# Presentation: 867154

## Standing Up The 

**Service Center**

**Standing Up The **
**NNSA Service Center**
**  *****Human Capital Management***
***Accomplishments ***
***And***
***Challenges***
**Jim Hirahara**
**June 3, 2003**

**Notes:**
Key Messages:

Good Morning and thank you for asking me to join you
Jim Hirahara – Director of NNSA Service Center 
Like to pick up where Mike Kane left off and share with you some of the human resource initiatives and challenges the NNSA Service Center is undertaking.
First – Background on what the service center is

## What is the Service Center?

**Who**:	Comprised of 701 employees from the Washington DC area,
- 		Oakland, Nevada and Albuquerque Offices
**What**:	Support mission work and optimizes efficiency by
- 		providing standardized business administrative and
- 		technical services for NNSA Site Offices and HQ
**Where**:Currently operates as a virtual organization in 4 locations
- 		- The Washington, D.C. Area
- 		- Oakland, California
- 		- Las Vegas, Nevada
- 		-Albuquerque, New Mexico

**National Nuclear Security Administration**
**Service Center**

**Notes:**
Key Messages:
The Service Center had 701 employees at stand-up 
403 from the former Albuquerque Ops
159 from the former Oakland Ops
111 from Nevada Ops
And 28 from NNSA/HQ
Serve as a central support function to site offices and HQ

## What is the Service Center (cont’d)

**National Nuclear Security Administration**
**Service Center**

**When**:	  Established in December 2002 as a “Virtual Center”
**Why:**	Improve Effectiveness and Efficiency
-   Consolidate support functions to one location
-    Standardize practices
-      Align field structure to support strengthened Site    	Management concept
**Overall Goal:**   Consolidate all Service Center operations in Albuquerque by August, 2004 with a target staffing level of 475 employees

**Notes:**
Key Messages:
Operate as a virtual support structure
By consolidating business and administrative services we can standardized practices across NNSA, recognize efficiencies and meet reduced staffing targets
NNSA staff reduction of 20% by August 04 – Service Center staff reduction is roughly 30%

## Service Center Accomplishment

**National Nuclear Security Administration**
**Service Center**

**Defined Organization Mission, Functions & Structure**
**Established Leadership Team**
**Developed Managed Staffing Plan**
**Finalized a Service Center Strategic Plan**
**Established Career Transition Center**
**Partnership with Site Offices**
**Meeting Mission Requirements**

**Notes:**
Key Messages:

As I mentioned before, when the service Center was formed only 7 managers named – by February of 2003 we had All the Department Mangers in place.  
This was done using a streamlined, expression of interest form, which allowed all GS-15 and Excepted Services IV to indicate positions they were interested in.

Candidates were interviewed by a panel made up of Service Center, Site Office and NNSA HQ leadership

The Managed Staffing Plan for the Service Center, identifies what functions the service center will perform, the amount of staff required to perform the function and identifies where there are gaps and surplus skill issues.
The Service Level Agreement was a major undertaking which required the involvement of all the Service Center Leadership team.

The Service Level Agreements are site specific and identify the functional roles and responsibilities of the Site Offices versus the Service Center.  The document serves as a guideline as to what support and level of support the Service Center will support a functional element in the Site Office – the documents are signed by myself and the Site Office Director

Important to keep in mind the document is not cast in stone and as staffing situations change at each site office the documents will be modified to fit the situation.

##          NATIONAL NUCLEAR SECURITY ADMINISTRATION 

**OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR**
- James S. Hirahara, Director
- 510-637-1800
- Kenneth W.  Powers, Deputy Director
- 702-295-3211
- Susan P. Johnson, Executive Officer 702-295-0212

**         ****NATIONAL NUCLEAR SECURITY ADMINISTRATION **
**SERVICE CENTER**

-  Approved  with Attachment 1 by:
- _Original Signed by:  James S. Hirahara_
- _May 22, 2003                              _
- Date

**OFFICE OF BUSINESS SERVICES**
- Frank A. Baca, Associate Director
- 505-845-6050
- Deborah C. Miller, Deputy Associate Director
- 505-845-4903

**OFFICE OF FIELD FINANCIAL MGMT.**
- David L. Marks Jr., Director
- 702-295-3126
- Leland G. Elster, Deputy Director
- 510-637-1555

## Initiatives in Progress

**National Nuclear Security Administration**
**Service Center**

**Developing Implementing Plans for Strategic Goals**
**Create an accountable and responsible organization**
**Right-size with appropriate skill mix**
**Foster strong customer relationships**
**Re-engineer and standardize processes and operations**
**Transition Planning**
**Facilities and logistics, including IT**
**Financial planning/cost and schedule**
**Communication process**
**People Moves**
**Developed Service Level Agreements with 8 NNSA Site****    Offices and NNSA HQ**

**Notes:**
Key Messages
Strategic Plan is draft for employee comment – it identifies four strategic goals with objectives to meet those goals.  My personal goal is that each and every Service Center employee can see themselves in at least one of our strategic

Consistent Operations and Procedures:
When you operate as a virtual center but in four locations, nothing rises to the surface quicker than the discrepancies and organizational differences in implementation of policies and practices.  Addressing inconsistencies, in areas such as travel incentive programs, to AWS (alternate work schedules) is a major undertaking.  When you are trying to bring four geographic locations to think as one – consistency is key, not only to mission efficiency but to employee morale.

