Question:

What experience does HEPAP have with the construction of
projects on the scale of the SSC?

Answer:

HEPAP is a formal DOE advisory panel which was first chartered in January 1967. As a Federal advisory panel, HEPAP has no direct role in the construction or operation of DOE facilities. HEPAP's role is to assess scientific needs and priorities, recommend which facilities should be constructed, and recommend priorities for facility operations. The responsibility for actual construction and operation of the large high energy physics facilities rests with the Department and its management and operating contractors.

Question 3:

Answer:

Who has the management responsibility for the project, URA or
DOE? Explain.

URA is the prime contractor responsible for designing,
constructing, and operating the SSC. DOE will oversee and

monitor progress and assure that the project is managed
properly. DOE ultimately has the management responsibility for
the project.

Question:

I understand that the previous Director of Energy Research proposed a much stronger role for DOE Headquarters (with higher numbers of FTEs in DOE) in managing the project than was adopted by Secretary Watkins in his September 1989 SSC Management Plan.

Answer:

The previous Director of Energy Research had proposed the OSSC to be an independent and self-contained office capable of providing the full range of program and project needs. Such an office is extremely staff intensive. The Secretary's September 1989 plan called for up to 30 FTE's at Headquarters and up to 60 FTE's at the site office; but the Headquarters office has full access to staff within the budget, procurement, counsel, personnel and other staff offices of the Department and the site office has full access to the matrix support of the Chicago

Operations Office as well as the staff which Chicago has

provided to and collocated at the site office.

Question:

Answer:

Why was the weaker role for DOE selected? What were the advantages and disadvantages of the alternatives considered in that decision?

DOE does not have a weaker role with respect to this project
under the Secretary's management plan than that proposed by the
previous Director of Energy Research. Obviously, one of the
factors considered in the Secretary's decision was the number of
staff slots which were available within the Department for the
new office. The decision to use matrix support from the
Headquarters and Chicago Offices was based, in part, upon
resources available; but it is important to note that the matrix
support available, both in numbers and in talent, far exceeds
what the SSC could have hoped to staff to. For example, within
the Offices of the General Counsel at Headquarters and Chicago,
the SSC can draw upon the talents of lawyers with international,
procurement, patent and environmental skills; similar examples
can be cited within each of the DOE staff offices. The fact
that the SSC is a Presidential and Departmental priority is
sufficient to ensure that the project is well supported by the
staff offices.

Question:

Discuss the role of the DOE Office of Superconducting Super
Collider under the September 1989 plan.

Answer:

The DOE-OSSC, as provided in the Secretary's SSC Management
Plan, consists of a Headquarters office headed by a Program
Manager who reports to the Director of Energy Research and a
Project Office in Texas headed by a Project Manager who reports
to and receives guidance from the Program Manager.
Administrative support for the Headquarters Office is provided
by DOE staff offices at Headquarters and for the Project Office
is provided by the Chicago Operations Office.

The Program Manager's responsibilities include ensuring
compliance with all applicable Federal, State and local
regulations during the design, construction and operation of the
SSC; SSC policy formulation; negotiation with foreign
governments to establish collaborative arrangements; technical,
safety, environmental, managerial and financial oversight;
project cost and schedule; and the provision of contracting
officer and procurement authority. The Program Manager
interfaces with the President of the prime contractor, the SSC
Laboratory Director and the High Energy Physics Advisory Panel.
Within 6 months of appointment, the SSC Program Manager is to
provide a definitive management plan to the Secretary which may
alter the current management structure.