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Departmental Representative to the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board

DESK REFERENCE

 

Supporting DOE Order 140.1A, Interface with the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board


ATTACHMENT
6. BOARD STAFF LINES OF INQUIRY (LOIs)

The Savannah River Operations Office (DOE-SR) receives frequent lines of inquiry (LOIs), often related to upcoming or potential staff visits (including staff calls and Video Teleconferences). These staff visits are more frequent and less formal than a visit by the actual Board or Board members. To minimize the diversion of large numbers of contractor assets to answer DNFSB Staff LOIs, DOE-SR has implemented the following:

  • Generally, the cognizant DOE federal employees should be on the call or at the meeting to answer the questions with minimal or zero contractor presence.

  • The feds and contractors should discuss the questions and work together on answers.

  • �Right Size� the effort to get the initial answers. Do not waste the time of our valuable assets on �polishing the cannonball.� If we can get a good answer with one staff hour of work, then do not expend ten staff-hours to get a perfect answer.

  • For a staff level visit, it is OK for us to get a few �look ups� and follow up with the additional information. We can save a lot of time on preparing answers that are �bulletproof� and having a �cast of thousands� in the room or on the call, �just in case.� We cannot afford to do that anymore.

  • In general, we do not need to send written responses for LOIs associated with an upcoming staff level visit. If we have written responses for our benefit to focus the discussion, then that is fine. If our local Resident Inspectors are offered an info copy then that is not a big deal.

  • In general, LOIs that come over should fall into three categories and we should deal with them accordingly:

    1. We know the answer now or minimal prep to articulate the answer. We should answer those as soon as reasonable.

    2. We do not know the answer, but we agree it is smart for us to know the answer. We should provide the Board Staff an estimate of when we can follow up (if later than our initial meeting/call.)

    3. We do not know the answer and we do not feel it is appropriate or value added to expend time & money on getting an answer. The Departmental Site Liaison (Chief Engineer at DOE-SR) should be informed and concur. We will be smart and diplomatic on these.