The Nuke Detection Beat Goes On - And On
A scathing audit report by the Department of Energy Inspector General's Office raises new questions about government efforts to prevent the smuggling of radiological materials into the country for nuclear weapons or dirty bombs.
Please forgive the un-bloglike length of this post. I hope you'll find it's worth it.
The audit findings, released with little fanfare last month, contain the latest revelation of missteps that government auditors say have hindered a top national security goal of the Bush administration: to deliver a new generation of radiation detection machines that authorities have said would bring needed improvements to the screening of cars, trucks and cargo containers.
At issue is a cutting-edge complex in Nevada for evaluating and selecting a variety of detection equipment, including new devices known as Advanced Spectroscopic Portal monitors, or ASPs. Homeland security officials told Congress early last year the facility would be done last year and be able to test "special nuclear materials," according to budget documents.
Auditors found the construction project at the Nevada test site was so costly and mismanaged by government and contracting officials that the work was suspended last year only two-thirds complete.
"Even if an effective fix is implemented, completion of the project will have been significantly delayed and the cost will have substantially exceeded original estimates," the Sept. 12 audit report said.
"As a result, homeland security's testing capability to detect radiological and nuclear materials that could move across and through our borders, tunnels, bridges and toll plazas has been reduced," the report concluded.
Readers of the Washington Post and Government Inc. will recall that the Nevada test site is where homeland security's Domestic Nuclear Detection Office has been conducting numerous but apparently limited tests (under circumstances that also have been questioned by auditors) of the costly but potentially effective ASPs.
In a statement this week, homeland security spokesman Russ Knocke denied that the construction problems at the Nevada test site had hurt the department's evaluation efforts.
"We are currently exploring other construction options to complete the project at a lower cost to the taxpayer. In the meantime, critical testing is ongoing at the Nevada Test Site," the statement said. "Construction delays have not had an adverse impact on the overall testing of the Advanced Spectroscopic Portals."
But lawmakers and auditors are not so sure.
In recent congressional testimony, an official from the National Nuclear Security Administration said that his office would use a laboratory at Los Alamos National Labs -- not the troubled Nevada site -- to examine how effectively ASPs detect "unshielded special nuclear materials."
Knocke said the that testing "is being conducted at Los Alamos National Laboratory for specific reasons. The testing is a unique, multi-laboratory data collection activity using a benchmarked source located at that particular lab.
When asked about the new IG report and that testimony, Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) had this to say:
"I am concerned that management issues at DNDO are costing the nation precious time in the race to prevent a nuclear terrorist attack against an American city," said Lieberman, whose homeland security committee has been investigating the development and testing of the detection machines.
Lawmakers halted $1.2 billion worth of contracts to buy the ASPs last fall after the Government Accountability Office questioned whether the homeland security department misled Congress about their effectiveness. The GAO found that the nuclear detection office exaggerated the effectiveness of the machines in a cost-benefit analysis delivered to lawmakers shortly before the contracts were announced. Homeland security officials said they were spelling out their target detection rates for the machines.
Then in another report last month, the GAO said that homeland security officials permitted manufacturers to repeatedly conduct "dry runs" and "dress rehearsals" at the Nevada test site, enabling their radiation detection machines to perform better in formal tests. Those tests were supposed to generate results that would help Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff decide whether to endorse the machines as effective and move forward on their acquisition. Congress mandated that he personally approve the testing before allowing the acquisition to progress.
Chertoff initially was expected to make that decision in June. The deadline was moved to September, but then homeland security officials they would wait two additional months and do more testing before deciding whether to move forward.
Read the jump to see what else the recent audit report found.
The Nevada test site is formally known as the Radiological/Nuclear Countermeasures Test and Evaluation Complex.
Though small by government standards, the $33 million contract is for an important task: to build the facility was to create a "first of a kind" operation that would allow homeland security official to consolidate all testing, evaluating and training into one secure location. The homeland security department asked the Energy Department's National Nuclear Security Administration to build the facility for them.
