SCMS
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Office of Science Management System (SCMS)?
SCMS is a tool that provides staff with SC-wide standards, procedures,
and guidelines that are current, accurate, and relevant to the work
they perform. Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) throughout the Office of
Science SC develop these standards, procedures, and guidelines based
on an evaluation of external requirements documents, including orders,
directives, and federal, state and local laws.
SCMS is the application that contains the summaries of all requirements
(e.g., Federal, state and local regulations, policies, etc.). These
summaries are called Subject Areas. Subject Areas are broken down into
procedures that staff use to carry out their jobs. Subject Areas contain
topical summaries and procedures that are applicable for all SC staff.
Procedures applicable to only one department are documented in other
ways, such as through internal operating procedures.
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Why does SC need SCMS?
- To create one organization, we must create tools
and approaches that are common to all
- Reengineering allows SC to evaluate requirements, practices, and
approaches together using teams represented by all sites
- The end product is a system for recognizing requirements in a uniform
manner, implementing them in a common way, and having a desktop
tool that keeps all this current and accessible for employees
at any SC location
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What drives the development of SCMS and its content?
- Establish one way of doing business for the SC complex by developing
processes that are uniform wherever possible and maximized to
be both effective and efficient
- Provide access to SC processes and their related Management Systems
to all SC employees through a web-based communications tool
- Develop and implement a long-term SC-wide Human Capital Plan
- Ensure SC meets its obligation to provide support to other DOE
offices
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How will SCMS succeed?
- Staff involvement
- Development of an efficient system that aids staff in their daily
work
- Staff, the eventual users of the system, are playing key roles
in the identification and development of standards, implementing
procedures, and guidelines. This input is resulting in a staff-
and process-oriented system that is efficient and user-friendly.
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What is a Management System?
Management Systems are SC's highest-level operating and business processes.
They are designed to translate requirements into information that staff
need to work. These systems are defined through Management System Descriptions,
which contain information about the individual Management System's
purpose, ownership, requirements and drivers, customers, system operations,
and responsibilities.
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What are Management System Descriptions?
High-level SC-wide operating processes are summarized in Management
System Descriptions. Each Management System Description identifies
all external requirements that apply to an area and translate
these requirements into internal processes that SC staff need
to perform their work.
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What are Subject Areas?
A Subject Area within a Management System is a focus of major importance
to the Management System. It logically groups and delivers uniform
SCMS procedures. They
are staff-oriented procedures, forms, and helpful guidance developed
with the input of staff who actually use the processes and information.
Subject Areas contain minimum requirements that apply across SC; organizations
within SC may choose to develop more stringent procedures specific
to their own work.
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What are SC Policies?
SC Policies are the highest level statements of the organization's
philosophy for conducting business.
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What are Program Descriptions?
Program Descriptions are developed when required by clients, regulations,
or the Management System to further describe operations to obtain agreement
on the processes that SC will employ. In some cases, small groups of staff
whose activities maintain the applicability process infrastructure use these
documents as the basis for operations.
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Why does SCMS need revisions in Word with the Track Changes on?
In order to maintain an accurate historical record of what changed, when
it changed, and who requested the change, the modifications cannot
be submitted orally. MS Word is widely used by SC staff and is the
preferred tool for submitting changes. For information on using the
Track Changes feature, please refer to SCMS
Editing Instructions. Additionally, you can always call the SCMS
Help Desk at 865-576-7267, and SCMS Operations staff will walk you
through some simple steps.
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What does the SCMS Operations Center do with our draft document?
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SCMS Operations edits the MSD, conferring with the
MSO or POC, as necessary, to ensure intent of the document
is maintained. (See the SCMS
Information for Authors and the SCMS
Style Guide for more detailed information.)
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SCMS Operations converts the MSD to Web format to enable
online review and comment via the SCMS web application tool.
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SCMS Operations then notifies the MSO/POC that the
document conversion is completed and provides a link to the
document.
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If I need assistance in using the SCMS system, who do I contact?
Contact the SCMS Help Desk at
865-576-7267.
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How can I get regular updates about changes to documents in SCMS?
Major revisions to SCMS documents are listed on the What's New page. Major and Minor Revisions are listed in the SCMS RSS feed.
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What should I do if I see incorrect information in SCMS?
Contact the SCMS Help Desk at
865-576-7267. Incorrect information will be passed on to the appropriate
parties for action.
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If I have questions on the content of a SCMS document,
what should I do?
Use the question/comment feedback button at the bottom of the applicable document.
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