Highlights for January 7 - January 11, 2002*

*This report includes on-going and completed actions for the period December 24, 2001-January 11, 2002

Activities Underway

The review of the Headquarters preliminary corrective action plans is underway. The Headquarters inspection reports will be finalized after the completion of the upcoming Appraisal Process Workshop.

A draft special study plan has been developed in support of a Secretary-directed audit of the security clearance decision making process. Data collection should begin be the end of January. A product is due to the Secretary no later than June 2002.

Preparations continue in support of upcoming Special Access Program inspections. Of special interest are additional security and logistical issues that must be resolved prior to the start of the inspections.

Discussions are underway on action to take in response to an IG inquiry regarding the need for a review of the Secretary's executive protection program.

Activities continue in support of the upcoming OA Inspection Process Workshop scheduled for January 2002.

Discussions are underway concerning a request from SR Operations Office Managers to assist in the evaluation of upcoming performance tests.

The development of additional query capabilities for tracking and analysis of safeguards and security policy issues has identified the need to test the capabilities of another software application. A limited test of an access database is underway.

Plans for the production of the Systems Performance Effectiveness Video is on schedule. OA staff will travel to Hanford for filming January 21-25, 2002.

Recommendations are being developed to enhance the updating of the CAP Status Book.

Work continues on a presentation on the independent inspection process for an upcoming meeting (February 2002) of the American Society of Quality.

At the request of the DOE Deputy Secretary, OA-20 is developing performance metrics that will focus on identifying information that can be used by senior management to determine performance of subordinate organizations, including trends and performance levels. OA has incorporated input from the DOE Office of the Chief Information Officer in developing the performance metrics. The proposed performance metrics will be presented to the Deputy Secretary on January 22, 2002.

OA-20 will hold an office workshop on January 17, 2002 to resolve comments on the Draft OA-20 Technical Standard Operating Procedures (TSOP). The TSOP will be finalized in mid-February 2002. In addition, coordination will occur on implementation of the Cyber Security Program Plan for the Cyber Security Laboratory and the OA-20 Appraisal Process Protocols.

OA-30 has initiated scoping interviews with SO-40, ME, and SO in preparation for the Headquarters facilities emergency response focused review scheduled to begin January 28. A final review plan will be issued January 18, 2002.

OA-50 managers and staff continue to refine the proposal for 2003 scope.

OA-50 staff completed the ORNL Health Services Division follow up report and sent it to the Oak Ridge Operations Office for a validation review. Comments were received verbally with formal comments to follow.

Efforts are continuing to revise the ES&H Appraisal Process Guide to make it compatible with OA ES&H mission and directives including DOE O 470.2A and OA management directions. A draft report has been compiled and is being reviewed by OA-50 management.

The Kansas City Plant Focused Review of ES&H and Emergency Management report was issued January10, 2002. A briefing is scheduled with the DNFSB on January 11.

OA-50 staff is continuing its efforts to draft a supplemental ES&H protocol to include additional interfaces with NNSA for appraisal activities at NNSA sites.

Efforts are continuing to review, analyze, and propose changes to over 20 DOE Directives (policies, orders, guides, and manuals) to reflect the transfer of ES&H oversight activities from EH to OA. These efforts are being coordinated with ME. OA-50 staff has also initiated coordination activities with EH on ISM policies, guides, FRAM, QA Order, ORR Order, and AI Order. Revisions to 11 DOE orders and 1 DOE Manual have been completed and will be submitted to ME following coordination with EH.

OA-50 Director, Deputy Director (team leader) and key team members conducted the Hanford Focused Safety Management Evaluation Scoping Visit on December 11-13. Initial plans were to focus on the Spent Nuclear Fuels project. However, based on discussion with the Assistant Secretary for Environmental Management and the Manager of the Richland Operations Office, the scope was revised to include PFP. Team planning will began on January 16.

In coordination with OA-30, OA-50 concluded a scoping visit for the Los Alamos Focused Safety and Emergency Management Evaluation. A weekly telecom with representatives from AL, LAAO, and LANL has been established to facilitate coordination efforts for the evaluation. This evaluation will include review of the safety management system, including application of the core functions of ISM. It will also include an evaluation of the emergency management program and the functionality of a select vital safety system. Current plans are to focus on Chemical and Metallurgy Research Facility (CMR), managed by the Nuclear Materials and Technology Division, and Technical Area 50, managed by the Facility and Waste Operations Division.

OA-50 and key staff members have developed selected presentation material for the Appraisal Process Workshop to be held January 14 and 15, 2002, at the Crystal Gateway Marriott.

Office of Safeguards and Security Evaluations (OA-10)

An unclassified version of the POGO matrix was prepared and provided to the Hamre Commission to support their work for the Secretary. In advance of this, met with author of the POGO report to gain additional perspective on basis for the report and to provide information to the author on the independent oversight process.

Two members of the OA-12 staff conducted a visit to LLNL (January 7-10) in preparation for upcoming force on force performance testing associated with a scheduled comprehensive inspection.

Comments concerning draft DOE M 471.2-3A, Special Access Program Policies, Responsibilities, and Procedures has been forwarded to management.

Response to final Hanford corrective action plans has been dispatched.

A review was completed of draft CG-SS4 annex for Intelligence, Special Access Programs and TSCM and provided to the Office of Declassification.

The Office of Cyber Security Evaluations (OA-20) completed an external network security assessment of the Albuquerque Operations Office (AL). The assessment consisted of scanning to identify vulnerabilities associated with the external perimeter of AL's network and modems, penetration testing, firewall rules review, and intrusion detection evaluation. OA-20 is currently completing the assessment report and preparing a briefing for AL that summarizes the assessment results.

A draft of the OA Continuity of Operations plan has been completed in accordance with the Deputy Secretary's memorandum of November 30, 2001, and forwarded to the Office of Security for coordination.

On January 11, the final report on the Kansas City Plant was issued. OA-30 response to site comments and the preliminary CAP where provided to KCP by the OA Team Leader.

OA-30 participated in the LANL ESH/EM review-scoping visit the week of January 7-11.

Preparations for January's OA Appraisal Process Workshop have been completed. Three OA-30 personnel have been assigned development and presentation responsibilities.

Memorandums to the Manager, Oak Ridge Operations Office and the Director, ORNL Health Services Division have been issued announcing the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) granting of a three-year term accreditation to ORNL. The accreditation was based on the AAAHC survey conducted on September 17-18, 2001. Achieving a three-year term accreditation, the highest number of years awarded by the AAAHC, indicates ORNL's commitment to a continual program of self-evaluation and improvement. A formal response to issues raised during a stakeholder meeting that took place on November 19, 2001, with the Director of the Office of Independent Oversight and Performance Assurance and OA-50 staff, has been finalized.

Back to Weekly Highlights