Highlights for July 25 - July 29, 2005

Office of Independent Oversight and Performance Assurance (OA-1)

Contractor Assurance System Workshop: The Director, OA, spoke to workshop attendees regarding the status of the DOE Oversight Policy and Order in Albuquerque, NM, this week (July 27). The workshop was sponsored by NNSA and was attended by NNSA and ESE federal and contractor personnel, and DNFSB representatives. The objective of the workshop was to maximize the effectiveness of the contractor assurance system by sharing assurance-related observations, successes, and issues.

Office of Safeguards and Security Evaluations (OA-10)

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Special Review of Safeguards and Security and Emergency Management of Chemical and Select Biological Agents: An inspection plan was presented to SSA management for review and concurrence in support of this special review/inspection to be conducted at ORNL. This review will characterize the protection and emergency response programs associated with the expanding work for others efforts involving chemical and biological agents. This will be a joint review conducted by the Offices of Safeguards and Security Evaluations (OA-10) and Emergency management Oversight (OA-30).

Office of Secure Transportation (OST) Safeguards and Security Comprehensive Inspection and National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Service Center Personnel Security Clearance Program Special Review: Planning and onsite data collection activities are scheduled to be conducted in Albuquerque, NM. The team will visit various sites - Fort Chaffee, AR, Amarillo, TX, and Oak Ridge, TN - as part of data collection activities. Performance testing is planned at the Nevada Test Site (NTS).

Waste Isolation Pilot Project (WIPP) Safeguards and Security Special Review: At the request of the Carlsbad Site Office, OA has rescheduled the scoping visit to be conducted a week from the originally scheduled trip. The special review will focus on the protection afforded classified parts shipped from DOE sites to WIPP, located in Carlsbad, NM. Initial data collection and a follow-up data collection visits are scheduled. A final report will be issued in November.

Nevada Test Site (NTS) Safeguards and Security Comprehensive Inspection: Data collection activities were completed this week. Performance testing, report writing, and close out activities are scheduled. Representatives from the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) are scheduled to observe portions of the force-on-force performance exercises.

Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12) Safeguards and Security Comprehensive Inspection: The final report has been approved and dispatched. An interim CAP is expected from the site by August 22.

Sandia National Laboratories-New Mexico (SNL-NM) Safeguards and Security Comprehensive Inspection Corrective Action Plan (CAP): A final CAP is expected from the site next week (August 1).

Safeguards and Security Lessons-Learned Report: An internal management review of the draft Lessons Learned report was conducted this week (July 25). As a result significant revisions to the document will be required. The report is based on safeguard and security inspection results from 2002 to 2005, and will be distributed to National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), and Energy, Science, and Environment (ESE) security managers.

SSA Performance Test and Analysis Center (PTAC) Dedication: Distinguished visitors are scheduled to participate in the dedication of PTAC at Battelle Memorial Institute, Columbus, OH. The PTAC is designed to enhance protective force performance test capabilities and improve the protective force response to a threat by bringing together performance test, protective force, vulnerability assessment, and tactical experts from throughout DOE to develop rigorous protocols that assess the readiness and capabilities of DOE forces.

Office of Cyber Security Evaluations (OA-20)

Cyber Security Improvement Initiative: A coordination meeting was conducted this week (July 29) with the OCIO in support of this initiative. The Deputy Secretary approved the Department-wide cyber security improvement initiative jointly sponsored by OA and the OCIO. The initiative has a number of phases, including the analysis of causal factors associated with the Department's systemic poor cyber security performance; the development of additional cyber security expectations for DOE line organizations; and the conduct of site assistance visits (SAVs) to evaluate site performance against DOE security expectations.

