August 2009 - Neams-pmt - mailman3.cels.anl.gov

PMT Bi-Weekly Conference Call - 8/31 @ 1pm EDT
by Larzelere, Alex 31 Aug '09

31 Aug '09

Everyone, Just so we get back on track - there will be a PMT Conference Call next Monday (8/31). The one of the major topics will be the FY-10 budget (see my previous note). We also need to talk about the preparations for the PI meeting. With any luck we will have a draft agenda and invitation list out by the meeting for our consideration. Here is the dial-in information: Date: Monday, August 31st Time: 1:00 pm EDT Domestic dial number: 1-800-857-5332 Passcode: 76626 Please note that this number will be good until 12/21/09. Sorry for the confusion about last Monday's call and I look forward to talking with many of you next Monday. Regards, Alex ________________________________________________ Alex R. Larzelere Director, Advanced Modeling and Simulation Office of Nuclear Energy, Fuel Cycle Management (NE-5) U.S. Department of Energy 202-586-1906 Alex.Larzelere(a)nuclear.energy.gov

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Spreadsheet for FY-10 Budget Discussion
by Larzelere, Alex 31 Aug '09

31 Aug '09

Everyone, To aide in our thinking about the FY-10 budget splits, I have created the attached spreadsheet. In it you will find: * Each program element * A blank for each lab * Suggested targets for 3 scenarios ($13M, $20M, $36M) * Suggested high level scopes of work for each element for each scenario The things you will not find are: * Lab splits * Specific project descriptions At the PMT call this afternoon, we will talk about the spreadsheet and what we need from you to complete it. To summarize, for your respective program element we need: * Your suggestions for the total element budget (you can go up or down by 30%) * Your suggested split among the labs * Your suggestions for changes to the high level scope of work We will need to get this input back by the end of the week so we can compile a final budget which will lead to preparation of the very detailed workpackages. BTW - be warned, we do not have complete freedom in creating this budget. At some point, I will need to make sure that NEAMS has a budget that makes programmatic sense and lives within the "political" constraints for lab splits. That being said, your inputs to this process are very important and will be used as much as possible. Talk with most of you in a few minutes. Regards, Alex ________________________________________________ Alex R. Larzelere Director, Advanced Modeling and Simulation Office of Nuclear Energy, Fuel Cycle Management (NE-5) U.S. Department of Energy 202-586-1906 Alex.Larzelere(a)nuclear.energy.gov

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NEAMS October FINPLAN
by Larzelere, Alex 27 Aug '09

27 Aug '09

Everyone, As you may have heard (I know how the lab spies at HQ operate) - I have decided not to distribute any FY-10 funds for NEAMS in the October FINPLAN. The impact of doing this is that you are going to have to live off of carry-over for October. I anticipate that will not be a problem because we did not receive the bulk of the NEAMS funding until last May. Sorry for the short notice on this, but the situation required a "Command Decision" and hopefully it will not hurt us (specifically you) and in the end benefit us. The situation was that I was under pressure late last week and early this one to make a decision about the distribution of funds in the FINPLAN and start the preparation of the work-packages. I felt we were not prepared to do that because we are still under the $13M scenario for NEAMS. At $13M it certainly can deliver some important modeling and simulation support to the other Campaigns. However, we need to make it clear that our role is just a support role. At that level I strongly believe that NEAMS is not an activity that will be building advanced modeling and simulation capabilities. The good news is that this week things are looking much brighter on several fronts. There is discussion about shifting the recent "U enrichment" tax which could get us closer to $20M. We are also hearing that the House and Senate are preparing to conference the appropriations bills shortly after they return after Labor Day. This will provide clarity about the overall NE budget. Finally, Pete Miller and Pete Lyons are finally on board and that will provide some clarity about the role of modeling and simulation. So - where do we go from here? One thing that needs to happen right away is the NEAMS budget splits and high level scope planning (this was the subject of the canceled Seattle PMT meeting). Andrew is working on a process to get that information and I will let him explain what he wants to do. Once we have that in place, we will then have to prepare our work-packages and go through the process of getting those approved. Finally, based on the budget numbers that we finally get, they will be provided through the system to the FINPLAN and everyone will see new NEAMS funding on 1 November. Hopefully this is not too confusing and will not cause too many problems. Stand by for direction from Andrew on the planning process and please let me know if you have any questions, comments or problems. Regards, Alex ________________________________________________ Alex R. Larzelere Director, Advanced Modeling and Simulation Office of Nuclear Energy, Fuel Cycle Management (NE-5) U.S. Department of Energy 202-586-1906 Alex.Larzelere(a)nuclear.energy.gov

