Fluor awarded Savannah deal after protests

IRVING, Texas, April 28 (UPI) -- The U.S. Department of Energy says after resolving protests, Fluor will remain the contractor for work at the Savannah River nuclear weapons stockpile site.

The Department of Energy originally contracted the Fluor-led team for the management and operation of Savannah River nuclear weapons stockpile site near Aiken, S.C. Work on the contract was suspended until protests on Fluor's bid from a competitor were resolved by the U.S. Government Accountability Office.

With the protest out of the way officials say Fluor can proceed on an estimated $4 billion five-year deal at the Energy Department's Savannah River Site. The Fluor-led team will maintain the site's nuclear-weapons stockpile along with environmental management and the cleanup tasks.

"We are glad to have these protests resolved and to be able to move forward," John Hopkins, Fluor group executive, said in a statement. "Throughout this process we have remained confident in our team and in our proposal. The combined vision, knowledge and expertise of our team will enable us to meet the Department of Energy's expectations, as well as those of the site employees and the neighboring South Carolina and Georgia communities."