Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham, who supervises the facility, had already ordered competitive bidding for a new contract next year after repeated security lapses and mismanagement in recent years at one of the nation's top nuclear-weapons research laboratories.

Now scientists at Los Alamos have been embarrassed by a report this month of two missing data files and an unconfirmed account last weekend of classified information transmitted on non-classified e-mail systems.

Laboratory Director G. Peter Nanos closed nearly all operations Friday after the University of California ordered a suspension of classified work until answers could be provided about the missing data files.

In a blunt memo to employees, Nanos said he had assured university officials, members of Congress and others last week that employees would be fired if they ignored safety, security and environmental regulations.

I emphasized to everyone I met with that this willful flouting of the rules must stop, and I don't care how many people I have to fire to make it stop, he wrote. If you think the rules are silly, if you think compliance is a joke, please resign now and save me the trouble.

Nanos shut nearly all operations except for some critical missions and essential functions at the laboratory. He ordered supervisors to meet face-to-face with employees to ensure safety and security compliance before any operation would be restarted.

After a meeting with all employees last week, Nanos said he received feedback from a group of workers who talked about the institutional embarrassment of the current problem and their outrage at what he called a tiny minority.

A full-scale investigation was under way Monday led by Linton Brooks, the head of the National Nuclear Security Administration. Kyle McSlarrow, a deputy energy secretary, was also assigned by Abraham to investigate the missing data files.

Two computer disks, called Classified Removable Electronic Data, were reported missing July 7 from the weapons physics department, Los Alamos officials said. Despite an immediate search they have not been located.

The disappearance of these files precipitated the latest review, but during the weekend another apparent security lapse was reported by the Project on Government Oversight, an independent government watchdog group.

In recent months there have been 17 incidents of classified information being sent over an unclassified e-mail system at Los Alamos, which is a violation of the laboratory's regulations, the group stated.

Without discussing specifics, all matters or incidents associated with unclassified e-mails and classified information have been properly reported to NNSA and have been properly mitigated to prevent significant risks to national security, lab spokesman Jim Fallin said in a statement.

Although Los Alamos built a worldwide reputation after its role in developing the first atomic bomb during World War II, the New Mexico laboratory has been troubled in recent years by reports of mismanagement and security breaches.

The most publicized was the prosecution of Los Alamos scientist Wen Ho Lee four years ago for allegedly mishandling nuclear-weapons secrets. The government's case fell apart, and Lee pleaded guilty to one of 60 counts in a plea bargain with prosecutors.

Nanos was appointed to head the laboratory in January 2003 after an audit questioned nearly $5 million in purchases made on employee credit cards and whistleblowers reported $1.3 million in computers and equipment were missing.

A longtime Los Alamos observer says a number of factors may be involved in the continuing problems at the laboratory.

It could be there are a number of bad apples, said Steven Aftergood, a project director at the Federation of American Scientists. In other words, individuals who have a bad attitude and who are prone to violate the rules. If that is the problem, the solution is a tighter personal security program that weeds out the renegades.

The problem could also be more profound in that security is devalued by employees who are otherwise conscientious about carrying out their jobs, he said.

It could also be that too much information at the lab is too highly classified and every time a piece of paper or a diskette is misplaced, an international alarm goes off, he said. Or, it could be a combination of all of those.

Aftergood said much more information is needed before officials can focus on the problem and work out a solution.

The NNSA will formally request bids on the Los Alamos contract next month, and the University of California may get some competition. The University of Texas has expressed interest, and a few private companies may bid.

The University of California has operated Los Alamos for many years, but that could be changing after the recent headaches. Abraham said he put the contract up for bid because of poor administration.

The University (of California) bears responsibility for the systemic management failures that came to light in 2002, Abraham said.

Aftergood said he believes the University of California would like to keep the contract, and lab employees favor it.

The university still wants the contract, as far as I know, he said. I think the lab employees view the University of California as their first choice, but it's not up to them. Certainly this latest episode placed a continued relationship with UC in jeopardy.

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