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NEAMS FMM and FMM-like Project Normalization
by Larzelere, Alex 25 Aug '09

25 Aug '09

Everyone, Sorry for the delay in getting this out - as you may or may not know (and I am sure many of you do because you were there), we had a meeting in Seattle on August 10th and 11th to try to capture and make sense of the "universe" of FMM and FMM like projects. I promised to prepare a spreadsheet with my understanding of all of the projects that fall in that universe, and here it is. As you will see, it includes: * FMM funded projects * FMM-like projects funded by the IPSCs * FOA funded efforts * NEUP university funded projects I have done my best to capture some basic information about each project, but I am sure I woefully missed the mark. So - please look over the attachment and please provide corrections, additions and/or deletions. The goal is to learn what is in NEAMS in way of these projects so we can avoid looking like we are tripping over ourselves. I would like to have this resolved as soon as possible, so please get me your feedback by the end of this week. Also, feel free to pass this along as needed to get better information. Thanks for your help in making sense of this. Regards, Alex PS: Randy, John, I know I missed some of the Waste FMM-like activities, so please provide that information. ________________________________________________ Alex R. Larzelere Director, Advanced Modeling and Simulation Office of Nuclear Energy, Fuel Cycle Management (NE-5) U.S. Department of Energy 202-586-1906 Alex.Larzelere(a)nuclear.energy.gov

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PMT Conference Call Today
by Larzelere, Alex 24 Aug '09

24 Aug '09

Everyone, Hopefully not too many of you got caught up in trying to make the PMT call today. I thought I had told everyone at our last call, last Monday that we would be cancelling this one. If I forgot to make that clear, I am very sorry. The problem with a call today is that: A) There is no news to pass along and B) Andrew is on vacation to Panama and not available Sorry for the confusion and I will get the word out later this week about the next PMT call that is now scheduled for next Monday (8/31). Regards, Alex ________________________________________________ Alex R. Larzelere Director, Advanced Modeling and Simulation Office of Nuclear Energy, Fuel Cycle Management (NE-5) U.S. Department of Energy 202-586-1906 Alex.Larzelere(a)nuclear.energy.gov

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PI Meeting Reminder
by Larzelere, Alex 21 Aug '09

21 Aug '09

Everyone, I know it is late on a Friday, in August - but just a reminder that we need information for the upcoming PI meeting and it was due by the end of today. This info includes: * Presentation titles (or at least place holders) and speakers for the agenda * Suggestions for the invitation list Please make sure you include Dan Vega and Bob Raczynski (cc:ed above) when you send this in. These are the two gentlemen who are helping me pull the meeting together. Our goal is to send out invitations by the end of the week with a preliminary agenda. Thanks for your help. Regards, Alex ________________________________________________ Alex R. Larzelere Director, Advanced Modeling and Simulation Office of Nuclear Energy, Fuel Cycle Management (NE-5) U.S. Department of Energy 202-586-1906 Alex.Larzelere(a)nuclear.energy.gov

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AFCI Program Review - FY09 July Data - Modeling and Simulation
by Mary Dzielski 21 Aug '09