From the outset, Homeland security officials requested that "the project be fast-tracked," according to the audit. The agency that Officials wanted the complex completed by February, so the project was begun even before construction designs and project and oversight plans were completed, the audit said.
In July 2005, homeland security officials approved spending on the project without ensuring that the contractor, Bechtel Nevada, had prepared cost projections and a clear project schedule. "As the project progressed, Nevada accepted Bechtel's assurances, without validation, that the project was on schedule and within budget despite early warning signs to the contrary," the audit said.
The project was stalled at one point for three months because "equipment and building materials including a crane, pipe fittings, and windows for the project were unavailable."
Along the way, homeland security and nuclear security administation officials differed over how to proceed, the audit said. There also were not enough staff. Those that were overseeing the work were not experienced or properly certificed, the audit said.
"We also found a disturbing lack of clarity as to which agency was responsible for management and coordination of the project," the auditors said in the report.
In February 2006, homeland security officials told Congress in budget documents that the facility would be finished by November 2006. They said it would be able to "provide the capability for high-fidelity testing of detection systems against special nuclear materials in significant quantities and in realistic configurations."
One month later, the project managers decided to change contractors. Bechtel Nevada said in a statement it stands by its work on the contract, and did not elaborate.
The new contractor that took over a few months later had no detailed knowledge about the project's status, the audit said. In August 2006, with the work just two-thirds complete, the project was suspended. Officials estimate that it will take up to $10.5 million more to finish the project. Among the options under consideration is bringing in the Army Corps of Engineers to do the work under a fixed-price contract.
Because of "deficiencies in its oversight," the Nevada Test Site program office cut Bechtel's award fee by about $687,000, the audit said.
For their part, homeland security officials did not reduce the company's $1.2 million fixed fee, despite "Bechtel's poor performance," the audit said.
By Robert O'Harrow |
October 5, 2007; 6:00 AM ET
homeland security
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Posted by: WS | October 5, 2007 9:22 AM
Just one more example of George's empty rethoric! They are so much more interested in giving money to "private" contractors rather than having the "government" do it; that they have failed over and over again. It would appear that there is not a private company competent enough to tie their shoelaces, at least ones that have any connection to the Bush/Cheney Fascist club. Just how long can the nation stand this cowradly, traitorous incompetence??
Posted by: Chaotician | October 5, 2007 10:24 AM
If DNDO had a press relations person... WS sounds like the guy.
The reality is, DNDO has been poorly managed from the get-go. The agency was cobbled together, bringing in people with little experience in the subject AND the program management experience necessary to get things moving. And, as of earlier this summer, the situation hadn't changed much. WS got this part right - other agencies saw the DNDO stand-up as walking over the turf. DNDO's heavy reliance on contractors and Bechtel - who aren't exactly doing the greatest job running a national laboratory or two - is another part of the problem facing getting the ASPs up to code and in place.
Posted by: WS is Wrong | October 5, 2007 12:44 PM
To the WS is Wrong poster: DNDO didn't hire bechtel, DOE did. They have the oversight of the labs. The Feds working within DNDO do have the experience, not sure where you are getting your facts to say otherwise. Also, you mention heavy reliance on contractors, that is true of every agency now, not just DNDO. This is a government wide phenomenon, and speaks to a larger, government wide problem. I would suggest you get to know DNDO better, and not believe everything you read in the Post, which seems to be a PR arm of Sen. Lieberman's office.
Posted by: WS | October 5, 2007 1:18 PM
Re-read what I wrote. I didn't write that DNDO hired Bechtel, I said they relied heavily on them.
I'll say this, it was clear from my own previous involvement with this project, that the ASPs are a pretty big waste of money at the moment. An expensive rush-job isn't going to protect anyone. Basically, if you said "they aren't ready for primetime" it'd be an accurate statement. But with more development, they do have the potential to meet some (but doubtfully not all) of the expectations for them.
