Parsons-Fluor Team Protests Loss Of $3-Billion Energy Dept. Award

Parsons Corp. is protesting the U.S. Energy Dept.’s Dec. 8 award of a $3.3-billion contract to a URS Washington Division team for liquid-waste cleanup at its Savannah River site nuclear complex in Aiken, S.C. The protest was filed to the U.S. Government Accountability Office. The Parsons team, also including Fluor Corp. and Northrop Grumman, was the only other bidder. GAO will have 100 days from Dec. 23 to decide on the protest. The contract is a six-year award to remediate at least 12 of 49 high-level radioactive-waste storage tanks and operate three waste-processing facilities. Senior officials at Parsons decline to elaborate on reasons for the protest. DOE says that while GAO decides on the protest, current contractor Washington Savannah River Co., will continue to work at the site. URS Washington Division had teamed with Babcock & Wilcox, Bechtel National, CH2M Hill Cos. and AREVA to bid the new contract. URS was to begin a site transition on Jan. 2 and assume full responsibility on April 1.