Highlights for February 14 - February 18, 2005

Office of Safeguards and Security Evaluations (OA-10)

Site Assistance Visits (SAVs): Preparations began this week for the SAV scheduled to be conducted at the Office of Secure Transportation (OST). The final SAV is scheduled to be conducted at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Executive summaries of completed SAVs are being prepared and are scheduled to be provided to site management next week. The objective of the SAVs is to identify protection strategies and technologies to effectively implement the September 2004 design basis threat (DBT). A final report summarizing SAV activities is scheduled to be released in May.

Sandia National Laboratories-New Mexico (SNL-NM) Safeguards and Security Comprehensive Inspection: Preparations continued for an onsite planning visit scheduled to be conducted at SNL-NM in support of the comprehensive inspection. The remainder of the data call has been received and provided to inspection topic teams. This inspection is being conducted as a part of a combined OA-10, OA-20, and OA-30 inspection.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Chemical / Biological (Chem/Bio) Visit: Preparations were initiated for a visit to ORNL. OA-10 and OA-30 are scheduled to make a presentation on safety, security, and emergency management regarding biological work; and tour the ORNL biological safety laboratory. This preliminary information gathering visit will aid in the planning for the ORNL inspection.

Safeguards and Security Lessons-Learned: The revised draft will be reviewed during the quality review board scheduled for next week (February 24). The report is based on safeguard and security inspection results over the last two years and will identify positive attributes, areas needing improvement, and best practices to enhance protection programs throughout the Department. The final report will be distributed to ESE and NNSA security managers.

Basic Security Police Officer Training Special Review: The draft report was revised in preparation for the quality review board review scheduled for next week (February 24).

Nuclear Materials Management Safeguards System (NMMSS) Task Force Report: The task force report was distributed this week.

Personnel Security Clearance (PSC) Program Streamlining Standing Committee: Participated in the initial meeting of the standing committee this week (February 17). The purpose of the meeting was to finalize the standing committee's charter, and to discuss the status of short and long-term actions that are intended to enhance and streamline the PSC program.

Material Control and Accountability (MC&A) Task Force: Interviews were conducted this week in support of the MC&A Task Force. Personnel from the Office of Security (SO), Office of Environmental Management (EM) and the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) were interviewed concerning current MC&A policy, technologies, field assistance, databases, and organizational structures and interfaces. The information from the interviews will be analyzed next week and provided to the task force.

Office of Cyber Security Evaluations (OA-20)

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) Classified Cyber Security Inspection: Preparations continued for an onsite planning visit scheduled to be conducted at SNL NM in support of the comprehensive inspection. The technical assessment protocol has been discussed with the designated approving authority (DAA) and signatures are pending arrival for the scoping visit. The scope of the inspection is scheduled to include SNL operations in New Mexico and California. This inspection is being conducted as a part of a combined OA 10, OA-20, and OA-30 inspection.

South-Eastern Power Administration (SEPA) Cyber Security Inspection: Preparations continued this week in support of onsite data collection activities scheduled to be conducted at SEPA Headquarters. Coordination continued with key SEPA cyber security personnel. Many of the documents requested have been received and are being reviewed. A final teleconference is being held this week. Technical testing was initiated this week.

Continuous Network Scanning Program: Contacts have been made and scanning is ongoing or will commence within the next couple of weeks at four DOE sites - Headquarters, Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), the Pantex Plant, and the Southwestern Power Administration (SWPA). Additional sites will be incorporated into the program over the next several months. The implementation of the continuous scanning program is in response to the Secretary's Security Initiatives.

Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) Cyber Security Inspection: The development of the draft report was initiated this week. Validation and closeout activities are scheduled.

Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) Cyber Security Inspection: The final report is scheduled to be issued this week. An interim corrective action plan is required to be submitted within 30 days.

Department of Energy Architecture Repository (DEAR) Software Application Special Review: The final report was issued this week. An interim corrective action plan is required to be submitted within 30 days. 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).

Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) Cyber Security Inspection Corrective Action Plan (CAP): Review of the interim CAP was completed. The action plan was found to appropriately address the identified cyber security findings. The final CAP will be incorporated into BPA's Plan of Action and Milestones (POAM) that is submitted quarterly to the Departments Chief Information Officer.

Southwestern Power Administration (SWPA) Unclassified Cyber Security Inspection Corrective Action Plan (CAP): Comments on the CAP have been submitted to SWPA. A final corrective action plan is due in early March.

Office of Emergency Management Oversight (OA-30)

Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PORTS) Emergency Management Inspection: Planning activities were initiated for the inspection. The November 2004 characterization visit to PORTS has made it possible to combine the planning and scoping visits into a single site visit reducing the impact of the inspection on site activities.

Sandia National Laboratories - New Mexico (SNL-NM) Emergency Management Inspection: Preparations continued for an onsite planning visit in support of the comprehensive inspection. Inspection activities will include integrating emergency management and security performance test objectives.

Argonne National Laboratory-West (ANL-W) Emergency Management Targeted Review Corrective Action Plan (CAP): Development of a response to the CAP submitted by the site was initiated this week. On February 1, ANL-W and Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) merged to become the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). ANL-W has been renamed the Materials and Fuels Complex (MFC) by Battelle Energy Alliance (BEA), the new INL contractor. The execution of this interim CAP will be the responsibility of BEA. The change in contractor will necessitate significant organizational changes in the emergency management at the site. It is expected that the final CAP will reflect some action revision and schedule changes now that BEA has become fully engaged in the CAP process.

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

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) ES&H Inspection: Preparations continued for an onsite planning visit scheduled to be conducted at SNL-NM in support of the comprehensive inspection. Coordination continued with DOE site office and laboratory contacts. Inspection activities are being coordinated with the other OA offices who will be conducting a combined inspection.

Argonne National Laboratory-East (ANL-E) ES&H Inspection: Preparations continued this week in support of onsite scoping activities. Conference calls are being conducted to establish scoping agenda activities to include facility tours, technical discussions, interviews and status of corrective actions from the previous OA review.

Pantex Plant (Pantex) ES&H Inspection: Onsite validation and closeout activities were conducted at Pantex this week (February 15-17).

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) ES&H Inspection Corrective Action Plan (CAP): LLNL is scheduled to submit an interim CAP for review by the end of this week (February 18).

New Brunswick Laboratory (NBL) ES&H Inspection Corrective Action Plan (CAP): A meeting at NBL to address the corrective actions for the technical basis document and maintenance implementation plan is scheduled for next week (February 22-23).

ES&H Focus Area Reports: Preparation of the CY 04 reports continued. The review criteria and approaches for CY 05 focus areas have been prepared and were incorporated into the Pantex Plant and Sandia National Laboratories ES&H inspection plan.

Annual ES&H Lessons Learned Report: Development of the report summarizing the lessons learned from CY 04 inspections continued.

National Training Center (NTC) Safety Professional Development Program: Continued to provide support to the development of two courses, Safety Systems Oversight (SSO) and Contractor Oversight, selected for fast-track deployment in the March-April time frame. On November 5, the Secretary of Energy designated the National Training Center (NTC) as the center of excellence in security and safety professional development. This initiative is in partnership with NNSA, EH, and other departmental organizations including the Federal Technical Capability Program. The Director, SSA, designated OA-40 senior staff to lead the safety professional development efforts.