Posted by: WS is Wrong | October 5, 2007 1:35 PM
DNDO relied on Bechtel only because they did not have a choice, DOE hired them and DOE is in charge of the labs. The labs themselves are unreliable, since they get their money from DOE they aren't as responsive to the needs of DNDO. DNDO has placed a lot of pressure on the labs to actually perform for all the money they get, and not provide them the free ride that they have been getting. The politicking of the labs is half the problem. They need to be made directly accountable to those they are working for.
Posted by: WS | October 5, 2007 1:57 PM
Is anyone here surprised by the fact that the HUGE new bureaocracy called "DHS" is a mess? Considering how many "turfs" are involved, from spooks to FEMA, from nukes to food safety, getting all these formerly separate agencies to play nice and share their toys (our tax dollars) is mission impossible.
How many more years do we watch them spend their time haggling over resources and beeyatching about all the political appointees foisted upon them who aren't qualifed?
How many more years do we fund this boondoggle?
Posted by: LALA | October 6, 2007 4:06 AM
Having been in the middle of all of this for 2 years now everyone has a bit of the story right. First ASP testing at NTS was never supposed to be a definitive test of ASP capabilities. It was a downselect between 10 vendors to choose the final 3 companies to hone their products. Therefore, giving the companies chances to retest and tune gave DNDO the best look at which companies and technologies made the best sense to invest in. DNDO is at fault for letting the impression that these tests were anything more than a downselect.
Second, Bechtel Nevada lost the contract on NTS midstream which I am sure hurt their performance if they managed to keep the site building contract. Not sure how that went, but I am aware of a mass exidous upon the loss of the NTS oversight contract.
Finally, DHS can never be successful as a primary technology and strategy development entity. As soon as anyone with promise starts making headway, their connections within government and insight into strategy makes them much more valuable to the industry who siphons them off with salaries the Government cannot match. The ones that are left are turf battling empire builders with a lot of good intended "green" hard workers trying to do a good job. Turnover is killing DHS.
Posted by: ME | October 8, 2007 8:15 AM
Having worked at a DOE contractor back in the day before Tiger Teams, through that era, and beyond up until I retired in 04, I am surprised that anything at all gets done at any DOE site, compared to the situation 15 or 20 years ago. So, I salute this program for getting as far as it has.
Posted by: billmosby | October 10, 2007 11:27 AM
Of course, after reading again, maybe it's not really a DOE site you're talking about. I hope things go a little better for DHS.
Posted by: billmosby | October 10, 2007 11:28 AM
Sorry but NNSA doesnt view DNDO as "upstarts" they view them as "incompetent".
Posted by: LilMe | November 16, 2007 4:10 PM
Hello, nice site :)
Posted by: Brin | December 1, 2007 8:16 PM
Hello, nice site :)
Posted by: Brin | December 1, 2007 8:16 PM
The comments to this entry are closed.
The NNSA at DOE does not play well with DHS's DNDO. They see DNDO as usurping "their turf". So, it isn't surprising to see that NNSA and DNDO couldn't get along or come to an agreement on the site. Then there are the auditors who do not understand either the mission of DNDO or NNSA not to mention an almost complete lack of understanding as to how these tests need to be done, and this further complicates the issue. Finally, add to this mix Sen. Lieberman, who seems to have an almost pathological obession with trying to kill DNDO because it was stood up by the White House without consultation with his committee. The good people at DNDO, who are doing very important, life saving work are getting kicked around and beaten up for doing their jobs. And I think the American taxpayer, if they knew about all the good that DNDO has done already, would be disgusted with this inside the beltway bickering over turf. Sen. Liberman needs to put his ego in check and do what's right for the protection of the American people. DNDO has done superlative work. The Post needs to try and understand the whole story, not just the sensational bits that sell.