ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Ktech, an Albuquerque engineering and technology company, has been awarded a five-year $41.8 million contract to provide pulsed power technology support services to Sandia National Laboratories.
Ktech, awarded the contract through a competitive bid process, will work with Sandia in all phases of the technology, operation and upgrading of the Labs’ pulsed power research facilities.
Pulsed power technology, which allows the application of extremely high temperatures for short bursts of time, has a broad range of applications. Some of Sandia’s key pulsed power experiments are conducted on its record-setting Z machine, the most powerful source of X-rays in the world.
“Ktech has proved itself to be professional and reliable, with excellent service,” said Cecilia Castillo, of the Labs’ Services Department. She said the operations and maintenance contract went to Ktech based on its technical expertise and extensive experience with pulsed power technology.
“The fact that Ktech is a local small business is a bonus for us, since Sandia strives to strengthen the local business economy. Working with local suppliers helps facilitate communication and generally allows us to work together even better, ” Castillo said.
Services Department manager Gordon Graham said, “We are delighted that [President] Don Keller and the other people at Ktech will continue working with us. They have reaffirmed Sandia’s belief that small New Mexico businesses are important contributors to Sandia’s work for the Department of Energy (DOE). We all look forward to a close and successful partnership in the years ahead.”
Ktech has been working with Sandia for about 20 years. While Ktech recruits nationally, most of its approximately 200 employees are from the Albuquerque area.
“Our entire staff,” Keller added, “has worked hard to help Sandia become the international leader in pulsed power technology and its applications. We are excited by the technical challenges and opportunities presented by supporting this very important national program.”
In addition to its work with the Z machine and pulsed power, Sandia’s Systems Science and Technology Division, which uses Ktech’s services, is working on a new means of detecting land mines through the use of backscattered X-rays and is developing techniques for surface film-coating for everything from photographic and adhesive film to magnetic and optical storage mediums.
To facilitate partnerships with businesses like Ktech, Sandia recently established its Supplier Relations Center. Its mission is to match Sandia’s needs for products and services with a broad range of suppliers who can provide high-quality products and services in a timely and cost-effective way. “We strive to strengthen the business community in New Mexico by helping businesses provide services and products to Sandia that are of world-class quality and high value,” said center director Leo Miranda.
The Supplier Relations Center’s Supplier Partnerships Program helps businesses learn how to work with and provide products and services to Sandia, provides access and opportunities for businesses to work with Sandia, and helps businesses become stronger and more effective by meeting national and international standards.
In turn, the Supplier Partnerships Program works within Sandia to help Sandians identify suppliers of products and services, create money-saving opportunities, and establish strategic long-term supplier partnerships.
Business contacts:
Gordon Graham, gggraha@sandia.gov, (505) 844-3202
Leo Miranda, lvmiran@sandia.gov, (505) 843-4120