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Updates from the SRSCRO
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October 2015
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| Follow us on Twitter! |
Rick McLeod @atomicasset  |
Mindy Mets @nuclearstem |
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Less is More/Better
While some may think less may be better for the Savannah River Site (SRS), when it comes to contracts and contractors, no hint of that was provided at the Industry Day held on Wednesday, October 14, 2015, at the Doubletree Augusta Hilton Hotel in Augusta, Georgia. Approximately 100 people attended this event. DOE published a Request for Information / Sources Sought (RFI/SS) for the upcoming Liquid Waste services procurement on September 22, 2015. The current Liquid Waste services contract at SRS is held by Savannah River Remediation, LLC (SRR) and expires on June 30, 2017.
The goal of this Industry Day event was to inform interested parties of the process that will be followed to procure liquid waste services, and to provide an overview of the major Elements of Scope for an upcoming SRS procurement. Responses, including comments and questions, to the RFI/SS are due to DOE by October 21, 2015.
SRS's four major contracts will expire in the next four to five years. The SRR contract is up first. The other contracts include Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS), the site's management and operations (M&O) contractor; Centerra, the security contractor; and Parsons, the current Salt Waste Processing Facility (SWPF) contractor. The long-term operation of SWPF is to be addressed in the proposed Liquid Waste services contract.
In addition, a mission support-type contract for SRS has been an "on and off" option as DOE discusses future contracts at the site. At DOE's other large cleanup site in Hanford, a mission support contract covers site infrastructure. This could mean SRS and the region will be dealing with three prime contractors plus the prime security contractor in the future.
Instead of more, some believe "less" contractors for SRS may indeed be better. However, open competition in some cases can be a good thing, but previous Request for Proposals (RFPs) and contract language has been shockingly weak in its focus on technology transfer and enhancing the communities' ability to expand our economy. Regardless of the number of contracts, several issues need to be addressed in all of the SRS RFPs and contracts moving forward:
- A strategy and funding to deal with the need to recruit, hire, and train a new SRS workforce to replace anticipated retirements.
- Inclusion of a Community Commitment Plan that funds and recognizes the diverse interests of the region and its stakeholders; engages regional stakeholders in issues and concerns of mutual interest; and recognizes that giving back to the community is a worthwhile business practice.
- Identification of a local subcontracting strategy and the percentage of work planned to be self-performed by the Contracting Team versus local companies.
- Planned regional Education Outreach activities including teacher enhancement, student support, curriculum enhancement, educational technology, public understanding, and providing the services of its employees to schools, colleges, and universities.
- A Regional Economic Development approach for contributing to the diversification of local communities' economies and encouraging the reuse of existing departmental real and personal property to encourage community economic viability and diversification.
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Students Connect to STEM Careers
About 230 high school students, teachers and career counselors participated in hands-on learning opportunities provided by local employers.
For a third year, the SRS Community Reuse Organization (SRSCRO) joined with local industries to host STEM Career Connections. Twenty-one schools from South Carolina and Georgia participated in the sold-out event designed to help young people better understand the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) careers available in the SRSCRO region. Thirty employers and organizations participated.
 The forum was held on Thursday, October 22, 2015 at the Kroc Center in Augusta, GA. Students took part in three breakout sessions that included interactive exhibits and young professional speakers from local STEM industries representing nuclear, manufacturing, cyber/information technology and medical sectors. Local colleges and universities also participated. The day concluded with STEM-themed karaoke and technology-themed door prizes.
The annual event is developed by the STEM C areer Connections Steering Committee and is organized through the SRSCRO, lead by Mindy Mets and Kim Saxon. Committee Co-Chairs are Nora Swanson from Southern Nuclear and Anna Johnson from CB&I AREVA MOX Services. Committee members are: Byron Bush, SRS Leadership Association; Lisa Campbell, SCANA; Bob Collins and Marlow McIntyre, Augusta Technical College; Kathy Mottel, North Augusta High School; Lily Armstrong, DSM Chemicals North America; and Dr. Joe Newton, Georgia Regents University (soon to be Augusta University).
Gold Sponsors for the event were SRSCRO, Georgia Power and the Nuclear Workforce Initiative. Silver Sponsors included Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, EnergySolutions, CB&I AREVA MOX Services and Parsons. Bronze Sponsors were Savannah River Remediation, SCANA, Aiken Technical College, DSM Chemicals North America, Textron Specialized Vehicles, BWX Technologies. The Applied Research Center and Bright & Bold Entertainment also provided support.
For more information and pictures of the event, click here .
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Get to Know Nuclear
Annually, Nuclear Science Week is celebrated during the third week of October across the nation, in Canada and in the United Kingdom.
