Waste Treatment Plant Project Awards $111m in Contracts

In 2015, Bechtel’s Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) project awarded more than $111 million in subcontracts to businesses based in Washington and Oregon.

Of that, nearly $90m-worth went to those in Washington’s Tri-Cities of Pasco, Kennewick, and Richland, home to the project’s main offices.

These subcontracts represent 68.7% and 55% respectively of all those awarded for construction of the plant—and represents the largest percentage awarded in the past five years to Tri-Cities and regional businesses.

Bechtel’s government services company, Bechtel National Inc., is building the plant for the Department of Energy. When completed, the plant will safely treat and immobilize millions of gallons of liquid radioactive waste from Cold War nuclear weapons activities by mixing the waste with glass-forming materials, melting it, and pouring it into stainless steel containers for eventual disposal.

“We value the relationships we have with local and regional companies and appreciate being able to work closely with our large and small business neighbors to realize the mission of WTP,” said Peggy McCullough, WTP project director and Bechtel senior vice president. “Local and regional businesses are an extended part of our team and are important to the completion of the plant.”

Examples of local or regional businesses that received subcontracts for work at the plant include:

• Dade Moeller is a small local business started in 1994 and headquartered in Richland. Its first WTP contract covers development and review of a radiation protection program, which includes reviewing overarching legal documents and developing and reviewing relevant WTP procedures, technical basis documents and radiological safety. A second contract includes teaming with Strata-G, LLC, a veteran-owned small business based in Knoxville, Tenn., to conduct a waste management requirements gap analysis; develop waste management program plans and procedures; and identify enhancements and readiness documentation needed for moving the program to commissioning and operations.
• Horizon Distribution is a veteran-owned small business established in 1881 in Yakima, Wash. The company has supplied WTP with a variety of maintenance, repair, operations and construction needs such as tools, personal protection equipment, and electrical, plumbing, HVAC and instrumentation needs. Two custom-support projects included pallet racks and specialty shelving for WTP’s Material Handling Facility and a complete tool and material handling package for use when operations begin.
• Abadan is a small business founded in 1953 and now headquartered in Richland. Abadan has provided office technology and services to WTP since the project began. The company provides copiers, wide-format engineering plotters, scanners and associated technical support for WTP needs.

Tess Klatt, WTP small business program manager, said Bechtel makes a concerted effort to support the local business community. “The complexity of WTP—in the construction of four nuclear facilities in one footprint—provides opportunities for both large and small businesses in industries from professional and technical services to complex fabricated metal manufacturing,” she said.

The WTP project has awarded more than $111 million in subcontracts to businesses based in Washington and Oregon.

Since Bechtel began construction of the plant, it has purchased more than $1.7 billion in goods and services from Washington and Oregon businesses with $1.2bn of that from Tri-Cities businesses.