2008 Marked by Major Accomplishments:
NTS Partners Looking Ahead to ’09 Challenges

Conducting high-tech experiments that test the readiness of the U.S. nuclear stockpile. Developing and testing nuclear radiation detection equipment to bolster defenses against weapons of mass destruction at our nation’s checkpoints. Teaching first responders how to detect radiation from potential terrorist attacks.

All of these unique missions are part of several major milestones achieved at Nevada Site Office (NSO) locations in 2008 by the federal team and its partners, National Security Technologies (NSTec), Stoller-Navarro Joint Venture (SNJV) and Wackenhut Services, Inc. Nevada (WSI-NV).

“The work we accomplished was critical to meeting many of the goals of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), and for those federal agencies who rely on the test site,” says Steve Mellington, who in November was named the 10th manager of the National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office (NNSA/NSO).

The past year saw the completion of a number of major goals, among them the transition of operations at the Nevada Test Site (NTS) from the National Laboratories to NSTec, WSI-NV gaining recertification as a Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) STAR participant, and SNJV relocating to the Nevada Support Facility at Losee Road.

In support of its primary missions of stockpile stewardship and nuclear readiness, the NTS also achieved significant marks in subcritical experiments, counterterrorism support training and low-level waste disposal.

“The outstanding employees of NSTec delivered quality products on time and on budget, enabling the use of the test site to complete vital national security missions,” says NSTec President Steve Younger. “I am particularly proud that we achieved both ISO 9001 (quality) and ISO 14001 (environment) certifications in FY 2008, and Earned Value Management System certification in December – the only NNSA site to have all three of these independent certificates of performance.”

And 2009 is expected to be even more ambitious. Goals include completion of the Criticality Experiments Facility (CEF) and support of Los Alamos National Laboratory work at NTS, the NTS beginning its support of training for the NNSA Office of Secure Transportation (OST), as well as a number of infrastructure projects, among them construction of a new fire station and upgrades to the Mercury Highway.

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