Bidding to begin for construction of weapons plant
By Ronica Brandenburg

Plans for a chemical weapon destruction plant at the Blue Grass Army Depot continue and the project's contractor has posted information for potential bidders.

The Bechtel Parsons Blue Grass team posted the information online Jan. 18 and it can be found at www.bechtelparsonsbgcapp.com/Opportunities.htm.

Bechtel Parsons Blue Grass was awarded a contract by the Department of Defense's Program Manager for Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives to design, build, systemize, operate and close a facility to destroy the chemical weapons stockpile located at the Blue Grass Army Depot.

The details of the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant earthwork subcontract will be found in the subcontract package.

The scope of work contained in the earthwork subcontract includes site clearing and grubbing, massive earth cut and fill with associated grading including rock removal, topsoil restoration, a site sedimentation basin, a new, two-lane asphalt road with connections into existing roads, grass installation and maintenance and gravel installation.

The facility's design must be 60 percent complete by February, 2006 and is meant to reduce costs and speed the process of destroying chemical weapons. About 800 employees will be needed once the facility is constructed and operating.

The previous plant design called for 99,000 square feet; however, the redesign has decreased the size to about 69,000 square feet. The current cost for the plant is estimated at approximately $2 billion.

The nation's goal is to have all chemical agent munitions destroyed by 2012.

Money allotted to fund the weapon destruction plant was frozen by the Pentagon earlier last year. Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell, along with Colorado Senator Ken Salazar, wrote new language in a bill that helped release the money and get the demilitarization projects back on schedule.

However, the continuation of the Blue Grass project still depends on federal funding, said Project Manager Chris Haynes.

“While the web site identifies vendor, supplier and subcontractor opportunities, the scope of work and time of award are subject to available federal funding and various agency approvals,” Haynes said.

Craig Williams, director of the Berea-based Chemical Weapons Working Group, is encouraged by the beginning of the bidding process.

“This is very significant for us,” Williams said. “It is exciting and extremely rewarding to have years of sometimes frustrating and often intangible efforts to ensure a safe process and adequate funding for destruction of our weapons stockpile to finally see results in the form of dirt being moved and roads being built.”

It is the policy of Bechtel Parsons Blue Grass to pre-qualify its bidders for procurement and subcontracting opportunities.

To register, bidders should visit Bechtel's Supplier and Contractor Portal at http://supplier. bechtel.com/. Further information is also available online at http://www.bechte parsonsbgcapp.com/ under “Vendors/Suppliers.”

Ronica Brandenburg can be reached at rbrandenburg@richmondregister.com or 623-1669, Ext. 234.