July 28, 2006

Mr. Robert Brient, Director

Quality Assurance

Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analyses

6220 Culebra Road, Building 189

San Antonio, TX 78238-5166

SUBJECT: U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION STAFF OBSERVATION OF THE

FISCAL YEAR 2006 CENTER FOR NUCLEAR WASTE REGULATORY

ANALYSES QUALITY ASSURANCE AUDIT 2006-1

Dear Mr. Brient:

On June 26-30, 2006, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff from the Office of

Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards observed the Fiscal Year 2006 Center for Nuclear

Waste Regulatory Analyses (CNWRA) Quality Assurance (QA) Audit 2006-1, in San Antonio,

Texas. The objective of this NRC Observation Audit of QA and technical programs was to

determine if the CNWRA audit, and the QA program elements audited, were implemented

effectively in accordance with NRC contractual and CNWRA QA Program requirements. 

The CNWRA auditors noted two good practices during the audit, as well as two minor

nonconformances and two minor nonconformances corrected during the audit. The auditors

also identified and issued 15 recommendations regarding quality improvements to 

quality-affecting processes, procedures, and technical activities.

The NRC observer team evaluated the adequacy of the CNWRA audit process and the

effectiveness of CNWRA QA Program implementation in meeting the QA requirements of 

10 CFR Part 63, Subpart G. The NRC observers determined that, overall, the CNWRA audit

team achieved its purpose and obtained its objectives in initiating and completing CNWRA

Audit 2006-1. The auditors were thorough, effective, and performed in a professional manner. 

The observers agreed with the auditors’ conclusions and recommendations that, overall, the

CNWRA QA Program controls are being implemented adequately in the areas that were

evaluated, except for the identified minor nonconformances noted by the audit team. It is also

recommended that CNWRA appropriately consider the NRC observers’ comments listed in

Section 10, “NRC Staff Findings,” in the enclosed Observation Audit Report. The enclosed

Observation Audit Report Number OAR-06-04-CNWRA provides NRC staff’s audit observations

and conclusions. 
R. Brient -2-

Although a written response to this letter or the enclosed report is not required, we request that

the CNWRA provide us with copies of its response to the auditors’s findings. 

If you have any questions, please call Wilkins Smith at (301) 415-5788 or by e-mail at

wrs@nrc.gov.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Deborah A. DeMarco, Deputy Program Manager

Division of High-Level Waste Repository Safety

Office of Nuclear Material Safety

 and Safeguards

Enclosure: NRC Observation Audit Report No. OAR-06-04-CNWRA, “U.S. Nuclear

Regulatory Commission Staff Observation of the Fiscal Year 2006 Center for

Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analyses Quality Assurance Audit 2006-1”
R. Brient -2-

Although a written response to this letter or the enclosed report is not required, we request that

the CNWRA provide us with copies of its response to the auditors’s findings. 

If you have any questions, please call Wilkins Smith at (301) 415-5788 or by e-mail at

wrs@nrc.gov.

Sincerely,

/RA/

Deborah A. DeMarco, Deputy Program Manager

Division of High-Level Waste Repository Safety

Office of Nuclear Material Safety

 and Safeguards

Enclosure: NRC Observation Audit Report No. OAR-06-04-CNWRA, “U.S. Nuclear

Regulatory Commission Staff Observation of the Fiscal Year 2006 Center for

Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analyses Quality Assurance Audit 2006-1”

DISTRIBUTION:

HLWRS r/f NMSS r/f CNWRA ACNW VMehrhoff HLWRS Staff

BSpitzberg VEverett

ML062080692

OFFICE HLWRS HLWRS HLWRS HLWRS TechEd OGC

NAME PBell WSmith EPeters MShah EKraus JMoore

DATE 7/28/06 7/28/06 7/27/06 7/28/06 7/26/06 7/28/06

OFFICE HLWRS SFPO HLWRS HLWRS

NAME BLeslie JPearson ECollins DDeMarco

DATE 7/28/06 7/27/06 7/28/06 7/28/06

OFFICIAL RECORD COPY