Sandia named NNSA “Security Team of the Year”
Sandia Labs and the Sandia Field Office were awarded the 2024 NNSA Randy D. Putt Security Team of the Year Award for their successful planning and execution of the second-ever International Atomic Energy Agency International Physical Protection Advisory Service Mission hosted by the United States, the first for DOE, NNSA and Sandia. This prestigious award was presented by Lew Monroe, NNSA associate administrator and chief for the Office of Defense Nuclear Security, who noted that “the decision [to select Sandia for this mission] went all the way up to the Office of the President” and that “Sandia met every standard at the international level.”
Safeguards and Security Director Samantha Flores accepted the award on behalf of 70 dedicated individuals from the Sandia Field Office, Safeguards and Security, Global Security, Nuclear Facility Operations, Cyber Security and Emergency Management. In addition, individual participants received NNSA certificates in recognition of their contributions. Sandia Field Office Deputy Manager David Pugh attended and made remarks, underscoring the collaborative effort that led to this remarkable achievement.
IPPAS Mission program
The IPPAS Mission program, launched in 1995, aims to assist nations in strengthening their national nuclear security procedures, systems and measures. The missions provide peer advice on implementing international instruments, along with International Atomic Energy Agency guidance on the protection of nuclear and other radioactive material and associated facilities.
The U.S. mission, hosted in Gaithersburg, Maryland, and at Sandia New Mexico, occurred in early 2024 and focused on reviewing the DOE-NNSA nuclear security enterprise and its implementation at the Sandia Pulsed Reactor Facility – Critical Experiments. The nine-person visiting IPPAS team was led by Kathleen Heppell-Masys, vice president of Nuclear Operations Oversight at Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, and included international nuclear security experts from Finland, Poland, Japan, Czech Republic, Australia, United Kingdom, Argentina and Switzerland.
Teaming for excellence
The Sandia Labs and Sandia Field Office team successfully navigated the intricate requirements within the IPPAS guidelines, encompassing 17 areas related to security management and physical protection systems. To prepare for the two-week event featuring information sessions and guided facility tours, they developed an extensive project plan to coordinate logistics, conducted thorough self-assessments and comprehensive briefings, and developed an Advanced Information Package deemed “best-in-class” by the IPPAS team, demonstrating deep understanding of the regulatory framework and commitment to compliance. The team began planning a year in advance, and the experience from start to finish was a once-in-a-career opportunity for those involved.
The award letter commended the team’s “mastery of project management principles” and “commitment to excellence,” saying their efforts “strengthened bilateral cooperation with international partners, contributing to a shared goal of peaceful nuclear energy use and reducing the threat of nuclear terrorism.” A specific outcome of the mission was the identification of two Good Practices related to Sandia’s security culture and processes, which Monroe stated are being “infused across the international community.”
On his official memo to Sandia Field Office Manager Daryl Hauck, Monroe included a handwritten note: “SNL is helping to lead our security program; this award shows they’re making it happen!”