Allegations of Safety Concerns at the National Nuclear Security Administration Albuquerque Complex

The Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) awarded Alutiiq Logistics & Maintenance Services, LLC (ALMS) a firm-fixed-price indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract valued at $50,000,000, beginning in February 2020, to provide facility maintenance and support services at the Albuquerque Complex located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The contract requires ALMS to comply with all applicable Federal, state, and local environment, safety, and health regulations and standards, in addition to specific Department directives and reporting requirements, as identified under each individual task order. On October 26, 2021, the Department’s Office of Inspector General received nine allegations that ALMS failed to comply with contractual obligations regarding safety and health issues for several years. We initiated this inspection to determine the facts and circumstances regarding the alleged safety concerns at the NNSA Albuquerque Complex. We substantiated eight of the nine allegations that ALMS failed to comply with contractual obligations regarding safety and health issues. Specifically, we substantiated that ALMS: (1) did not have adequate emergency management plans; (2) did not have a compliant quality control plan; (3) did not know how to properly use the computerized maintenance management system program; (4) closed out work orders without completing required work; (5) did not hire qualified tradesmen; (6) did not have a safety manager; (7) had staff retention issues due to low wages; and (8) did not correct noncompliances found during the September 2020 NNSA Office of Worker Safety and Health Services site assist review. We did not substantiate the allegation that (9) ALMS was not completing forklift inspections and was falsifying inspection documents. These issues occurred because ALMS did not effectively manage its contract with NNSA. Specifically, ALMS hired unqualified personnel, including managers; did not fill vacant positions; and had ineffective support from Alutiiq, LLC corporate. Additionally, NNSA did not always hold ALMS accountable for meeting contract requirements. Management fully concurred with our findings and recommendations and provided corrective actions that are responsive to our recommendations.