DOE/NNSA has released a performance evaluation summary for Triad National Security, LLC. Photo Courtesy LANL

The award fee scorecard for the Triad National Security, LLC contract at Los Alamos National Laboratory for FY2020. Courtesy image

BY MAIRE O’NEILL
maire@losalamosreporter.com

Triad National Security, LLC, will receive $45.7 million or 88 percent of a possible $48.8 million in annual award and fixed fees for FY 2020, which ran from Oct. 1, 2019 through Sept. 30, 2020, for its performance at Los Alamos National Laboratory.

The performance report indicates that the COVID-19 pandemic “necessitated Triad transitioning approximately 85 percent of its workforce to telework who successfully conducted mission critical work demonstrating strong resilient management in crisis. Overall, Triad earned a Very Good rating for FY2020, and an overall percentage rating of 88 percent, exceeding many of the objectives and key outcomes under the PEMP goals, meeting overall cost, schedule and technical performance requirements with accomplishments that greatly outweigh issues”.

Triad earned an “excellent” rating on four of its six goals and “very good” on two goals.  

The report noted that the Lab did not meet all scheduled Pit development builds but has improved process reliability and needs to demonstrate advancements in efforts on the ASD and ECSE projects in order for NNSA to have confidence they will be achieved. It notes that a glovebox breach prevented progress in and completion of certain work.

Other issues included:

• Triad did not always identify legacy issues before they manifested into security and maintenance issues.
  
• Triad was challenged in engineering quality management at facilities and encountered challenges in cyber security, IT Programs, and had improper access controls.
  
• Triad inconsistently delivered quality and signature ready documentation across the organization.
  
• Triad did not meet four of the six small business goals and struggled with some small business relationships.
  
• Triad’s methods for validating effectiveness of assurance system processes are not completely effective but the Lab has made improvements in quality, issues management and overall contractor assurance.

• Triad did not always bring all resources to bear to develop well defined technical solutions that stand-up to scrutiny, acting as a strong accountable leader defining and defending critical activity and project needs.

Accomplishments noted in the report include:

The Laboratory is meeting objectives for executing mission-critical work and supporting stockpile activities.

• Triad supported completion of the last production unit for the W76-2 and provided excellent support for the B61-12, the W88 Alteration 370, the W88 ALT 940 program and numerous other ALTs but COVID-19 related impacts slowed the pace of work.

• The Laboratory made progress on preparation and execution of experiments at local firing sites and partner facilities.

• The Laboratory provided support to the Savannah River Site planning and design of its Plutonium Processing Facility.

• Triad exceeded planned deliverables for activities associated with the Material Recycle and Recovery program, including completing cleanout of Confinement Vessel Disposition 9 and relocation of CVD 10.

• Provided critical support to high profile missions to remove disused radioactive sources.

• Provided excellent support for remediation efforts in FY20 for the May 2019 release of cesium-137 in Seattle including drafting an exemplary safety plan to allow remediation to continue.
• Triad, in space-based nuclear detonation detection, is performing at a high level as the lab lead to integrate one operational and one experimental payload onto a DoD satellite.

• Triad adapted well to the pandemic; sustaining readiness and developing novel and creative alternatives for retaining proficiency and support for Nuclear Emergency Search Team (NEST) programs.

• Triad continued to provide strong technical support to the U.S. High Performance Research Reactor Project for domestic development of Mo99.

• Los Alamos was successful in converting, processing, packaging and analyzing 8 blend-lots of Pu as oxide from a nuclear device.

• Triad provided excellent technical and programmatic leadership of a diverse nuclear forensics venture team developing improved ways to gain information about a nuclear device.

• The Laboratory successfully performed high impact work of DOE and Strategic Partnership Projects, taking extraordinary actions to execute COVID-19 related projects and other mission-essential projects.

• The Laboratory exhibited noteworthy performance in their continued delivery of isotope products.

• The Laboratory successfully manufactured Two Pu Pucks in support of the Department of Homeland Security.

• Triad awarded and executed new high-impact projects in strategically significant areas.

• Triad successfully initiated and executed a formal risk review process for DOE/FCI programs, that provides the opportunity to self-critically and transparently identify and address programmatic risk and challenges.
• Triad exceeded expectations by enhancing technical workforce competencies, ensuring that research is transformative and relevant to national security missions.

• Laboratory scientists received a number of prestigious awards.

• Triad used historical data to discover parameters that better predict whether underground nuclear explosions will lead to late-time radioactive gas seepage and verification of nuclear test ban treaties.

• Triad leveraged innovative solutions to maintain a viable summer school program.

• Triad executed thirteen new Cooperative Research and Development Agreements or amendments.

• Triad added an additional Laboratory Directed Research and Development investment type that aligned with Laboratory priorities including COVID-19.

• Triad worked to de-inventory Transuranic waste containers from the site and increased shipping rates.

• Triad implemented a COVID-19 task force which ensured effective management of the pandemic.

• Triad made improvements in safety culture, conduct of operations systems, and safety basis.

• Triad performed significant work to re-establish the Wildland Fire Program.

• The Laboratory provided exemplary emergency response for legacy waste on DP Road, excellent removal and shipments of Type A quantity nuclear materials from Lovelace Biomedical Research Institute, and performed well on the Chemistry and Metallurgy Research Replacement project.
• Triad provided strong leadership and support for environmental compliance, with only minor issues.

• Triad delivered efficient and effective business operations and budget and financial performance.

• Triad provided exceptional support to the NSE Workforce Strategy Group with impactful initiatives.

• Triad met expectations on line item projects, with six meeting, one below, and three above expectations.

• Triad demonstrated excellence during the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted by effective personnel accounting and reporting processes, an online onboarding process, continued hiring, PPE and cleaning supply procurement, testing and analysis facilities, increased productivity, and effective telework policies.

• Triad launched a new mission, vision, and values statement to support long-term systematic changes.

• Triad employs an assurance practice that evaluates risks and issues Weapons and Global Security Program.

• Triad initiated several process improvements in MC&A efforts of improved collaboration.

• Triad demonstrated considerable leadership in its involvement with DP Science execution collaborations.

• Triad’s investment in critical skills development is beginning to demonstrate operational improvements.

• Triad’s Safety Culture initiatives demonstrate workforce/operational improvement and risk reduction.

• Improvement trends in alarm response and reporting demonstrate effective corrective action implementation and management’s commitment to safety.