POLICY ISSUE

(Information)

August 10, 2005 SECY-05-0145

FOR: The Commissioners

FROM: Luis A. Reyes

Executive Director for Operations /RA/

SUBJECT: SEMIANNUAL REPORT ON STATUS OF STAFF INFORMATION

TECHNOLOGY/INFORMATION MANAGEMENT AND BUSINESS

PROCESS ACTIVITIES IN PREPARATION FOR THE HIGH-LEVEL

WASTE REPOSITORY PROCEEDINGS

PURPOSE:

To inform the Commission about the status of Information Technology/Information

Management (IT/IM) and business process activities related to preparation for the conduct of

the proceeding on a license application, in an electronic environment, for the construction of a

high-level waste (HLW) repository.

BACKGROUND:

This report is issued semiannually and covers HLW IT/IM and business process activities. The

scope of the information paper includes activities from January 1, 2005, through June 30, 2005.

DISCUSSION:

A. Program Management

The HLW Licensing Support Program (HLW-LSP) Project Plan continues to be maintained

using an interactive process and ongoing communication with staff and management from all

organizations supporting the HLW-LSP. The position of HLW Business and Program Integrator

was moved from Office of Information Services (OIS) to the Office of Nuclear Material Safety

and Safeguards (NMSS), to lead the development of the HLW Program budget for fiscal years

2006 and 2007.

Contact: John J. Linehan, NMSS/HLWRS

 301-415-7279
The Commissioners 2

B. Status of the HLW Meta-System

Essentially all resources in the HLW IT/IM area were focused on supporting Release 1 of the

Meta-System. Atomic Safety Licensing Board Panel (ASLBP), Office of the Secretary of the

Commission (SECY), NMSS, OIS, and Office of the General Counsel (OGC) staff had

previously agreed on the service-level requirements and needed functionality for the PreLicense Application Phase and the Hearing Phase. The HLW IT/IM Management Group

reaffirmed the requirements for the Pre-License Application Phase, needed to support the

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) responsibilities for activities that may occur after

the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE’s) expected certification that its document collection is

available via the Licensing Support Network later this summer. Based on these requirements

the staff had previously developed a test plan for Release 1 of the HLW Meta-System. This

test plan was used to evaluate NRC’s preparedness by exercising, from “end-to-end,” how the

organizations’ processes, procedures, functions, and systems receive, process, and respond to

documents and filings that might be submitted. The test also validated modifications made to

process and technology components, since the last Meta-System test. Through this test we

were able to identify successes as well as areas needing enhancement. The HLW IT/IM

Management Group completed the Operational Readiness Review for Release 1 and

determined that Release 1 met the service-level requirements and functionality for the PreLicense Application Phase. HLW Meta-System, Release 1, was accepted as the operational

baseline and placed under Configuration Management.

OIS worked with ASLBP to develop data infrastructure specifications for the Las Vegas Hearing

Room. Based on these specifications, an infrastructure design document was generated and

an implementation plan was developed. OIS staff implemented telecommunications services,

LAN/WAN connectivity, and installed an initial base of desktop computer systems and network

printers. OIS worked in conjunction with ASLBP to implement the Digital Data Management

System (DDMS) for use in the Rockville Hearing Room and to develop a LAN/WAN connectivity

plan for the DDMS for both Rockville and Las Vegas.

C. Business Process Activities

Several business processes for document processing are being re-engineered to expedite the

movement of documents within and between Meta-System components. These redesigned

processes are expected to result in significant savings to the agency. They will also facilitate

OIS’s ability to meet HLW service-level requirements.

D. Electronic Information Exchange

We have completed enhancements to the Electronic Information Exchange capability to

provide, as appropriate, priority to HLW electronic submissions. This implementation is on

track for August 2005.
The Commissioners 3

E. Sensitive Information Screening Project

Although documents produced by NRC offices undergo a Sensitive Information Screening

Project (SISP) review, it was recognized that adjudicatory filings that were submitted to active

hearing dockets from outside parties for adjudications should not undergo a SISP review. 

Following a Commission decision on exemption of adjudicatory and rulemaking filings from

outside sources from the SISP review, exemption language was developed for insertion in the

keyword field of the Agencywide Documents Access and Management System profile for each

hearing filing or rulemaking comment submitted for active proceedings or comment collections. 

