Review and Approval of Implementation Plans

DOE-STD-1082-94

5. REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF IMPLEMENTATION PLANS

5.1 Review and Approval Protocol. The Department's protocol for

review and approval of implementation plans is described below. The protocol

defines the roles, interfaces, and responsibilities of Department organizations

with respect to review and approval of implementation plans for nuclear safety

requirements. This protocol is consistent with the "Conceptual Framework for

Implementation Plan Review Teams" endorsed by the Office of Energy

Research, the Office of Nuclear Energy, the Office of Defense Programs, the

Office of Environmental Management, and the Office of Associate Deputy

Secretary for Field Management in a memorandum dated September 9, 1994.

This protocol is consistent with and supersedes the Draft Review and Approval

Protocol composed by the Rule Implementation Steering Group and

referenced in Step 6 of the September 9 Conceptual Framework.

Implementing organizations who will prepare the implementation plans and the

DOE organizations responsible for review and approval of the plans must have

a shared vision of what should be in the completed plans before submission of

the plan to DOE. In order to ensure this shared vision and the development of

successful implementation plans, early and continual dialogue between the

implementing organization and the Review Team is essential. This dialogue

should begin well before the implementation plan is submitted to DOE. The

process described below was built on the lessons learned in similar efforts and

was designed to facilitate that dialogue.

Because review and approval of the plans will often involve multiple

Departmental organizations, the review and approval process must provide for

coordination, consistency of review, and resolution of issues among those

offices. In addition, the review and approval process must address both the

technical adequacy of the proposed implementation plans and the

programmatic responsibilities (i.e., funding and mission). These

responsibilities will require additional coordination within the Department as

they may reside in different organizations.