[DOE LETTERHEAD]

 

National Nuclear Security Administration

 

September 3, 2003

 

MEMORANDUM FOR:         MANAGER, LIVERMORE SITE OFFICE

MANAGER, LOS ALAMOS SITE OFFICE

MANAGER, NEVADA SITE OFFICE

MANAGER, SANDIA SITE OFFICE

MANAGER, KANSAS CITY SITE OFFICE

MANAGER, PANTEX SITE OFFICE

MANAGER, SAVANNAH RIVER SITE OFFICE

MANAGER, Y- 12 SITE OFFICE

 

FROM:                                    Everet H. Beckner

Deputy Administrator

for Defense Programs

 

SUBJECT:                               ACTION:  Correspondence with the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB)

 

In the attached memorandum, the Deputy Secretary reemphasized the need for all correspondence to the DNFSB to be complete and accurate.  The Deputy Secretary also directed that DNFSB correspondence be provided for review and comment to local DNFSB site representatives.  The Deputy Secretary’s memo was in response to recent concerns about completeness and accuracy of inputs that various sites provided to Headquarters for the purpose of forwarding to the DNFSB.

 

Accordingly, I am instituting procedures for corresponding to the DNFSB.  These procedures are intended to complement and not replace Departmental procedures for interfacing with the DNFSB.

 

In the future, when field input is necessary to respond to the DNFSB, a formal request will normally be provided by memorandum from NA-10 to the Site Manager(s).  In order to expedite the process, once the memorandum is approved by NA-10 and signed, the designated NA-10 point-of-contact will e-mail a copy of the NA-10 request to the Site Manager with a copy to other appropriate contacts at the site, if known.  The following requirements are to be observed in processing correspondence related to the DNFSB.

 

All correspondence related to the DNFSB will be forwarded to Headquarters (NA-10) using formal procedures, unless otherwise directed.  The Site Manager will personally sign all correspondence related to the DNFSB.  It is the Manager’s personal responsibility to assure the accuracy and completeness of the information and that the correspondence has been coordinated with the local DNFSB site representative or cognizant engineer.

 

In the extended absence of the Site Manager, a specifically designated individual having site-wide cognizance over DNFSB related issues will coordinate the correspondence with the local DNFSB site representative or cognizant engineer on behalf of the Manager, sign and forward the input to NA-10.  Upon the return of the Site Manager, he or she will review the document and affirm its accuracy.

 

A copy of the formal correspondence will be provided to the Headquarters individual identified for the action item.  When practical, a draft response should be provided to the Headquarters designee for review and comment prior to formally forwarding the response to NA-10.

 

Additionally, should it become apparent that the DNFSB site representative or cognizant engineer has significant issues with any proposed response, the NA-10 designee for the action will be informed for the purpose of advising NNSA senior management.

 

Attachment

 

cc:  w/attachment:

M. Whitaker, DR-1