Newswise — LOS ALAMOS, N.M. January 23, 202—New numbers for fiscal year 2019 show Los Alamos National Laboratory’s big impact on New Mexico’s economy, as the Laboratory employed 12,041 people for a total of $1.16 billion in salaries and contracted with small businesses statewide for $288.6 million.
“Los Alamos National Laboratory is a major economic driver in the region, and we are fully committed to strengthening local companies and growing the local workforce,” said Thom Mason, director. “I look forward to building on these efforts in the coming year.”
Buying from New Mexico businesses
In FY 2019, which ended September 30, the Laboratory spent $396 million in procurement contracts with New Mexico businesses. Of those, $289 million went to contracts with small businesses (up from $269 million in FY 2018). In addition, the Laboratory significantly increased its contracts with businesses categorized as disadvantaged, women-owned, veteran owned, and HUB-zone located from FY 2018. A single business may qualify for more than one category.
Specifically:
- Disadvantaged: 52.2 percent in FY 2019, up from 19.6 percent in FY 2018
- Women-owned: 45.8 percent in FY 2019, up from 11.5 percent in FY 2018
- HUB zone-located: 12.4 percent in 2019, up from 6.1 percent in FY 2018
- Veteran-owned: 7.5 percent in FY 2019, up from 1.1 percent in 2018
Employment
With 56 percent of Laboratory employees living outside of Los Alamos County, much of their salaries—a collective $548 million—are spent in their home communities.
Employee salaries by county:
- Los Alamos County: $610 million
- Santa Fe County: $268 million
- Rio Arriba County: $131 million
- Bernalillo County: $38 million
- Sandoval County: $36 million
- Taos County: $13 million
- Other: $62 million
In FY 2019, the number of Laboratory employees reached 12,041, up from 11,743 in FY 2018. As of the end of FY 2019, 41 percent of Laboratory employees were native New Mexicans.
Economic development
Each year, the Laboratory invests and partners in economic development initiatives that stimulate business growth, create jobs, and strengthen communities—particularly those in the seven counties surrounding the Laboratory. In particular, the New Mexico Small Business Assistance Program enables small businesses to solve technical challenges by pairing them with free subject-matter experts and cutting-edge technologies at Los Alamos and Sandia national laboratories.
Since the start of economic development programs in 2001, the Laboratory has:
- Conducted 7,113 projects with New Mexico small businesses
- Attracted $340 million in new financing• Created or retained 11,267 non-Laboratory jobs with salaries totaling $417 million
A copy of the 2019 Economic Impact on New Mexico publication is available on the Laboratory’s website.
About Los Alamos National Laboratory
Los Alamos National Laboratory, a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security, is operated by Triad, a public service oriented, national security science organization equally owned by its three founding members: Battelle Memorial Institute (Battelle), the Texas A&M University System (TAMUS), and the Regents of the University of California (UC) for the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration.
Los Alamos enhances national security by ensuring the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear stockpile, developing technologies to reduce threats from weapons of mass destruction, and solving problems related to energy, environment, infrastructure, health, and global security concerns.
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