Applicability of Tabletop Exercises for Enhancing the Evaluation of Material Control and Accountability System Effectiveness

A tabletop exercise is an effective technique for evaluating safeguards and security performance and the quality of training programs. For many years, the DOE Office of Enforcement and Oversight has routinely used tabletop exercises as part of its process to evaluate site nuclear material control and accountability (MC&A) programs. In addition, MC&A tabletop exercises are conducted by sites as part of their internal review and assessment activities, and by DOE/NNSA site offices to evaluate performance during surveys and assessments. A tabletop exercise is a useful tool to collect information about a site’s ability to resolve abnormal MC&A situations and properly respond to any associated safeguards and security event. This technique is used to determine the quality and completeness of response actions by personnel, the comprehensiveness and completeness of procedures and references used in performing response actions, and, if necessary, the availability of instrumentation, equipment, analytical tools, and other facility-related equipment. Additionally, tabletop exercises can provide information about the quality of the training program for personnel with MC&A duties and responsibilities. Scenarios that stretch beyond the design basis threat also can be tested as a means of enhancing MC&A program effectiveness. This paper presents an overview of tabletop exercises, outlines their conduct, and provides an example of an MC&A tabletop exercise. Benefits and limitations of using tabletop exercises as a technique for evaluating MC&A system performance, training new MC&A personnel, and identifying potential MC&A weaknesses are discussed.