National Nuclear Security Administration And The Nuclear Security Enterprise

The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)leads a nuclear security enterprise that includes three national laboratories, several production facilities, and an experimental test site. NNSA's mission is protect the American people by maintaining a safe, secure, and effective nuclear weapons stockpile; by reducing global nuclear threats; and by providing the U.S. Navy with safe, militarily effective naval nuclear propulsion plants. The FY2016 National Defense Authorization Act called for the National Academies, in partnership with the National Academy of Public Administration, to track and assess progress over 2016-2020 to reform governance and management of the enterprise. Governance and Management of the Nuclear Security Enterprise assesses the effectiveness of reform efforts and makes recommendations for further action.

During the late 1990s, the Department of Energy (DOE) had difficulties with a lack of clear management authority and responsibility that contributed to security problems at the nation's nuclear weapons laboratories and management problems with major projects. In response, Congress created the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) as a separately organised agency within the DOE under the NNSA Act. The NNSA is responsible for managing nuclear weapons and non-proliferation-related national security activities in laboratories and other facilities, collectively known as the nuclear security enterprise. This book examines the problems that have arisen with the nuclear security enterprise, from projects' cost and schedule overruns to inadequate oversight of safety and security at NNSA's sites. With the NNSA proposing to spend tens of billions of dollars to modernise its facilities, it is important to ensure scarce resources are spent in an effective and efficient manner.

The Nuclear Security Enterprise consists of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) plus a large, distributed system of laboratories, production plants, and other sites that are staffed by personnel working under management and operating contracts. In collaboration with the National Academy of Public Administration, Report 4 on Tracking and Assessing Governance and Management Reform in the Nuclear Security Enterprise evaluates the implementation plan developed by the National Nuclear Security Administration and Department of Energy in response to the FY2016 National Defense Authorization Act, and the subsequent implementation of such plan. The recommendations of this report will guide the NNSA as they reform management culture to a culture of performance, accountability, and credibility that is mission-driven.

During the late 1990s, the Department of Energy (DOE) had difficulties with a lack of clear management authority and responsibility that contributed to security problems at the nation's nuclear weapons laboratories and management problems with major projects. In response, Congress created the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) as a separately organized agency within the DOE under the NNSA Act. The NNSA is responsible for managing nuclear weapons- and nonproliferation-related national security activities in laboratories and other facilities, collectively known as the nuclear security enterprise. This book examines the problems that have arisen with the nuclear security enterprise, from projects' cost and schedule overruns to inadequate oversight of safety and security at NNSA's sites. With the NNSA proposing to spend tens of billions of dollars to modernize its facilities, it is important to ensure scarce resources are spent in an effective and efficient manner.

The congressionally mandated report A New Foundation for the Nuclear Enterprise (the "Augustine-Mies" report), released in November 2014, concluded that "the existing governance structures and many of the practices of the [nuclear security] enterprise are inefficient and ineffective, thereby putting the entire enterprise at risk over the long term." Following the release of the Augustine-Mies report, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 called for DOE to develop an implementation plan for responding to the recommendations in that and similar reports. The NDAA also called for a 4 1â"2-year study, joint between the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and the National Academy of Public Administration, to evaluate the implementation plan, to track the actions proposed in that plan, and to assess progress. This report is the third in a series of reports to be issued over 2017â€"2020 as part of that study.

MODERNIZING THE NUCLEAR SECURITY ENTERPRISE: Observations on the National Nuclear Security Administration's Oversight of Safety, Security, and Project Management

The congressionally mandated report A New Foundation for the Nuclear Enterprise (the "Augustine-Mies" report), released in November 2014, concluded that "the existing governance structures and many of the practices of the [nuclear security] enterprise are inefficient and ineffective, thereby putting the entire enterprise at risk over the long term." Following the release of the Augustine-Mies report, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 called for DOE to develop an implementation plan for responding to the recommendations in that and similar reports. The NDAA also called for a 4 1â"2-year study, joint between the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and the National Academy of Public Administration, to evaluate the implementation plan, to track the actions proposed in that plan, and to assess progress. This report is the second in a series of reports to be issued over 2017â€"2020 as part of that study.

MODERNIZING THE NUCLEAR SECURITY ENTERPRISE: Observations on the Organization and Management of the National Nuclear Security Administration