Bidders sought for Los Alamos contract

ALBUQUERQUE — The U.S. agency that oversees the nation’s nuclear weapons cache and the science behind it has detailed its requirements for the next manager of Los Alamos National Laboratory in a final request for proposals published Wednesday.

The National Nuclear Security Administration has set a deadline of Dec. 11 for potential bidders.

The list of those interested in taking over the troubled lab in Northern New Mexico includes defense contractors, technology companies and universities.

Among the responsibilities will be improving the safety and security culture at Los Alamos, which has struggled in recent years with mishandling of plutonium and radioactive waste. Criticism of the lab’s record has only intensified as it prepares to resume production of the plutonium cores used to trigger explosions in nuclear weapons. The request for proposals covers everything from worker safety to cybersecurity and transparency.

Agency spokeswoman Lindsey Geisler said in a statement Wednesday that the National Nuclear Security Administration is committed to a “full and open competition” and that the proposal addresses many of the local community’s concerns, such as protections for current employees as well partnerships with educational institutions and small businesses.