Roundup: GAO Reports, Major Contracts & Awards

GAO Reports

NNSA burdensome regulatory requirements

In 2019, NNSA reported to Congress on the findings of a survey conducted among seven management and operating (M&O) contractors that manage and operate NNSA nuclear security enterprise sites. The survey asked participants to identify federal, state, and local regulations they deemed unnecessarily burdensome. The results indicated 91 requirements were viewed as such, including certain security clearance requirements and worker safety regulations. NNSA committed to reviewing 16 of the identified requirements. GAO reviewed information on the following three areas related to NNSA's ultimate report to Congress:

Comparison of NNSA's findings with related reports

GAO found that over the past decade, three external groups have conducted studies and assessments of the nuclear security enterprise and issued reports citing ways NNSA's oversight has contributed to burden for M&O contractors. Their reports also cite ways in which NNSA's oversight may have contributed to increased costs or reduced mission capabilities.

NNSA's approach to collecting and reporting information on requirements that M&O contractors identified as burdensome

NNSA first collected information on the requirements the contractors viewed as burdensome, and second, asked the contractors to rate these requirements based on the likelihood that the requirement could be changed and the effects such a change would have on cost savings, morale, recruitment and retention, and mission capability. GAO interviewed M&O contractor representatives and found that their definitions of what constituted a "burdensome requirement" varied; however, multiple M&O contractors identified the same requirements, or sources of those requirements, as burdensome.

NNSA actions to address matters that M&O contractors identified as burdensome

Of the 16 matters NNSA indicated it was committed to reviewing, 10 matters are under revision or have been changed; two matters were reviewed, but no changes were made; and four matters were reviewed, and M&O contractor input will be considered should the regulation undergo a revision in the future. NNSA's list of matters included DOE directives, federal requirements, and an M&O contract change.

Priority open recommendations for DOE

On June 30, GAO released a report outlining 25 priority open recommendations for DOE. The recommendations are directed to heads of key departments or agencies with the understanding that their implementation “could save large amounts of money; improve congressional and/or executive branch decision-making on major issues; eliminate mismanagement, fraud, and abuse; or ensure that programs comply with laws and funds are legally spent, among other benefits.”

In April 2020, GAO published 20 priority recommendations for DOE, of which four were implemented. This latest report adds nine additional priorities to the outstanding 16 recommendations from 2020. The new recommendations address the following areas:

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  • project and program management.

  • contract management.

  • financial and cost information.

  • planning for the future of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

  • nuclear modernization challenges.

  • DOE's environmental liability.

  • cybersecurity.

  • worker protections.

  • electricity grid resilience.

GAO noted that “DOE’s continued attention to these issues could lead to significant improvements in government operations.”

 

Major Contracts & Awards

Savannah River Site Security Services contract reaffirmed

On June 10, DOE reaffirmed the Security Services contract, valued at approximately $1 billion over a potential 10-year performance, at the Savannah River Site (SRS) to SRS Critical Infrastructure Security, LLC. The objective of this contract is to effectively implement DOE, EM, and NNSA Safeguards and Security program requirements, responsibilities, obligations and activities at SRS in compliance with Departmental policy. DOE had previously suspended contract performance until corrective action by the Department was completed.  

Contract update: Major EM contracts expiring in 2021

DOE’s Office of Environmental Management (EM) recently released an updated list of major contracts, including 12 contracts that are set to expire in 2021. Of those contracts, 9 will expire in September.

Summary of Major EM Contracts

Summary of Major EM Contracts

Summary of DOE/NNSA Site Facility Management Contracts

Summary of DOE/NNSA Site Facility Management Contracts

Expiring in 2021:

  • Carlsbad Technical Assistance Contract (expiring 8/31/21)

  • Idaho Cleanup Project Core and Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Project (expiring 9/30/21)

  • NRC Licensed Facilities Management Contract (Idaho) (expiring 9/30/21)

  • Retrieval and Treatment of Hanford’s Radioactive and Hazardous Tank Waste (Tank Operations Contract) (expiring 9/30/21)

  • HPMC Corporation (OCC MedNew Occupational Medical Services for Hanford Site) (expiring 12/31/21)

  • Portsmouth Infrastructure Services (expiring 9/30/21)

  • Paducah Infrastructure Services (expiring 9/30/21)

  • Savannah River Liquid Waste Program – Treatment, Storage and Disposal of Radioactive Liquid Waste (expiring 9/30/21)

  • Management and Operation (M&O) of the Savannah River Site (expiring 9/30/21)

  • Security Services for Safeguard of Special Nuclear Material (expiring 10/7/21)

  • Site Environmental Monitoring, Decontamination and Demolition, and Surveillance and Maintenance (ETEC) (expiring 9/30/21)

  • Environmental Remediation of the Moab Uranium Mill Tailings (expiring 9/30/21)

A summary of major contracts by DOE’s Office of Environmental Management may be found here.

DOE and the National Nuclear Security Administration’s Site Facility Management Contracts may be found here.

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