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Washington Closure subcontracted 90 percent with small businesses last year

12.13.2011

RICHLAND, Wash.—Washington Closure Hanford awarded $188 million in subcontracts to 297 companies in fiscal year 2011. Of that, $170 million, or more than 90 percent, went to small businesses. About $119 million in total procurements was made locally.

“Our contract with the U.S. Department of Energy requires that at least 65 percent of our procurements go to small businesses,” said Rodney M. Harrison, Washington Closure procurement manager. “For the past three years we have consistently exceeded all of our small business goals and awarded more than 90 percent to small businesses in FY11.”

Washington Closure manages the $2.3 billion River Corridor Closure Project for the Department of Energy. It is the largest environmental cleanup closure project in the nation, covering 220 square miles or an area the size of the city of Chicago. The 10-year project is on target to be finished in 2015.

“Total procurements were down from the previous fiscal year by about $21 million,” Harrison said. “That’s due in large part to rescheduling of some work because of unexpected conditions encountered in the field and the work starting to wind down. Procurements will continue to fluctuate and taper off over the next several years as we finish cleanup of the River Corridor,” he said.

“In addition, we will have little American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds to spend in 2012. Most of that work was successfully completed in September,” Harrison said. Washington Closure awarded more than $30 million in ARRA dollars to 232 subcontractors in 2011. 

Washington Closure is a limited liability company owned by URS, Bechtel and CH2M Hill. The company is responsible for cleaning up 555 waste sites, demolishing 329 contaminated buildings, placing two plutonium production reactors and one nuclear facility in interim safe storage, and operating Hanford’s onsite Environmental Restoration Disposal Facility.

Businesses interested in working with Washington Closure may visit the web site at www.washingtonclosure.comand click on the Procurement button. Listed on the site are upcoming procurements, as well as directions for companies that want to prequalifyto receive future requests for proposals.

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