AIKEN, S.C. – Officials from Savannah River Site’s DOE and National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) offices and management and operations contractor Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) recently signed a partnering agreement to focus on o...
May 16, 2016
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Members of the partnering team from DOE, NNSA, and SRNS.
DOE-Savannah River Operations Office Manager Jack Craig (left), SRNS President and CEO Carol Johnson, and NNSA-Savannah River Field Office Manager Doug Dearolph sign the partnering agreement.
AIKEN, S.C. – Officials from Savannah River Site’s DOE and National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) offices and management and operations contractor Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) recently signed a partnering agreement to focus on open, candid communication among the three entities to do what is best for the site.
DOE-Savannah River Operations Office Manager Jack Craig, SRNS President and CEO Carol Johnson, and NNSA-Savannah River Field Office Manager Doug Dearolph signed the agreement, committing to a collaboration that promotes consistent coordination to achieve common goals in the best interest of the nation.
“By leveraging our combined nuclear materials knowledge, expertise, and assets, we can continue to create a cohesive and effective team committed to finding innovative solutions to national and international challenges,” Craig said.
The partnering team, with about 40 members from the three entities, committed to working together to communicate as a unified voice for SRS, recognizing partnering and project successes, enhancing stakeholder relationships, and building public trust for nuclear operations.
“Partnerships take time and hard work to cultivate and maintain, but the effort is worth it. By working together, DOE, NNSA, and SRNS can achieve more than working alone,” Johnson said. “The bottom line is that we want to accomplish the mission and vision of the Savannah River Site in the best way possible, especially for our nation's taxpayers.”
The team also agreed to deliver high-quality results in an ethical manner for the best interests of DOE and the nation. The agreement states that the team will conduct all activities to provide safety and security for the public, workers, and the environment; honor commitments; minimize surprises; and respond to unexpected challenges with cooperation and professionalism.
Additional goals include team-building and face-to-face meetings to improve trust and establish a partnering behavior model for the entire workforce, and eliminating redundant and non-value added steps and processes in work environments.
The agreement also seeks to improve the priority-setting process, promote transparency and discipline in project management, and ensure all stakeholders at SRS agree to operational changes.
“The better you can understand your partner’s perspective on a given situation, the better the likelihood we’ll take actions that work in everyone’s favor,” Dearolph said. “The contract between DOE, NNSA, and SRNS outlines what we plan to accomplish in a specific amount of time; however, partnering is a culture. The partnering agreement conveys how we’re planning to operate and accomplish that contract."