Cleanup Contractor Earns 80 Percent of Fiscal 2018 Fee at Hanford Site

RICHLAND, Wash. – EM’s Richland Operations Office (RL) awarded cleanup contractor CH2M HILL Plateau Remediation Company (CHPRC) nearly $10.2 million, or about 80 percent of the available fee of almost $12.8 million for fiscal 2018.

   Evaluation of the contractor’s performance is conducted under objective and subjective performance measure categories. In the objective category, the contractor earned 91 percent of the available fee, or about $8 million.

   CHPRC accomplished a number of EM performance goals for cleanup of the Hanford Site during fiscal 2018, including completion of remediation and backfill of the 618-10 burial ground; start of transport of radioactive sludge to T Plant; and start of stabilization of Plutonium Uranium Extraction Plant Tunnel 2, according to the award fee determination summary.

   In the subjective category, the contractor earned 53 percent of the available fee, or more than $2 million.

   The subjective fee determination addresses the December 2017 spread of radiological contamination outside posted radiological boundaries at the Plutonium Finishing Plant (PFP); associated failed corrective actions taken following the June 2017 spread of contamination from PFP; and significant PFP resource, cost, and schedule effects on other RL projects, according to the summary.

   EM releases information relating to contractor fee payments — earned by completing the work called for in their contracts — to further transparency in its cleanup program.

   Since the December 2017 PFP event, CHPRC has shown steady performance improvement in areas that include radiological controls, work planning, and supervisory oversight of work, according to the summary.

   “Together, we overcame significant challenges, but also made great progress for the Hanford Site mission,” said Ty Blackford, CHPRC president and chief executive officer. “We will continue to learn and grow. Our dedicated and talented employees have shown, and continue to show, their commitment to safely and compliantly reducing additional risks this year. It remains our honor to contribute in this important mission in support of our client, community, and stakeholders.”

   The contractor had earned fee of $12 million in fiscal 2009-2012 for the multi-year performance measure of PFP demolition, prior to the beginning of demolition. Because that performance measure was not completed by Sept. 30, 2018, as required to earn additional fee, the remaining fee of $39 million that was not earned is forfeited.

   View the CHPRC fee determination scorecard here.