DRI secured a new Technical Research, Engineering, and Development Services contract with the U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration. The contract extends until October 31, 2016 and has a ceiling value of $35,926,593. DRI supports the nationally important missions of the DOE/NNSA at the Nevada National Security Site through this contract.

This is an umbrella contract through which DRI is able to negotiate and compete for work each federal fiscal year, up to the ceiling limit. The amount ultimately awarded depends on the hard work of DRI researchers and particularly the efforts of our major project managers, Colleen Beck, Ted Hartwell, Julie Miller, and Chuck Russell. DRI works collaboratively in the group of Nevada Site Office organizations.

“We look forward to another five years of environmental research in service to our nation,” said Jenny Chapman, Program manager for DoE Nevada Site Office Contract, and DRI Associate Research Hydrogeologist.

The previous contract ended on October 31, 2011, with a total research value for the 2006-2011 period of about $29 million.
This multi-million dollar contract benefits the entire institute, with 35 faculty members from the Division of Hydrologic Sciences, 20 Division of Earth and Ecosystem Sciences faculty, and five Division of Atmospheric Sciences faculty performing research in a typical year. About $5.6 million in research has been secured thus far for federal FY 2012, with divisional participation as follows:

· DOE Underground Test Area Projects $2,133,649
· DOE Soils Projects $954,241
· DOE Community Environmental Monitoring Program $1.5 million
· DOE Cultural Resources Management Program and American Indian Program $1 million