[DOE LETTERHEAD]

 

NATIONAL NUCLEAR SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

 

April 7, 2003

 

The Honorable John T. Conway

Chairman

Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board

625 Indiana Avenue, N.W., Suite 700

Washington, D.C. 20004

 

Dear Mr. Chairman:

 

The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) continues to make progress in institutionalizing the periodic safety system assessments established in accordance with the Department’s Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board Recommendation 2000-2 Implementation Plan.  As a follow-up to the letter transmitted to you on December 2, 2002, from Edward B. Blackwood, this letter summarizes the NNSA plans and schedules to institutionalize safety system assessments into site procedures and practices.

 

Enclosed with this letter is a tabulated list, site by site, of those mechanisms each site is using to perform ongoing assessments of safety systems.  Our overall expectation is that each NNSA site office manager will appraise the adequacy of the contractor self-assessment processes and assessments of safety system operability and programs that support system operability.  This will be reflected within the NNSA Safety Management Functions, Responsibilities and Authorities Manual.

 

Should you have any questions regarding this direction, please contact Mr. Jeff Kimball,

301-903-6413.

 

Sincerely,

 

Everet H. Beckner

Deputy Administrator

for Defense Programs

 

Enclosure

 

cc:

M. Whitaker, S-3.1