LANL Leadership reviews are harsh
LANS 2014 performance evaluation review is now posted in full
Leadership:
During the performance period, the Laboratory was operationally, reputationally, and financially impacted by several issues. Deficiencies in regulatory compliance and in the physical management of transuranic waste streams contributed to or resulted in the closure of the only waste repository serving the Department of Energy. The impacts include the diversion of key staff from mission work, huge financial costs to the Department of Energy that are still accumulating, failure to meet environmental commitments made to the State of New Mexico, damage to an important relationship with a key state regulatory body, broad adverse economic impacts associated with the suspension of normal operations at the Waste Isolation Pilot Project, and a degredation of public confidence in the conduct of nuclear and high hazard operations at the Laboratory.
Throughout the performance period, nuclear operations were suspended at most plutonium-related production and research facilities at the Laboratory. NNSA appreciates the Laboratory’s 2013 decision to cease operations to address longstanding, documented concerns with Criticality Safety and Formality of Operations, but the Laboratory’s application of resources for re-starting resulted in a performance year in which the workforce and facilities did not significantly contribute to productive programmatic use.
During the performance year, there were instances of ethical lapses involving senior Laboratory staff, as was the case in the previous performance year. The Laboratory continued to experience challenges in construction management and in deploying and exercising best industry practices to promote construction management success, including the Earned Value Management System. While there were significant accomplishments during the reporting period, the impact and gravity of documented shortcomings overwhelm those accomplishments and reflect a negative trend in leadership performance; constituting performance that is below expectations.
http://nnsa.energy.gov/sites/default/files/nnsa/inlinefiles/FY%202014%20LANS%20LLC%20PER%20releasable.pdf
40 comments:
Can hardly wait to see how Charlie's myrmidons will start spinning this bad new story.
The truly sad thing is that most of the "success" stories were borderline failures, and the kitty litter failure is a non-issue spun up by bureaucrats who cannot find their asses with both hands.
Brutal. Sounds like reason for raises for management.
"During the performance year, there were instances of ethical lapses involving senior Laboratory staff, as was the case in the previous performance year. "
What the heck is going on? How many instances is this?
I find it interesting that the DOE Inspector General (IG) reviews (12/14) what is arguably the most important program at LANL (Hydro Program), gives it a poor evaluation, and there is hardly a mention of it this report. It's very apparent that the LA Site Office is snookered by LANL Weapon Management making it appear that they did a "very good job". Fact is, the LA Site Office has very little to no "oversight" or knowledge of the LANL weapons program.
http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2014/12/f19/DOE-IG-0930.pdf
RESULTS OF DOE IG AUDIT
We found that LANL continued to experience delays in executing hydrotests. According to NNSA's National Plans, LANL scheduled a total of 19 tests during FYs 2010 through 2013. Of
the scheduled tests, 12 (63 percent) experienced delays ranging from 1 to 3 years. Five of the tests had not been performed as of the end of FY 2013. Of the five tests, three were delayed 1 year and ultimately were executed in FY 2014. The remaining two tests will be delayed an additional year and are now scheduled for FY 2015. Additionally, the testing delays created a backlog in LANL's test schedules for subsequent years.
NNSA let LANS "off the hook" by giving them a "satisfactory" rating on Performance Objective 5: Leadership. Fact is, all the problems at LANS are due to leadership but somehow NNSA fails to acknowledge or recognize.
Let's face it. The site office has never been known for an excess of intelligence or even basic insights.
Anonymous said...
"During the performance year, there were instances of ethical lapses involving senior Laboratory staff, as was the case in the previous performance year. "
What the heck is going on? How many instances is this?
January 19, 2015 at 2:11 PM
Anyone have the hueveros to ask Mcmillan this question in all hand's?
Anonymous said...
"During the performance year, there were instances of ethical lapses involving senior Laboratory staff, as was the case in the previous performance year. "
What the heck is going on? How many instances is this?
January 19, 2015 at 2:11 PM
Does anyone have the hueveros to ask Mcmillan this question at all hand's meeting?