For the SRSCRO region, the week of October 19 -23, 2015 was full of opportunities to connect with regional expertise in the nuclear sector including power generation, nuclear medicine, national defense and innovative research. More than 1200 people were involved in special events designed with one theme in mind - Get to Know Nuclear.
Local events kicked off at Ruth Patrick Science Education Center with "Bringing Nuclear into the Classroom" - a teacher workshop developed by the Citizens for Nuclear Technology Awareness (CNTA). On October 19, Admiral Cecil Haney, Commander, U.S. Strategic Command was the guest speaker at CNTA's 24th Annual Edward Teller Lecture and Banquet.
 Throughout the week, middle and high school students from across the region participated in Education Days that focused on nuclear science principles, careers and discoveries. Education Days were held at Ruth Patrick Science Education Center, as well as Georgia Regents University (soon to be Augusta University).
Teachers and students took advantage of specially designed facility tours held throughout the week. Plant Vogtle in Waynesboro, GA and V.C Summer Nuclear Station in Jenkinsville, SC each hosted two days of tours for students and teachers. At the Savannah River Site, thirty teachers from across the region participated in a unique visit focused on STEM skills needed in the nuclear industry.
To learn more about the regional Nuclear Science Week events,
click here.
To learn more about national and international Nuclear Science Week events,
click here.
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Spotlight
Nuclear Science Week Regional Coordination Committee
Nuclear Science Week (NSW) is directed by a national steering committee consisting of individuals from all over the nation, working for organizations linked to the nuclear industry. The national steering committee is chaired by Jim Walther, Museum Director for the National Museum of Nuclear Science and History, a Smithsonian affiliate.
Mindy Mets and Kim Saxon from the SRSCRO serve on the national steering committee. To best connect SRSCRO regional events with those occurring nationally each year, the SRSCRO hosts the NSW Regional Coordination Committee.
Members of this committee meet regularly to collaborate on activities designed to encourage and bring awareness of nuclear technology and the many careers available within nuclear and other high-tech industries.
Listed below are the men and women who contribute many hours and ideas to making NSW a success every year in the greater SRSCRO region:
Madeleine Blair
SRR
Dan Hanson
NNSA
Anna Johnson
MOX Services
Janelle Karchaske
MOX Services
Erica Knight
SCANA Corporation
Joel Leopard
Plant Vogtle
Mindy Mets
SRSCRO
Kim Mitchell
SRNS
Joe Newton
GRU (Augusta University)
Greg Passmore
GRU (Augusta University)
Kim Saxon
SRSCRO
Gary Senn
USC Aiken
Dawn Stuckey
USC Salkehatchie
Steven Susens
MOX Services
Brad Swanson EnergySolutions
Nora Swanson
Southern Nuclear
Patti Swanson
CNTA
Shirley Von Beck
MOX Services
Sharron Walls
Augusta University
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15 Events That Have Occurred Since the Chicago Cubs Won Their Last World Series
1. Both radio and TV were invented.
2. Fourteen teams were added to Major League Baseball.
3. George Burns celebrated his 10th, 20th, 30th, 40th, 50th, 60th, 70th, 80th, 90th and 100th birthdays.
4. Haley's comet passed Earth, twice.
5. Harry Caray was born, and died.
6. The NBA, NHL and NFL were formed, and Chicago teams won championships in each league.
7. The US fought in World War I, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, Persian Gulf War, Iraq War, and Afghanistan War.
8. Man landed on the moon.
9. Sixteen US presidents were elected.
10. Eleven amendments were added to the Constitution.
11. Prohibition was created and repealed.
12. The Titanic was built, set sail, sank, and was rediscovered.
13. A combination of 40 Summer and Winter Olympics have been held.
14. Swing music, bell-bottoms, and disco came in style, went out of style and came back in style.
15. Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Oklahoma and New Mexico were admitted to the Union.
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Closing Thoughts
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Yogi Berra - RIP
Love is the most important thing in the world, but baseball is pretty good too.
I wish I had an answer to that because I'm tired of answering that question.
It's like déjà vu all over again.
You can observe a lot by just watching.
It was impossible to get a conversation going, everybody was talking too much.
No one goes there nowadays, it's too crowded.
Always go to other people's funerals, otherwise they won't come to yours.
We made too many wrong mistakes.
Congratulations. I knew the record would stand until it was broken.
You better cut the pizza in four pieces because I'm not hungry enough to eat six.
You've got to be very careful if you don't know where you are going, because you might not get there.
A nickel ain't worth a dime anymore.
It ain't over till it's over.
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| Contact Information |
SRSCRO, PO Box 696, Aiken, SC 20802
Staff:
Mindy Mets - NWI Program Manager - 803-508-7403
Amy Merry - Administrative & Business Manager - 803-508-7401
Kim Saxon - Assistant Coordinator -
803-508-7656
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