In March 2000, Honeywell entered into discussions with three firms about outsourcing, and Honeywell ultimately agreed to outsource its facilities and utilities functions to engineering company Burns & McDonnell. Honeywell established 11 positions that would remain in the company to oversee and coordinate the facilities and utilities functions, but the remaining 55 employees were outsourced to Burns & McDonnell to ensure continuity of operations after the transfer of the facilities and utilities functions. Honeywell was awarded the DOE contract in October 2000, and effective January 2, 2001, the facilities and utilities engineering functions were outsourced to Facilities and Engineering Services (FES), a subsidiary of Burns & McDonnell created for this purpose. Honeywell then terminated the 55 remaining employees, including the nine plaintiffs.