"Does anyone have the hueveros to ask Mcmillan this question at all hand's meeting?
January 19, 2015 at 8:12 PM"
The question would be construed as an ethical lapses and dealt with swiftly.
The site office has never been known for an excess of intelligence or even basic insights.
January 19, 2015 at 6:45 PM
Having dealt with site office people over the years, both before and after NNSA and LANS. I can state quite confidently that they are on average very intelligent and committed to their jobs and mission, but uniformly ignorant and uneducated about the systems, programs, and management structures they are tasked with overseeing. The same is true of DOE and NNSA HQ organizations. This is a massive failure of DOE/NNSA to ensure that they hire people that can accomplish the mission they have been assigned by Congress.
Fact is, all the problems at LANS are due to leadership but somehow NNSA fails to acknowledge or recognize.
January 19, 2015 at 5:57 PM
As the old adage claims, the fish rots from the head. Mcmillan and the entire crew of PADs and ADs have decayed beyond salvage.
In today's All-hands, McMillan referred to $6M (award fee that LANS was awarded) as "change". Did anyone else notice this? Does anyone know what McMillan considers to be a lot of money? Fundamentally, he seems to have a "warped" sense of the concept money! Does he consider the $500M (likely greater) that will be required to re-open WIPP (which he was responsible for) as "change".
Charlie said "six million and change," which is the usual way of referring to the fractional amount over six.
Charlie said "six million and change," which is the usual way of referring to the fractional amount over six.
January 20, 2015 at 7:33 PM
Correct. The previous poster's characterization was incorrect, intentionally or not. Let's try to stay factual here.
When you say "we", do you mean LANL or LANS?
"We" means LANL when things go wrong, and "we" means LANS when we get a bonus. When that distinction cannot be clearly or convincingly made, "we" means both LANL and LANS.
Thank you for asking that question. Now remember in any for profit corporation ones does not say bad things or imply bad things about the corporation. This is is just business, and LANS as you all know is in the business of making money. Now there might be some who will that we should do what is "good" for American, however that would be unfair to our for profit stakeholders, to make an exception for one contract would cause us to lose credibility for
all our other stakeholders in our other contracts. We must follow the best practices of what other corporations follow, it is only fair to the marketplace. Individual corporations may hurt American but the aggregate of all corporations helps American in the long run. LANS is simply one corporation for better or worse and only the marketplace will decide if it helps or hurts the United States. Until then there is no difference between LANL and LANS.
Charlie "GQ" McMillan would like everyone to join him and sing the new LANS corporate anthem at his next "All Hands" meeting. It goes like this...
Everything is Awesome,
Everything is cool when you're part of a team
Everything is Awesome when you're living out a dreams
Everything is better when we stick together,
Side by side you and I gonna win forever?
Let's party forever
We're the same unlike you, you & me we are a working in harmony
Everything is Awesome,
Everything is cool when you're part of a team
Everything is Awesome when you're living out a dreams
( The Lego Movie )
Anonymous said...
Charlie said "six million and change," which is the usual way of referring to the fractional amount over six.
January 20, 2015 at 7:33 PM
Correct. The previous poster's characterization was incorrect, intentionally or not. Let's try to stay factual here.
January 20, 2015 at 8:34 PM
Whatever you think he said, most people heard "chump change."
If you believe that anything is going to change, then you are the chump.
Until then there is no difference between LANL and LANS.
January 20, 2015 at 9:04 PM
Apparently some people still do not get that there is no "LANL" except a bunch of land and buildings owned by the federal government. No one works for "LANL." The only operational entity located at the LANL site is LANS. All employees at the site work for LANS or a LANS subcontractor.
As the old adage claims, the fish rots from the head. Mcmillan and the entire crew of PADs and ADs have decayed beyond salvage.
January 20, 2015 at 8:03 AM
True. So true.
Now, what is next?
Now, what is next?
