Laser Interferometer Gravity
Wave Detector (LIGO)

Funded by: National Science Foundation

The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) is a $300 million dollar project that is funded by the National Science Foundation, which is developed and managed by Caltech and MIT. The observatory consists of two facilities -one in Hanford, Washington and the other in Livingston, Louisiana.

Each facility has an L shaped vacuum chamber with 2.5 mile long arms. The vacuum chamber contains a highly sensitive detector made up of optics and lasers. LIGO will attempt to detect cosmic gravitational waves by using the two detector facilities.

Project Management Consulting & Systems Implementation

BCF Solutions joined the LIGO team in June of 1994. At that time LIGO was faced with a critical review by NSF and Congress. BCF provided the staff needed to reorganize, re-scope, and re-plan the program. With the expertise provided by BCF the LIGO team received the support of NSF and Congress. Since then BCF has expanded its role on the program to include:

• Project Management Systems Implementation
• Engineering and Scientific Support
• IT and System Admin Support
• Earned Value Management System (EVMS) Consulting
• Cost Estimating/Pricing