10-Year Hanford Contract Challenged Again Following DOE $45 Billion Award

This March, DOE-EM awarded for the second time a 10-year, $45 billion contract to Hanford Tank Waste Operations and Closure (H2C) for cleanup work at the Hanford nuclear site. However, it is being challenged for a second time.

This is following the initial award to H2C in April 2023. H2C which is made up of BWXT Technical Services, Amentum Environment and Energy, and Fluor Federal service, was to take over the Hanford nuclear site contract. This contract was first awarded in 2008 to Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS), owned by Amentum and Atkins, with Orano as a subcontractor.

The contract with H2C was challenged by Hanford Tank Disposition Alliance (HTDA), a team made up of Atkins, Jacobs, and Westinghouse. The contract was then invalidated by a federal court. This led DOE to extended its contract with WRPS through the end of September 2025. 

In March 2024, DOE awarded the contract again and now for the second time, this award is being challenged by HTDA. They are claiming in a new lawsuit filed in federal court that DOE unfairly changed the rules of its solicitation to award the contract to H2C for a second time. 

The 10-year contract would cover work at the Hanford site tank farms, where 56 million gallons of radioactive waste are stored in underground tanks. 

The following articles provide further details surrounding the incident:

DOE again awards $45 billion Hanford tank contract to H2C

Award of 10-year, $45 billion Hanford contract challenged for a 2nd time by losing bidder

ECA will provide updates as this continues to unfolds.