January 21, 2015 at 11:10 AM
Charlie's "resignation is accepted" by LANS. An interim director is appointed by UC. No search for a permanent director is started, since the LANS partners understand they have only about two years left. Bechtel withdraws from LANS because of the 90% reduction in award fee. NNSA announces a contract rebid for mid-2016. A substantial RIF in late 2015 or early 2016 is caused in part by the significant cuts in cleanup funds and also the upcoming second round of sequester cuts. LANS withdraws health benefits for non-medicare retirees who must then get coverage from the Obamacare exchanges. The administration, with full support from the Joint Chiefs, decides to retire the entire land-based component of the triad, and also the cruise missile nuclear capabilities, based in part on the embarrassing scandals among the Air Force launch crews, and the Navy's desire to get out of the nuclear business except for submarines. This leaves only three weapon systems viable, all LANL designs. Fasten your seat belts!
Ouch! If that scenario takes place then it's going to be extremely painful for just about everyone living in and around Los Alamos. Fasten your seat belts, indeed.
Do we have any "airbags" to help soften the crash?
Let's have a frank discussion. The core issue is that LANL has been getting away with this behavior for decades. They are above the rules. They know better than all of the DOE and state regulators. They are better than all of the operators and laboratories around the country who follow the rules. Whether its LANS, UC, or whoever this will continue to happen until the DOE cracks down.
> Let's have a frank discussion. >The core issue is that LANL has >been getting away with this >behavior for decades.
No sounds like BS.
>They are above the rules. They >know better than all of the DOE >and state regulators. They are >better than all of the operators >and laboratories around the >country who follow the rules.
Again total and absolute bs. As for all the other labs, every here about the nuns at Y12, the celerity stalker at Sandia? OakRidge employees trying to sell Uranium enrichment equipment, LLNL scientist D. Nozette, arrested for spying charges. NASA Langley research Center worker Jiang charged with spying.
A top security official at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory resigned Thursday after he was linked to an alleged Chinese spy scandal and love triangle involving a Los Angeles socialite and a retired FBI agent. http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Spy-scandal-fallout-in-Livermore-Lab-official-2655747.php
The idea that LANL is somehow this horrible lab compared to the what has occured in the other labs and agencies in the nations is laughable and does not stand up to even the simplest scrutiny.
>Whether its LANS, UC, or whoever >this will continue to happen >until the DOE cracks down.
>January 21, 2015 at 6:44 PM
Sorry but this is a tired and baseless BS that has been flung at LANL since Wen Ho Lee. None of it is true and none of stands when looked into.
I am no fan of LANS but this same old BS is getting old. You have some personal agenda against LANL but you do not have the facts.
Charlie said "six million and change," which is the usual way of referring to the fractional amount over six.
January 20, 2015 at 7:33 PM
What's a few million amongst my buddies, my ADs and PADS, hell we're all making million dollar salaries. We'll leave "change" for the chumps slaving for us in the trenches. See you at Gucci's Rodeo drive, Beverly Hills Norm. Luxury, fashion, and entertainment baby!
Charlie "GQ" McMillion
Charlie said "six million and change," which is the usual way of referring to the fractional amount over six.
January 20, 2015 at 7:33 PM
Thank you Norm (Pattiz)!
Did anyone notice that McMillan didn't say one word about how DOE/NNSA/LANS is going to legally contest NMED "authority" to fine them. Lab "legal" placed a muzzle around "GQs" lips on this issue. This will give the entire legal group at LANL a mission for the next 7-years, if we are around that long. Really, is this what we the taxpayers get for our money. Wow, what a farce.
McMillan just couldn't say enough about his son Terry Wallace and how he has "saved" LANL. My only question is: What did he do? We still don't know the cause of the "exploding" drum, but we've spent $20M (and change) on thousands of experiments researching the chemistry of nuclear waste.
Did anyone notice that McMillan didn't say one word about how DOE/NNSA/LANS is going to legally contest NMED "authority" to fine them.
January 22, 2015 at 5:04 AM
That authority is real and comes from a formal MOU between the EPA and the state environmental regulators of all the states that have NWC facilities. If you believe in states' rights, it makes perfect sense. The citizens of the states are the victims here.
