Statement regarding The University of Texas System bid on the Management and Operations Contract for Los Alamos National Laboratory

In response to numerous inquiries, The University of Texas System confirms that it has submitted a response to the National Nuclear Security Administration’s request for proposals to manage and operate Los Alamos National Laboratory. 

We believe The University of Texas System with its 14 institutions brings extraordinary qualifications: more than 130 years of unmatched scientific accomplishment, a record of responsible and responsive leadership, demonstrated business acumen and experience in change management, and a long-established commitment to national service.

Los Alamos is a preeminent national laboratory in the areas of nuclear weapons, nuclear nonproliferation, safeguards and security, environmental management, energy and other programs—one among the U.S. Department of Energy’s 17 national laboratories. The Lab operates under the auspices of the NNSA, a semi-autonomous agency within the Department of Energy. It holds a storied place in the history of our nation and carries primary responsibility for the urgent task of effectively managing the nuclear weapons component stockpile, as well as the advancement of knowledge and discovery that can aid nuclear nonproliferation and deterrence, environmental management, and energy research.

If UT System wins the honor of serving, we believe that the system’s renowned centers of academic excellence and our long legacy of service to our nation will serve the Lab and its community well. We will work to be a trusted steward and a richly productive partner to the Lab’s dedicated world-class workforce, the New Mexico economic and community landscape, and to the wider scientific communities these entities serve.

About The University of Texas System
Educating students, providing care for patients, conducting groundbreaking basic, applied and clinical research, and serving the needs of Texans and the nation for more than 130 years, The University of Texas System is one of the largest public university systems in the United States. With 14 institutions and a projected enrollment of more than 234,000 students, the UT System confers more than one-third of the state’s undergraduate degrees, educates approximately two-thirds of the state’s health care professionals annually and accounts for almost 70 percent of all research funds awarded to public institutions in Texas. The UT System’s operating budget for FY 2018 is $18.3 billion, funded in part by $3.6 billion in sponsored programs from federal, state, local and private sources. With more than 20,000 faculty – including Nobel laureates and many members of the National Academies – and nearly 80,000 health care professionals, researchers, student advisors and support staff, the UT System is one of the largest employers in the state.