Proactive management of nuclear material safeguards and security at Los Alamos

This paper describes the strategic management of the accountability, control, and physical protection of nuclear material at Los Alamos. Changing priorities and constrained budgets across the DOE nuclear complex make performance of nuclear material safeguards and security (S&S) functions increasingly difficult. In response to new stockpile management responsibilities and a number of significant S&S issues, Los Alamos has implemented a management structure and process that defines responsibility for safeguards in all managerial levels and provides direct access to funding allocation decisions. A materials control and accounting (MC&A) Senior Steering Group was formed to prioritize and direct activities to improve S&S and to provide change control. Participation includes safeguards and program elements from both Los Alamos and the DOE/Albuquerque Operations Office, The changes allowed a prompt and organized response to identified S&S deficiencies and are intended to provide a proactive approach to managing S&S in the future.