Washington -- A former University of Texas administrator who led the school's bid to run a nuclear weapons lab has been named to a new commission that could help determine whether the University of California continues to manage the nation's two top nuclear weapons labs.

Dale Klein, a top Pentagon official who advised President Bush on nuclear issues during his campaign, will serve on a panel helping Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham decide when lab contracts -- such as UC's contract to run the Bay Area's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory -- should be opened to competitive bidding.

The appointment has raised concerns among California officials. As UT's former vice chancellor for special engineering programs, Klein championed the university's unsuccessful $400,000 bid to manage Sandia National Laboratories. He had earlier urged UT officials to consider competing for the management job at Los Alamos National Laboratory if the contract held by UC became available.

Now that Abraham has decided to open Los Alamos to competition when UC's contract expires in September 2005, UT is seen as a top contender to run the $2 billion-a-year lab. Some California officials believe the commission's recommendations could help shape the bidding process for Los Alamos -- possibly giving an edge to UC's competitors.

Abraham also is expected to decide by next spring whether to put the Livermore contract up for competitive bidding, and department officials say the panel's recommendations will shape his decision. UC's contract at Livermore also expires in September 2005.

Rep. Ellen Tauscher, D-Walnut Creek, whose district includes the Livermore lab, said the appointment has stirred fear that the commission could give a leg up to those seeking to take over UC's prestigious lab contracts.

"I'm not suggesting that Mr. Klein can't be fair, and I'm not suggesting that he has a predetermined position," Tauscher said. But she added, "If there is someone who is put forward who has a very clear record of advocating for one side or another -- or a close affiliation with someone who is potentially a competitor -- you risk the credibility of the commission."

Klein, in an interview with The Chronicle, said he abandoned his role as a booster for UT when he joined the Defense Department in 2001. Although he remains a tenured professor of mechanical engineering at the school -- and could return after he finishes his leave -- Klein said he would never use his position to help UT.

"I understand my role on the commission is to look at what is best for the Department of Energy," said Klein, who is assistant secretary of defense for nuclear, biological and chemical defense programs.

CLAIMS NO FAVORITISM
"I'm no longer at the university, so while I have a background in the academic world, so do other members of the commission. There would be no more bias on my end toward the private sector or toward an (academic) institution than anyone else."

Klein said he has not been contacted by any UT officials about the lab contracts, and "if I did, I would not be able to comment for a variety of reasons."

UC has managed Los Alamos under a contract with the federal government since the inception of the nuclear weapons labs 60 years ago. But a series of management and financial scandals prompted Abraham to announce late last month that he would open the bidding on the contract. UC has not yet announced whether it will compete to keep its job.

Despite its important role, the panel -- "The Blue Ribbon Commission on the Use of Competitive Procedures for Department of Energy Laboratories" -- was appointed with no public fanfare.

COMPETITION FAVORED
The panel is dominated by former Republican officials and advocates of competition in federal contracting -- reflecting Abraham's view that competitive bidding could boost the performance of the nation's labs.

The commission includes three officials who served in Bush's father's administration, including the panel's chairman, Francis Blake, a former EPA general counsel who briefly served as a deputy to Abraham in 2001. The panel also includes one Clinton administration official, Jacques Gansler, the former Pentagon acquisitions chief, who was a strong backer of competitive bidding in defense contracts.

Another panelist who has raised some concern among UC's backers is John Tuck, a former Energy Department undersecretary and longtime aide to former Sen. Howard Baker, R-Tenn.

Tuck, now a Washington lobbyist, has represented Oak Ridge National Laboratory, which has been run by the University of Tennessee and Battelle since 2000. Battelle, which also manages three other Energy Department labs, is considering a bid for Los Alamos.

"Our concern is that we would like to see that this panel is fair and open- minded," said Scott Sudduth, UC's top lobbyist in Washington. "On first blush, I'm disappointed that there is no one with great familiarity with the University of California on the panel."

SELECTED FOR EXPERIENCE
An Energy Department spokesman said the panelists were selected for their experience in government, the private sector and academia.

"I don't think it would be appropriate for anyone to question their integrity," said Joe Davis, an agency spokesman.

Klein said the controversy over Los Alamos has led to the misconception that the panel will be evaluating UC and other lab contractors and recommending whether they should keep their contracts. Instead, he said the panel's job is to evaluate Energy Department policies for competing contracts to see if they need refining.

But Klein acknowledged he generally supports competition and favors a model that matches a university with a private sector partner.

"Universities are known for their technical skills," he said. "They are not always known for excellence in day-to-day management."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LAB PANEL
Here are the members of Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham's blue-ribbon panel studying how to encourage competition for the management of the Department of Energy's 13 laboratories, including Los Alamos National Laboratory, now run by the University of California.

Francis S. Blake: Executive vice president, Home Depot; former deputy energy secretary (2001) and general counsel at the Environmental Protection Agency (1985-88).

William F. Brinkman: President, American Physical Society; former vice president, Lucent Technologies; former vice president of research at Sandia National Laboratories. .

Jacques S. Gansler: Chairman, University of Maryland Center of Public Affairs; former undersecretary of defense for acquisition and technology (1997- 2001).

F. Henry Habicht: Former senior vice president, Safety-Kleen Corp.; former deputy administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (1989-1993).

Dale Klein: Assistant secretary of defense for nuclear, biological & chemical defense programs; former vice chancellor for special engineering programs at the University of Texas.

John Tuck: Lobbyist with Baker, Donelson, Bearman & Caldwell; former undersecretary of energy (1989-92); longtime aide to former Sen. Howard Baker, R-Tenn. Source: Energy Department