UC Regents Moving Ahead; UT Regents Seem to Falter

Trinity test of first atomic bomb: July 16, 1945

As we have noted in recent posts, the UC Regents are about to approve a bid for UC to continue in its management role at the Los Alamos lab, an arrangement that goes back to the Manhattan Project of World War II and the co-director of the Project, Berkeley professor J. Robert Oppenheimer. 

The U of Texas was apparently also planning to submit a bid to the U.S. Dept. of Energy but apparently is now holding back for reasons unknown:

The University of Texas System regents postponed a vote Thursday on submitting a bid to manage and operate Los Alamos National Laboratory. The surprise move would not immediately stop the university from working toward potentially bidding on the lab contract, according to a university official. The regents discussed the matter in a closed-door session earlier that day, but made the decision in a meeting Thursday without giving a reason.

Deputy Chancellor David Daniel told the Los Alamos Monitor Friday the bid process would continue. “The University of Texas System team continues to work diligently on a potential bid to operate Los Alamos National Laboratory, and looks forward to sharing its work with the UT System Board of Regents at the scheduled meeting ‪November 27,” he said in a written statement.

The university system had approved $4.5 million in university funds to pursue the bid. They are among the educational and business institutions expected to bid on the National Nuclear Security Administration management and operations request for proposals recently released. Bids are due by Dec. 11. The university regents are expected to meet again Nov. 27 to vote again on the bid proposal.

According to former staff member-turned-consultant for the University of Texas Susan Rogers, who spoke with the Regional Coalition of LANL Communities Oct. 13, university system researchers have received the largest share of research grants funded by the Department of Energy during the most recent 10-year period. “We have demonstrated abilities to assemble robust and mutually accountable partnerships with private industries and premier institutions that will be necessary to ensure LANL’s success,” Rogers said. The current multibillion-dollar management contract held by Los Alamos National Security LLC expires in 2018. NNSA announced in late 2015 that LANS would be losing the contract after failing to earn high performance reviews.

Los Alamos National Security's partners include the University of California and Bechtel National Inc. Both entities have expressed interest in bidding for the new contract. 

Source: http://www.lamonitor.com/content/university-texas-regents-postpone-lanl-bid-proposal

Note: Other institutions, such as Texas A&M, may bid, even if U of Texas doesn't.

As we always do when this matter comes up, we recommend the 1980 BBC series - free on YouTube - dealing with Oppenheimer, Los Alamos, and politics at Berkeley in the World War II era:

Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sSOprKCEME [link below]
Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EX0fvoPHOZM
Part 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=io3WSJwVk1I
Part 4: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uo0jZqxcrWE
Part 5: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xo6s9G1W8Ng
Part 6: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msadwfwjWfo
Part 7: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0dfw_uPlQo