The transition plan sets the goals for establishing an integrated NNSA Service Center.  It addresses:
 the personnel actions needed to consolidate to a single location
the facility and logistical planning that must be accomplished to close down offices and relocate people, furniture etc
Transition and consolidation of IT Services
Financial Planning – cost and schedule requirements and milestones to meet August 04 deadline
Communication – how we will keep employees involved and informed in the process

## Service Center

**Human Capital Management Challenges**
**Re-defining organizational roles and responsibilities**
**Managing and communicating with a “Virtual ****	****Organization”**
**Changing work practices to streamline operations**
**Consolidating future operations**
**Reducing Workforce**

**National Nuclear Security Administration**
**Service Center**

**Notes:**
Key Messages:
Two of the biggest challenges the Service center faces

Best mechanism to manage and communicate with hundreds of employees spread  coast to coast.
How to consolidate and reduce workforce without using a Reduction in Force

## Executive Council meets  twice monthly

**Executive Council rotates meeting locations**
**Leadership team representation in all four **
**	****geographic locations**
**All Service Center information posted on NNSAWEB**
**Monthly All Hands Meetings conducted and broadcast **
**	****across all Service Center locations**
**	**

**How we Manage and communicate in a “Virtual Organization”**

**National Nuclear Security Administration**
**Service Center**

**Notes:**
Key messages:

Executive Council – Membership (Director, Deputy, ADS, Chief of Staff and Legal
Regular meetings, vary locations which allows management time in each location
Leadership team (membership is Executive Council plus Department Managers – represents all four locations
Regular two way communication with employees

## How We Will Consolidate and

**Reduce Service Center Work Force**
**November 2003 – Service Center Employees in Nevada, Oakland and HQ will be Directed in Writing to Report to Albuquerque by a Certain Date**
**January 2004 – Employees Elect to Accept or Decline Reassignment**
**April – August 2004 – Staggered Reporting Dates**** **

**National Nuclear Security Administration**
**Service Center**

**Notes:**
Key Messages:

September 2003 Survey is for info only – not a commitment
November – Notice of Directed Reassignment
January – Employees decline or accept – employees who decline will be issued a Notice of Proposed Removal effective August 20, 2004 and will be eligible for Career Transition Assistance 

## Process For Addressing Staffing Skill Mix Issues

**Office Title**
**Federal Positions:**
- Position Title, Series, Grade (#)

**Functions:**
- Function Statement 1

**Functions:**
- Function Statement 1

**Functions:**
- Function Statement 1

**Functions:**
- Function Statement 1

**Functions:**
- Function Statement 1

**Anticipated Changes to Functions**

**Office Title**
**Federal Positions:**
- Position Title, Series, Grade (#)

**Functions:**
- Function Statement 1

**Functions:**
- Function Statement 1

**Functions:**
- Function Statement 1

**Functions:**
- Function Statement 1

**Functions:**
- Function Statement 1

**Anticipate Changes to Functions**

**Process For Addressing Staffing Skill Mix Issues**

**Plans are Being Developed with the Assumption that **
**	****Jobs will be Available for All Service Center Employees**
**	****Willing to Relocate to Albuquerque**
**Identify Expected Skill Mix issues in Mid-FY 2004, **
**	****Following Employee Acceptance/Declinations of **
**	****Reassignment to Albuquerque**

**National Nuclear Security Administration**
**Service Center**

**Notes:**
Key Messages:

Anyone who moves to Albuquerque will have a job – may not be the same job you have now.
Service Center Management anticipates being below target number of 475 in August 04 
Even if at or above target – anticipate skill mix issue

## Process For Addressing Staffing Surpluses/Shortages

**Service Center**

**Process For Addressing Staffing Surpluses/Shortages**

**Where Skill Gaps Exist, Provide Opportunity for Employees in Surplus Categories to Volunteer for Reassignment, with the Following order of  Preference:**
- 	**1.  Select from fully qualified volunteers for reassignment.**
**	****2.  Select from less than fully qualified volunteers, where ****	****through retraining or on-the-job experience, employees ****	****can become fully qualified without causing undue ****	****interruption.**

**Continued...**

**Notes:**
Key Messages:
Voluntary reassignment is first option to fix skill gaps

## Process For Addressing Staffing Surpluses/Shortages

**Service Center**

**Process For Addressing Staffing Surpluses/Shortages**

**Continued...**

**3. ****	****When no acceptable volunteers exist, direct the **
**	****reassignments from a pool of fully qualified **
**	****employees occupying an excess position, by order **
**	****of lowest retention standing.**
**4.  ****	****Direct the reassignment from a pool of less than fully **
**	****qualified employees occupying an excess position,**
**	**** ****when employees can become fully qualified without**
**	**** ****undue interruption, by order of lowest retention **
**	****standing.**
**5.****	****Recruit Externally Only When Unsuccessful in Filling **
**	****Positions Internally.**

**Notes:**
Key messages:

Involuntary reassignment to meet skill mix gaps will be based by order of lowest retention.
External recruitment is last option

## Challenges Ahead

**National Nuclear Security Administration**
**Service Center**

**Staffing **
**Skill Mix **
**Diversity**
**Funding**

**Notes:**
Key Messages:

The challenges that lay ahead for the Service Center focus on people
Do we have the number of  people we need to do the job?
Are they trained to perform the function?
As we relocate and consolidate our workforce, are we maintaining the diversity we need to think and operate globally and strategically?
Will we have the funding to make this all happen?

NNSA has stepped up to the challenge of congress  - put the people where the work is, consolidate support functions and do it with less people.

The challenge of this is to do this with the least amount of impact to personnel as possible and keep the mission moving.
From a human capital management viewpoint – the service center requires people to do business in a way they have never done before and put our Human Resource experts in the forefront of implementing a forward thinking  organization doing business in a way we have never done before.  

I want to thank you for having me here today 
I look forward to participating in  several of the breakout sessions you have planned.