McMillan just couldn't say enough about his son Terry Wallace and how he has "saved" LANL. My only question is: What did he do? We still don't know the cause of the "exploding" drum, but we've spent $20M (and change) on thousands of experiments researching the chemistry of nuclear waste.
January 22, 2015 at 5:20 AM
You may be on the low side, as others had stated that it was over $30M wasted at last count. For that money, all Wallace managed to do was make the lab look incompetent at doing science. Everyone already knew that he was a disaster as a manager, so this "broadens his experience."
It's crazy how you can go from "stardom" to the "doghouse" at LANL. It was a few weeks ago that McMillan was praising the 3706 effort in the transuranic program. The Governor came to LANL and McMillan and his team of executives kissed her ring and ass. It took one drum exploding at WIPP and McMillan tossed all these folkes in the trash, mostly ex-Savannah River managers. The new management has been inserted there and McMillan just couldn't say enough about Terry Wallace and Randy Erickson "saving the Lab" in a mere 3-months. How long will be before these management "jewels" will be tossed out? It's been like this for years at LANL, NOBODY SURVIVES THE LANL GAUNTLET!
McMillan just couldn't say enough about his son Terry Wallace and how he has "saved" LANL. My only question is: What did he do? We still don't know the cause of the "exploding" drum, but we've spent $20M (and change) on thousands of experiments researching the chemistry of nuclear waste.
January 22, 2015 at 5:20 AM
Had heard that it was more like tens of thousands of experiments and still no credible cause. What a waste of "the best and brightest."
Had heard that it was more like tens of thousands of experiments...
January 23, 2015 at 6:26 PM
Right. Do you have any idea how long it takes to plan, document, get approval for, and carry out an experiment of that type? If "dozens" were actually carried out, that would be an amazing feat. McMillan and Wallace did exactly nothing. Or have you seen published results of such experiments? Nope. Never happened.
I guess the star power of local boy geniuses, Terry Wallace, and David Chavez is fading fast...
McMillan continues to make mistakes. He forgot to fire, in fact promoted, the most manipulative and deceptive manager in the LANL Transuranic Program. The guy that hid the memorandum from Chemistry Division on the explosives characteristics of nitrates / kiddy liter. Steve Clemmons, (TRU Acting Program Director), formerly of Savannah River. Mortal error Charlie, mortal error!
Not a single sign exists that Charlie McMillan or any of his PADs or ADs will be resigning anytime soon due to the many fiascos they have "managed" while serving as LANL's management team.
Looks like smooth sailing. Time to order that expensive suit you've been lusting after, Charlie, and then publish some more glossy brochures with your face on the front cover lauding your success.
Not a single sign exists that Charlie McMillan or any of his PADs or ADs will be resigning anytime soon
January 26, 2015 at 9:13 PM
I'm not sure what type of "sign" you are expecting. That's not LANS' style. I am sure that the 90% reduction in award fee has got the attention of the LANS board, and Bechtel in particular. By now Charlie has had at least one good "talking to" and I'll bet he is on probation and knows it. Bechtel's style is to "reassign" managers to other sites. There is nowhere to "reassign" Charlie to.
I'm not sure what type of "sign" you are expecting. That's not LANS' style. I am sure that the 90% reduction in award fee has got the attention of the LANS board, and Bechtel in particular. By now Charlie has had at least one good "talking to" and I'll bet he is on probation and knows it. Bechtel's style is to "reassign" managers to other sites. There is nowhere to "reassign" Charlie to.
January 27, 2015 at 12:49 PM
The only "talking to" that Charlie McMillan had was to visit Norm Pattiz in his plush Beverly Hills mansion and have Normy tell Charlie that he need to start "dressing up".
I guess the star power of local boy geniuses, Terry Wallace, and David Chavez is fading fast...
January 24, 2015 at 9:19 AM
I see Chavez is now a Team Leader. Team Leader of the WIPP Exploding Drum Science Team.
Repeat after me, LANL-ites:
Je suis Charlie (I am Charlie)
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