Category Archives: ORAU

Saddleworn reporter heading out of Dodge

As I finished up a recent Chinese dinner of chicken with black bean sauce, I cracked open my fortune cookie and glanced at the message inside.

“All things have an end,” it said, fittingly enough as I get ready for retirement at the end of the month.munger1

For the past 35 years, maybe a little more, I’ve covered the Department of Energy and its Oak Ridge operations. It’s a news beat I created at the News Sentinel after serving as state editor and realizing the wealth of news potential at the government facilities.

It’s been a pleasantly bumpy ride these many years, with a lot of highlights and some unusual happenings. I’m kind of proud of some of the things accomplished. Continue reading →

Protest on ORISE contract

oriseDepartment of Energy spokeswoman Claire Sinclair said the $1.4 billion contract to manage DOE’s Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education “is operating as intended with its new scope.” This is despite a protest that was filed by the losing bidder, the Desert Research Institute, with the U.S. Court of Federal Claims.

“The protest is under seal,” Sinclair said. “Nothing to add.” Continue reading →

Losing bidder files protest on $1.4B ORISE contract

oriseThe losing bidder on the $1.4 billion contract to manage the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education has filed a protest with a federal court. DOE last month awarded the contract to Oak Ridge Associated Universities, the incumbent.

The U.S. Court of Federal Claims confirmed that a protest was filed March 24 by the Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education on behalf of the Desert Research Institute, which submitted a contract proposal for the Oak Ridge institute. Continue reading →

ORAU gets new $1.4B contract from DOE

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Oak Ridge Associated Universities has received a new $1.4 billion contract from the U.S. Department of Energy to manage the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education and continue the work that the educational consortium has done since the 1940s.

DOE’s announcement said the initial contract term is through Sept. 30, 2020, with the potential for another five years.

ORAU was the longtime incumbent, but the consortium of universities this time faced competition from the Desert Research Institute in Nevada. Continue reading →

Cedar Springs Homeschool wins Science Bowl

Cedar Springs Homeschool won the 2016 Tennessee Science Bowl over the weekend and will represent the state at the National Science Bowl in Washington, D.C., April 28-May 2. In addition to the expenses-paid trip to the nation’s capital, the team also won a trophy and $1,000.

A team from Lausanne Collegiate School, which won the event in 2015, finished second. A team from Oak Ridge High School was third, followed by Brentwood High School. Continue reading →

Noted briefly: A grab bag of news

bowlFriends of Oak Ridge National Laboratory is urging folks to volunteer their services for the Tennessee Science Bowl, Feb. 26-27. Check out the bowl website if you’re interested. That’s last year’s winners from Lausanne Collegiate School in the pic. . . .

The Department of Energy’s Office of Inspector General reported that it had completed an audit on DOE’s Consolidated Balance Sheet for FY 2015, but the report itself hasn’t been released. “The report is Official Use Only and not available for viewing,” the IG stated. Continue reading →

ORAU’s contract extended through June

oriseOak Ridge Associated Universities’ contract for managing DOE’s Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, has been extended through the end of June to allow for continued evaluation of proposals submitted for the federal contract.

There are reportedly two bidders for the Department of Energy contract — ORAU, the incumbent, and Nevada-based Desert Research institute. The proposals were submitted in September. Continue reading →