BUSINESS AND OPERATIONAL STRATEGIES FOR NATIONAL MPC&A TRAINING AND EDUCATION CENTERS

The US -Russian collaboration to improve nuclear material protection, control, and accounting (MPC&A) in Russia has progressed to the point where national MPC&A training and education centers are fully functional. The Russian Methodological Training Center (RMTC), Interdepartmental Special Training Center (ISTC), and the Moscow State Engineering Physics Institute (MEPhI) help maintain operational expertise, promote consistency of training and educational curriculum, and encourage the exchange and sharing of experience and expertise in MPC&A. Recently, each of these centers has identified the need to develop a business and operational strategy due to economic instability and lack of funding from facilities/institutes who utilize these resources. Progress in this area will enable them to be productive and promote continued operation of these centers. Each has participated in a business strategy workshop given by CARANA Corporation and is currently in the process of identifying strategies and methods to maintain operations and improve financial control in light of instability in Russia’s economic situation. This paper will describe the current status and future business and operational strategies that each of these centers plans to develop and implement in the future.