[DOE
LETTERHEAD]
February 7, 2008
The Honorable A.J. Eggenberger
Chairman
Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board
Dear Dr. Eggenberger:
In the Department's quality assurance briefing to the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) on October 4, 2007, my staff committed to develop an approach and schedule by the end of 2007 for further addressing residual actions associated with Commitment 4.2.1.3 of the Department's Implementation Plan for DNFSB Recommendation 2002-1, Quality Assurance for Safety Related Software. This commitment required the Department to perform a gap analysis on the six original toolbox codes to determine the actions needed to bring the codes into compliance with Software Quality Assurance criteria.
The gap analysis reports for each of the original six toolbox codes have been completed. The gap analysis reports concluded that no software induced errors existed in the codes that would have led to non-conservatism at defense nuclear facilities. Additionally, code-specific guidance reports were issued to assist code users in the application of the toolbox codes. However, follow-up actions to resolve the gaps for each code based on the gap analysis have not been completed.
The attached path forward includes a plan and schedule outlining what has been accomplished to date along with the approach that will be used to resolve the gaps identified in the toolbox code gap analysis reports to allow closure of DNFSB Recommendation 2002-1. This plan and schedule, which has been jointly developed with the Office of Environmental Management and the National Nuclear Security Administration, have been discussed with members of your staff.
In the Department's October 4, 2007, quality assurance briefing, my staff also committed to provide a separate submittal in the second quarter of calendar year 2008, describing how the Safety Software Central Registry will be managed including code version changes and adding, as necessary, new codes such as safety design codes. The experience gained from working with the toolbox code developers during the gap closure effort, together with additional information regarding code usage from code users, will be used to develop a strategy for managing the Central Registry that will be productive and cost effective for the Department. If you have any questions, please contact me at (301) 903-3777 or your staff may contact Charles Lewis, Acting Director, Office of Corporate Safety Analysis, at (301) 903-8008 or Subir Sen, Office of Corporate Safety Programs, at (301) 903-6571.
Sincerely,
Glenn
Podonsky
Chief
Health, Safety and Security Officer
Office
of Health, Safety and Security
Attachment: Path Forward to Address Gaps in Toolbox Code Gap Analysis Reports