The Board is reviewing the Department of Energy's (DOE) current oversight and management of the contracts and contractors it relies upon to accomplish the mission assigned to DOE under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended. We will focus on what impact, if any, DOE 's new initiatives may have upon assuring adequate protection of the health and safety of the public and workers at DOE's defense nuclear facilities. Over the next several months, we will conduct a series of public meetings to collect information needed to understand and address any health or safety concerns that may require Board Action. This will include, but is not limited to, presentations by DOE and the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) to explain their contract management and oversight initiatives; presentations by federal and industry experts in contracting for essential and high risk government services; and possibly further presentations by DNFSB staff.

The Board has identified several key areas that will be better examined in a public meeting. In the September 10th meeting, the Board will hear from representatives from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the commercial nuclear sector, and the aerospace industry. The information gathered at that time will explore federal contract management and oversight experience in various organizations and will provide relevant reference experience. In subsequent public meetings, the Board will explore in more depth federal management and oversight policies being developed by DOE and NNSA for defense nuclear facilities. DOE and NNSA will be invited to discuss their new approaches to contract reform, contractor self-assessment, and federal oversight. The public hearing portion is independently authorized by 42 U.S.C. § 2286b.