WASHINGTON, D.C. – About 100 EM employees from across the complex gathered for a meaningful exchange that focused on continuous improvements in planning and executing the cleanup program’s contracts and projects at an annual workshop this month.

   The interactive Contract and Project Management Workshop at EM headquarters provided an interactive forum for the meaningful exchange of ideas and perspectives between field and headquarters staff. Headquarters officials listened to the needs and achievements of EM’s field sites and participants gave insight into the drivers that lead to contract and project management policies changes.

   Workshop attendees, who included federal procurement directors, contracting officers, project directors and operations activities managers, listened to briefings by EM leaders and participated in panel discussions that covered a range of topics, from contract human resources management improvement to awarding and managing fixed-price contracts.

   In his keynote address at the workshop, EM Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Mark Whitney shared successes resulting from implementing lessons learned and best practices in project management across the complex.

   “Strong contract and project management is essential to everything we do in the EM program and this workshop has done a lot over the last several years to help in that regard, particularly in the area of lessons learned and best practices,” Whitney said. “This is something we have really tried to focus on in the past couple years within the EM program.”

   Whitney said it’s an exciting time for the program with several recent significant accomplishments, from completion of construction of the Salt Waste Processing Facility at the Savannah River Site eight months ahead of schedule to implementing a revised safety basis and starting cold operations at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). 

   “A lot of work has been done there in the past couple years and I’ve said repeatedly how proud I am of that,” Whitney said of the WIPP workforce’s efforts.

   A successful project at one site benefits the entire complex because the accomplishment gives the communities near cleanup sites and other stakeholders confidence in EM, Whitney said.

   “The confidence we instill in them that we are able to complete things effectively and efficiently and in a safe manner is huge,” Whitney said. He added that the efforts of the workshop attendees in the contract and project management fields are instrumental in EM’s success.

   EM Acquisition and Project Management Deputy Assistant Secretary Jack Surash noted that when EM and its contractor teams are aligned in contract and project management, problems can be resolved at the lowest level, benefitting the program. Surash also said maintaining communication and following through with components of partnering agreements between contractors and site managers is an effective way to expedite cleanup.  

   The panels discussed scenarios that affect project and contract managers. Topics included critical decisions through the budget process and impacts of a DOE order that gives direction on the acquisition of capital assets with the goal of delivering projects within the original performance baseline, cost and schedule, and fully capable of meeting mission performance, safeguards and security, and environmental, safety, and health requirements.