Science & Tech

Texas A&M System, Partners Place Bid To Manage Nuclear Lab

The Texas A&M University System is partnering with Battelle, The Boeing Company, the University of Texas System and the University of New Mexico in a joint bid to manage the Sandia National Laboratories.
By Laylan Copelin, Texas A&M Marketing & Communications May 24, 2016

John Sharp at Easterwood
Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp meets with reporters at Easterwood Airport after announcing the System’s bid to manage Sandia National Laboratories alongside other partners.

The Texas A&M University System is partnering with Battelle, The Boeing Company, the University of Texas System and the University of New Mexico in a joint bid to manage the Sandia National Laboratories  — one of three DOE laboratories responsible for the nation’s nuclear arsenal.

Battelle is the world’s largest independent nonprofit research and development organization, and Boeing is the world’s largest aerospace company and leading manufacturer of commercial jetliners and defense, space and security systems.

The Texas A&M University System, which will lead the Texas Research and Education Partnership that includes the University of Texas System, joins the University of New Mexico to provide research expertise, workforce training and independent peer review of the crucial research and development conducted at Sandia. These academic entities will be members of the Board of Directors for the laboratories.

In May 2015, the U.S. Department of Energy announced that it would seek a request for proposal (RFP) for the management of Sandia. Currently the laboratory is managed by the Sandia Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin and has an operating budget of $3 billion with 10,000 employees. The final request for proposals was issued on May 18, 2016 and a contract decision is anticipated by the end of the year.

The idea for creating the team to compete for the Sandia contract started at a Nov. 12, 2012 dinner hosted by Texas A&M System Chancellor John Sharp at his residence. Battelle’s Ron Townsend, executive vice president of Global Laboratory Operations, and M. Katherine Banks, Vice Chancellor and Dean of Engineering for the Texas A&M System, among others, attended that first meeting.

ACRR
A group of spectators gathers at the Annular Core Research Reactor for its 10,000th operation in 2011. The ACRR has been in operation for more than 32 years at Sandia.

“When rumors about this opportunity arose in 2012, Dr. Banks and I knew we were in a unique position to serve our nation. Our first call was to Battelle and over the last four years, this ideal team was created,” Chancellor Sharp said. “The Texas A&M System has the capability and long history of national service that are unmatched by any other university system. Texas A&M’s faculty expertise and our top-ranked engineering graduate programs position us well as a key partner for this opportunity. The leadership of Governor Greg Abbott made this partnership possible for the Texas university systems.”

Governor Abbott said the Texas A&M System approached him almost a year ago about bidding to manage the Sandia National Laboratories.

“From the moment Chancellor Sharp first approached me about bidding on the Sandia National Laboratory, we have worked hard to build a coalition to take advantage of this unparalleled research opportunity. Today’s announcement reflects months of work building a robust coalition that includes the Texas A&M University System, the University of Texas System, and the University of New Mexico. I am grateful to Chancellor Sharp for spearheading this remarkable effort, to Chancellor McRaven for working closely with the Governor’s Office to ensure that Texas fielded a unified and robust research team. Together, Texas and New Mexico can bring unprecedented research opportunities to our great state universities and would be honored to be entrusted with the management of one of our nation’s premier national laboratories.”

Timeline: A History of Sandia National Laboratories

The University of Texas System is the second-largest public university system in the nation with an enrollment of 217,000 students across 14 institutions. The UT System has a long-standing relationship with Sandia National Laboratory and has worked closely with the Laboratory to supply the skilled scientists and engineers needed to support Sandia’s mission and on numerous science and engineering projects that are important to the nation’s security.

Sally Jewell
Sally Jewell, Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior, addresses government officials at Sandia’s National Thermal Test Facility in Jan. 2015.

“Partnering with industry and academic leaders in research and development areas that ultimately will help safeguard America is a phenomenal opportunity and the UT System is proud to be doing its part,” said UT System Chancellor William H. McRaven. “This collaboration is a perfect fit, leveraging the research power of stellar universities as well as the expertise of Battelle and Boeing to elevate the already remarkable development coming out of Sandia National Laboratories.”

Dr. Banks with the Texas A&M System said the academic partnership is a critical component.

“Combined, the Texas A&M and University of Texas systems are among the nation’s largest research enterprises and include two of the most respected engineering programs,” Dean Banks said. “Both have been involved in our nation’s nuclear security enterprise for decades and are deeply familiar with the personnel, mission and research at Sandia National Laboratory.”

“We have exactly the right team to lead an already outstanding laboratory and take it to an even higher level of excellence,” said Jeffrey Wadsworth, Battelle President and CEO. “Battelle, Boeing and the universities look forward to working in close partnership with National Nuclear Security Administration to strengthen our nation’s nuclear security posture.”

“Sandia ensures the U.S. nuclear stockpile is safe, secure, and reliable and can fully support the nation’s deterrence policy. Their mission of service to the nation is directly aligned with our team’s mission,” said Ed Dolanski, President, Boeing Global Services & Support. “Battelle’s leadership in national lab management and Boeing’s leadership in weapons and systems engineering will provide new capabilities to help NNSA more effectively meet their nuclear objectives.”

 

Media contact: Laylan Copelin, Texas A&M University System.

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