About 30 Hanford workers will be laid off in the coming week, says WA state

Hanford contractor Mission Support Alliance plans to lay off about 30 workers as its Department of Energy contract expires.

The layoffs are set for Thursday, Jan. 21, the last full business day before the expiring contract held by Mission Support Alliance transitions to a new 10-year contract awarded to Hanford Mission Integration Solutions.

Many employees at Hanford work 10-hour shifts Mondays through Thursdays.

Typically, most employees transition to new contractors at Hanford, with the the new contractor bringing in its own management team.

The layoff announcement for 30 workers was posted online by the Washington Employment Security Department, but Mission Support Alliance gave a slightly lower figure.

“Unfortunately, up to 28 of our fellow MSA employees will be completing their assignments when our contract ends Jan. 24, and they will not be joining the new contractor,” Mission Support Alliance said in a statement.

It will work closely with other Hanford contractors and in the Tri-Cities area to help them with transition services, it said.

The outgoing contractor employs just over 1,900 people, according to the latest figures released by DOE.

Mission Support Alliance, which has held the sitewide services contract since May 2009, is owned by Leidos Integrated Technology and Centerra Group. The new contractor has largely the same ownership — Leidos, Centerra and Parsons Government Group.

Robert Wilkinson, the president of Mission Support Alliance, also will be the president of Hanford Mission Integration Solutions.

The new contract covers the services needed by DOE and other contractors performing cleanup work to operate the 580-square-mile nuclear reservation.

It includes security and emergency services, land management, information technology and management of the HAMMER training center.

It also covers utility and road services, including maintenance and upgrades to support the upcoming operation of the $17 billion vitrification plant in the center of the site.

This story was originally published January 15, 2021 at 5:18 PM.