Waiver of $500,000 Single Conference Limitation from

Office of Management and Budget Memorandum M-12-12,

"Promoting Efficient Spending to Support Agency Operations"

As Chairmanof the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), I hereby waive, forthe

2016 Regulatory Information Conference (RIC), the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

proscription on spending over $500,000 on a single conference. The NRC will hold the next

annual RIC in March 2016.

The OMB Memorandum M-12-12, "Promoting Efficient Spending to Support Agency

Operations,' dated May 11, 2012, states that an agency shall not incur net expenses greater

than$500,000on a singleconference; however, the memorandum also states thatthe"agency

head may provide a waiverfrom this policy if it is determinedthat exceptional circumstances

existwhereby spending inexcess of $500,000 on a singleconference isthe mostcosteffective

option to achieve a compellingpurpose." Forthe reasons detailedbelow, I havedetermined

that exceptionalcircumstancesexistwherebyspending in excess of$500,000 on hostingthe

2016 RIC isthe mostcost-effective option to achieve a compelling purpose.

The NRC's mission is to "license and regulate the Nation's civilian use of byproduct, source, and

special nuclear materials to ensure adequate protection of public health and safety, promote the

common defense and security, and protect the environment." The RIC supports this mission, as

well as the NRC's commitment to conducting its work openly and transparently, by providing a 

unique forum that brings together diverse groups of stakeholders to inform them of significant

policy decisions and regulatory oversight activities. The RIC is highly valued by both the agency

and external stakeholders for its technical and educational content. In addition, the RIC offers

an environment in which NRC staff and stakeholders share relevant information, exchange

views and perspectives, and raise concerns about the important safety , security, and policy

issues before the agency. As we continue to learn from recent events and natural disasters,

this forum is crucial to the mission of the agency.

Since its inception in 1987, the RIC has grown to become one of the premier nuclear

conferences of its kind in the world. It is widely attended, bringing together approximately

3,000 participants from nearly 35 countries. Participants include members of the public;

Federal, State, and local government officials; nuclear safety regulators from other nations;

experts from the national laboratories; advocacy groups; media representatives; licensees;

vendors; and other interested stakeholders . The technical program features nuclear experts

from across the agency, as well as external speakers from industry, academia, public interest

groups, and the international community. This educational conference also provides an

exceptional opportunity for attendees to hear firsthand the views of each member of the

Commission related to emerging regulatory issues and policy matters.
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The RIC provides to the NRC the opportunity to cultivate international relationships, influence

nuclear safety on a global scale,and foster the exchange of best practices in the nuclear arena.

The face-to-face interaction with members of industry, private interest groups, and other

stakeholders is vital and provides wide-ranging opportunities to network, share ideas, raise

issues or concerns, search for solutions, and establish relationships with colleagues from

around the world.

The Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) and the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research

co-sponsor the RIC. Both offices are dedicated to the NRC's commitment to responsible fiscal

stewardship. NRR as the lead office, diligently scrutinizes and monitors every aspect of the

planning, logistics, and implementation to ensure that the agency spends all funds in the most

cost-effective and efficient manner. Successfully executing a conference as large and complex

as the RIC requires extensive coordination and effective management of resources.

NRR relies on two contracts to assist in the execution of the RIC: (1) the planning and logistical

support contract (small business concern -- contractor under SSA's 8(a) program), and (2) the

conference facility contract. These contracts cover Web development and hosting, registration,

and audio visual support, onsite logistics, and conference facility meeting space. The total cost

for both contracts is approximately $750,000 each year.

In-house resources from the NRC's Office of Administration, Office of Information Services,

Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel, and Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer are

also involved in providing agency-wide coordination of technical program content and

development, Web support, design and production of both electronic and hard-copy conference

materials, preregistration activities, and onsite staffing. The RIC takes advantage of existing

NRC enterprise-wide contracts for support in information technology security, broadcast

coordination and testing, onsite physical security, reasonable accommodations,transcription

services, and shipping and delivery activities. Expenses for these services are approximately

$175,000 per year.

The conference facility (Bethesda North Marriott Hotel and Conference Center) is located

across the street from NRC headquarters and is within close walking distance from the White

Flint Metro Station. This proximity to both NRC headquarters and public transportation greatly

reduces travel and per diem costs for most Federal conference attendees, as well as the travel

costs for planners during conference preparation. The benefits of being located near the NRC

and on the Metro line are threefold: (1) it enables NRC staff to attend only the conference

portions that are valuable to them and to return to their workplaces for the remainder of each

day; (2) it allows the NRC to use its own headquarters facility for some of the needed additional 

meeting spaces at no additional cost; and (3) it enables NRC staff to conduct nonconference

business with international counterparts that might otherwise necessitate international travel

(further reducing travel costs for the NRC).
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Thecompellingpurposeachievedbythe RICconstitutesexceptionalcircumstances. Onthis

basis,I am confident that the costs associated with executing the 2016 RICare validand

prudent. Therefore,inaccordancewithOMBMemorandum M-12-12,Iherebywaivethe

$500,000 single conference limitation for the 2016 RIC.