Annual Evaluation Report for the Department of Energy's Classified Information System Security Program. Development of this year's annual evaluation report continued. Discussions with the Office of the Chief Information Officer and NNSA are scheduled to be conducted prior to completion of the annual evaluation report. OA has been assigned the responsibility of preparing an annual evaluation of the Department's classified information system security program as required by the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA). Classified cyber security inspections were conducted at various DOE/NNSA sites to provide the information for this year's annual evaluation.

Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12) Classified Cyber Security Inspection: The final report was distributed to Y-12 this week. No findings were identified and no further action is necessary. This was part of a combined inspection with OA 10.

Continuous Network Scanning Program: DOE sites identified during the perimeter scanning project continue to be added to the scanning program as points of contact are established and Internet protocol ranges are verified. This program is being conducted in support of the Secretary's Security Initiatives.

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) Cyber Security Inspection Corrective Action Plan (CAP): Comments were provided to SNL on the interim CAP. The final CAP is due in mid-August. This inspection was part of a combined OA-10, OA-20, and OA-30 inspection.

Department of Energy Architecture Repository (DEAR) Software Application Special Review Corrective Action Plan (CAP): The final CAP is due from the OCIO by the end of this week (July 29). A security review of the DEAR software application managed by the OCIO was performed in response to concerns raised by the National Treasury Employee Union (NTEU).

Office of Emergency Management Oversight (OA-30)

Pantex Site Emergency Management Inspection: Onsite data collection activities were conducted this week. Onsite validation and closeout activities are scheduled.

National Response Assets Inspection Planning: Preparations continued to observe a national response exercise at a Department of Defense (DoD) facility in August. An inspection plan is under development in coordination with NA 40 in support of the Radiological Assistance Program inspection to be conducted in CY 2006.

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) Emergency Management Inspection: Review of the comments to the draft final report from LLNL continued. The final report is scheduled to be completed by the end of next week (August 5).

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) Emergency Management Inspection Corrective Action Plan (CAP): Review of the interim CAP from the Sandia Site Office (SSO) continued. SSO will not be seeking an extension to the development of the emergency management portion of the final CAP. This activity was part of a combined OA-10, OA-20, and OA-30 inspection.

Office of Environment, Safety, and Health (ES&H) Evaluations (OA-40)

Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) ES&H Inspection: Onsite scoping, planning, and data collection activities are scheduled.

Y-12 National Security Complex ES&H Inspection: Onsite planning activities and data collection activities are scheduled.

Idaho National Laboratory (INL) ES&H Inspection: Site comments on the draft report were received and are being addressed. The final report is scheduled to be completed in August.

Worker Vapor Exposure and Occupational Medicine Allegations at the Hanford Site Follow-Up: Site comments to the final draft have been resolved and the report is in final editing and publication.

Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) ES&H Inspection Corrective Action Plan (CAP): A CAP is expected from the site in August.from ANL have been received and are under review. A briefing to discuss inspection findings was provided to Environment, Safety, and Health last week (May 31).

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) Environment, Safety, and Health Management Inspection Corrective Action Plan (CAP): A CAP is expected from the site in August.from ANL have been received and are under review. A briefing to discuss inspection findings was provided to Environment, Safety, and Health last week (May 31).

ES&H Lessons Learned Reports: Development of the Unreviewed Safety Question Process lessons learned report continued. Six additional focus areas are being evaluated as part of the ES&H inspections being conducted during CY 2005.

Draft Oversight Order 226.1: Further follow up with the DNFSB continued.

Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) Recommendation 2004-1 Implementation Plan: Supported implementation plan activities regarding the 2004-1 recommendation to include development of the safety oversight manual.

National Training Center (NTC) Safety Professional Development Program: Continued to support the NTC in developing a "General Technical Base Qualification" course. The course is currently being revised / converted to a new platform and is expected to be posted to DOE's Online Learning Center web page for further testing by the end of July. The new course will be presented during the first half of August.

National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Workshop: The Director, OA-40, attended a NNSA workshop on Contractor Assurance System Lessons Learned in Albuquerque, NM this week (July 28-29).