However, DOE will be screening its filings or submittals using criteria developed in the joint

DOE and NRC Sensitive Unclassified Information and Classification Guide for the Office of

Civilian Radioactive Waste Management Program.

F. Electronic Hearing Docket

The Electronic Hearing Docket (EHD) remains in continued use by the Pre-License Application

Presiding Officer (PAPO) proceeding. A significant accomplishment was the attainment of

security approval for the use of the Protective Order File (POF). A methodology and a secure

infrastructure were developed to meet Federal Information Security Management Act and

National Institute of Standards and Technology requirements. Interim authority to operate the

EHD with a POF was granted by the Senior Information Technology Security Officer. The

Convera search engine was brought into service for the EHD during this period. It is an

important search tool for use by the PAPO proceeding participants and is expected to play a

significant search and retrieval role in the HLW proceeding. Currently, NRC staff is

participating in a Convera pilot for the main library. This search engine will facilitate their review

of adjudicatory activities.

COORDINATION:

The OGC has no legal objection. This paper has also been coordinated with SECY. 

/RA William F. Kane Acting For/

Luis A. Reyes

Executive Director

 for Operations
The Commissioners 3

E. Sensitive Information Screening Project

Although documents produced by NRC offices undergo a Sensitive Information Screening

Project (SISP) review, it was recognized that adjudicatory filings that were submitted to active

hearing dockets from outside parties for adjudications should not undergo a SISP review. 

Following a Commission decision on exemption of adjudicatory and rulemaking filings from

outside sources from the SISP review, exemption language was developed for insertion in the

keyword field of the Agencywide Documents Access and Management System profile for each

hearing filing or rulemaking comment submitted for active proceedings or comment collections. 

However, DOE will be screening its filings or submittals using criteria developed in the joint

DOE and NRC Sensitive Unclassified Information and Classification Guide for the Office of

Civilian Radioactive Waste Management Program.

F. Electronic Hearing Docket

The Electronic Hearing Docket (EHD) remains in continued use by the Pre-License Application

Presiding Officer (PAPO) proceeding. A significant accomplishment was the attainment of

security approval for the use of the Protective Order File (POF). A methodology and a secure

infrastructure were developed to meet Federal Information Security Management Act and

National Institute of Standards and Technology requirements. Interim authority to operate the

EHD with a POF was granted by the Senior Information Technology Security Officer. The

Convera search engine was brought into service for the EHD during this period. It is an

important search tool for use by the PAPO proceeding participants and is expected to play a

significant search and retrieval role in the HLW proceeding. Currently, NRC staff is

participating in a Convera pilot for the main library. This search engine will facilitate their review

of adjudicatory activities.

COORDINATION:

The OGC has no legal objection. This paper has also been coordinated with SECY. 

/RA William F. Kane Acting For/

Luis A. Reyes

Executive Director

 for Operations

Distribution: WITS 200400048/NMSS 200500209

L. Reyes, EDO

J. Silber, DEDIA

W. Kane, DEDH

M. Virgilio, DEDMRS

W. Dean, AO

J. Linehan, NMSS

P. Bollwerk, ASLBP

K. Cyr, OGC

J. Strosnider, NMSS

M. Federline, NMSS

J. Olivier, NMSS

B. Von Till, NMSS

J. Holonich, NMSS

A. Mohseni, NMSS

C. Poland, NMSS

M. Rodgers, NMSS

J. Linehan, NMSS

EDO r/f

NMSS r/f

J. Schaeffer, DD/OIS P. Hall, OIS/HBPI L. Scattolini, OIS/HBPI E. Baker, D/OIS

 ML051670473 *See previous concurrences

OFFICE NMSS NMSS NMSS ASLBP OGC

NAME JLinehan* EKraus: EK* WReamer* GBollwerk* KCyr*

DATE 7/18/05 7/ 12 /05 7/19/05 7/25/05 7/20/05

OFFICE OIS/HBPI OIS/HBPI DD/OIS D/OIS NMSS

NAME L Scattolini* PHall* JSchaeffer* EBaker* J. Strosnider:*

DATE 7/18/05 7/18/05 7/19/05 7/19/05 8/1/05

OFFICE DEDIA DEDMRS OEDO

NAME JSilber: MVirgilio: W. Kane for LReyes: 

DATE 8/9/05 8/10/05 8/10/05

OFFICIAL RECORD COPY