Government officials have hinted that the Energy Department and a University of Tennessee and Battelle Memorial Institute non-profit collaboration plan to negotiate a contract extension for management of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge Today reported Sunday.
John Huotari writes Tennessee Rep. Chuck Fleischmann said the DOE was requested to extend the contract for another five years with UT-Battelle at a meeting on Thursday of the East Tennessee Economic Council.
Thom Mason, director for ORNL, said in the report the possible contract extension is intended to prevent any disruption and uncertainty brought about by contract competitions.
Mason added UT-Battelle will meet with DOE’s ORNL site office manager Johnny Moore regarding the potential extension.
UT-Battelle began managing the laboratory for the DOE in April 2000 and the existing contract will run through until March 2015, the report said.
