The University of California will continue to operate Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory for at least another five years. The US Department of Energy awarded the $2.3 billion management contract to UC in what DOE touted as the “first competition of the management and operating contract for the laboratory since its inception.”
Although the contract was open to competitive bids, a DOE spokesman confirmed that UC was the only bidder. The university has operated the laboratory for more than 60 years and Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman said the contract award will allow LBNL researchers to “seamlessly continue their work.” The contract runs from 1 June 2005 to 31 May 2010 and may be extended for up to 20 years if DOE performance standards are met.
UC also operates two national DOE weapons laboratories—Lawrence Livermore in California and Los Alamos in New Mexico.
