[DOE LETTERHEAD]

 

National Nuclear Security Administration

 

June 30, 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 purpose of this letter is to report on the status of commitment 4.4.1 in the Implementation Plan for Defense Nuclear Facility Safety Board (DNFSB) Recommendation 2002-2, U.S. Department of Energy Plan to Address and Resolve Weapons Laboratory Support of Defense Nuclear Complex.

 

Commitment 4.4.1 was completed by the issuance of National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Contracting Officer Representative (COR) letters to NNSA sites with designees who oversee work of the Laboratory. The letters outline COR responsibilities and authorities in relation to business conducted at the Laboratory. Authorities include, but are not exclusive to, providing program direction, initiating timely work authorizations, and performing oversight activities for Directed Stockpile Work (DSW) maintenance, and research and development (R&D); weapon R&D associated with safety; SS-21; Laboratory weapons response; the Integrated Weapons Activity Plan; pit manufacturing and certification, science, and engineering campaigns; and Readiness in Technical Base Facilities program readiness. Contracting Officers will ensure Laboratory support requirements related to safety of operations of the defense nuclear weapons complex are tracked and met within the current resources of the contract. The NNSA COR nominating letters for DSW and the national laboratory site office COR appointment letters are enclosed per Commitment 4.4.1 of DNFSB Recommendation 2002-2.

 

If you have any further questions, please call me at (202) 586-1730.

 

Sincerely,

 

M. Schoenbauer, Director

Office of Nuclear Defense Programs

Weapons Stockpile

 

Enclosures

 

cc: M. Whitaker