Scott Nicholas
Lockheed Martin has teamed up with Purdue University, New Mexico State University and the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology to bid for a potential $2.9 billion contract to run the Sandia National Laboratories over a 10-year period.
Each of the three universities aim to provide personnel and facilities to support Sandia’s research and development of nuclear deterrence, cybersecurity, energy, non-proliferation and advanced computing technologies, Lockheed said Monday.
“Our goal is to help the National Nuclear Security Administration further solidify Sandia’s role as a national asset by bringing in even stronger R&D partnerships, improving the national security talent pipeline and sparking small business growth through a robust commercialization program,” said Rick Ambrose, executive vice president of Lockheed’s space systems business.
Purdue will lead technology transfer programs and collaborate with national and New Mexico-based startups and entrepreneurs to help license technology for commercial use under the teaming agreement.
NNSA’s current contract with Lockheed subsidiary Sandia Corp. is due to expire in April 2017.
The  agency said in May the follow-on SNL support contract drew interest from 15 companies.
