Since LANS and LLNS are, for all meaningful purposes, one in the same, whatever he says will have ramifications for those working at LLNL.

Has LANCE improved?

It has been one year since the LANCE electrical accident nearly killed an employee. 

How is LANL doing now in this historically problematic area? Have they improved to the point of no more electrical accidents? Or, is it still business as usual and there are numerous electrical accidents at LANL on a regular basis?