Redefining Domestic Safeguards: The View from 50,000 Feet

Year
2007
Author(s)
Amy Whitworth - National Nuclear Security Administration
Amy Wilson - Institute of Nuclear Materials Management
Rachel Hayes - Y-12 National Security Complex
Cathy Key - Lockheed Martin Energy Systems
Geneva Johnson - National Security Technologies
Angie Temples - Y-12 National Security Complex
Abstract
The NNSA is undertaking an effort entitled the Safeguards First Principles Initiative to develop a principle-based standard for Nuclear Material Control and Accountability (MC&A) Programs. The objective of the Initiative is to prepare a standard for developing, implementing, and evaluating Nuclear Material Control and Accountability Programs to be adopted NNSA-wide. The standard will establish fundamental principles around which the NNSA expects its management and operating contractors to develop and implement their MC&A programs; support implementation of effective and efficient MC&A programs that are tailored to a well-characterized risk; facilitate implementation that is defensible from a risk management perspective with measurable performance; provide a basis for designing MC&A Programs in the context of the nuclear material inventory holdings and missions at the site; be tested at several different locations; provide the method for evaluating the program based on the design of the site; and independently validated.