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4 Broken Relationship
Pages 19-23

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From page 19...
... In the postCold War period -- in the absence of nuclear-explosion testing and the production of new weapons -- the responsibility to maintain an enduring stockpile requires advanced science, technology and engineering competencies. NNSA headquarters elements provide "policy, priority, and program funding guidance, along with oversight and programs toward defined strategic goals." 2 NNSA Site Offices are located in proximity to the laboratories to provide "direct budget, regulatory and contract oversight, and administrative authority for these laboratories." 3 The NNSA management approach seeks to integrate "leadership, people, and processes to better accomplish [the]
From page 20...
... However, in an environment of broken trust, it carries a high risk that management will focus almost entirely on those contractual scoring criteria that account for the majority of the award fee, to the detriment of the science and engineering components of the mission. A senior staff member at LANL provided some written comments to the study committee that captures the situation very well: When I started as a young postdoc and then later in my career as university professor and also here at the laboratory, there was a social contract, which basically said ‘You will never get rich in science, but we treat you as adults, respect you for your commitment, and in turn you can pursue science and have fun.' Today, this contract is badly broken .
From page 21...
... This reflects mistrust of laboratory management and staff to execute its mission responsibilities effectively and with reliable commitment to safety, security, and environmental concerns. The study committee recognizes the responsibility to follow federal regulations about environment health, safety, and security, but also argues for a balanced approach that maximizes scientific flexibility within those requirements.
From page 22...
... The study committee recommends that NNSA and the laboratories agree on a set of principles that clearly lay out the boundaries and roles of each management structure, and also that program managers at headquarters, the Site Offices, and in the laboratories be directed to abide by these principles. For example, the site manager and the director and/or deputy director of each laboratory could establish, in consultation with other laboratory staff, a process to identify and agree on eliminating certain oversight procedures that are not necessary or related to the overall goals of the laboratory.
From page 23...
... In an environment that lacks trust, lack of an effective process for resolving such conflicts leads to situations that can be viewed either as NNSA inserting itself in an inappropriate operational role or the laboratories inappropriately challenging NNSA's role. A better mechanism could be established for resolving technical disputes, without elevating them to top NNSA management and congressional levels.


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