21 Aug '09

Please update the attached material by COB Monday, August 24th and carbon copy David Nowak. Thank you. > --- En date de : Jeu 20.8.09, Brad Couch <Brad.Couch(a)inl.gov> a > écrit : > > De: Brad Couch <Brad.Couch(a)inl.gov> > Objet: Fw: AFCI Program Review - FY09 July Data - Modeling and > Simulation > À: nowak100(a)yahoo.com > Date: Jeudi 20 Août 2009, 9h55 > > Dave, > > I understand that your covering for Andrew while he is on vacation. > I thought I would forward this on to you in case you will be > supporting the July Performance Review for Andrew. > ___________________________________________ > Brad Couch > AFCI TIO Project Controls Manager > office - 208-526-8004 > cell -208-360-6117 > ___________________________________________ > > ----- Forwarded by Brad Couch/COUCBJ/CC01/INEEL/US on 08/20/2009 > 10:54 AM ----- > "Matthew W. Brainard" <mbrainard(a)prc8a.com> > 08/19/2009 03:10 PM > > To > <siegela(a)mcs.anl.gov> > cc > "Alex Larzelere" <alex.larzelere(a)Nuclear.Energy.gov>, "Brad Couch" <Brad.Couch(a)inl.gov > > > Subject > AFCI Program Review - FY09 July Data - Modeling and Simulation > > > > > > Hi Andrew, > > Attached is the draft Modeling and Simulation Campaign PowerPoint > presentation for FY09 July data. The information in the > presentation is intended for your use in preparation for the actual > presentation to DOE-HQ on Thursday, August 27, 2009 (10:30 AM – > 12:30 PM EDT). You may review the slides and edit as necessary. > Please send your revised presentation back to Brad Couch for > inclusion into a single combined report by no later than COB > Tuesday, August 25th. > > Also attached please find the supporting Planned Cost (PC) versus > Actual Cost (AC) information at the Control Account and Work Package > levels to aid you in discussions with your Federal Campaign Manager > and final preparations for the presentation. > > As was in the past, please continue to: > (i) Keep explanations short and limited to the text > boxes on each slide (if possible). > > (ii) Incorporate requested changes in the format > emphasized in previous reviews; e.g., (i) Identify the lab on “Major > Accomplishments, Discoveries, and Inventions” and (ii) List upcoming > Campaign meetings and focus on 60 to 90 days out in “Look Ahead – > General Items and Meetings”. > > (iii) Please keep the Accomplishments to no more than two > pages long. For the Accomplishments that are related to FOA's, put > an asterisk next to the lab in the Accomplishments section. This > will be a common designator that the Accomplishment is related to an > FOA. > > The dial in number for the August 27th conference call is: > 301-903-6183. > > Don’t hesitate to call if you have questions/concerns. > > Thanks, > Matt > > Matt Brainard > Sr. Project Analyst > Performance Results Corporation, Germantown > U.S.SBA 8(a) Certified Company > Office: (301) 540-7100 > Cell: (208) 351-7967 > Fax: (301) 540-7550 > Visit our website: www.prc8a.com > >

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ACTION! July Monthly Past Due
by Mary Dzielski 21 Aug '09

21 Aug '09

Please forward your July milestone progress report to David Nowak (nowak100(a)yahoo.com ) ASAP. Thank you. > > >> From: Cindie L Jensen <Cindie.Jensen(a)inl.gov> >> Date: August 21, 2009 11:25:20 AM CDT >> To: siegela(a)mcs.anl.gov, Andrew Siegel <siegela67(a)mac.com>, bobhill(a)anl.gov >> , Sandra B Knoll <Sandra.Knoll(a)inl.gov>, jekelly(a)sandia.gov >> Subject: ACTION! July Monthly Past Due >> >> >> This is a reminder that your monthly report input is due to me as >> soon as possible. Please have it to me by Monday (August 24) >> morning at the latest. Thanks. >> >> Cindie Jensen >> 208-526-9144 (Voice) >> 208-526-6182 (Fax) >> 208-521-9118 >> cindie.jensen(a)inl.gov > >

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Campaigns Modeling and Simulation Needs
by Larzelere, Alex 21 Aug '09

21 Aug '09

Everyone, As I think I mentioned, at the FY-10 budget "Board Review" each Campaign was asked to provide one slide with their expectation for support from NEAMS. Attached are those slides for each of the respective campaigns. Please look this over and think about how your plans fit into hitting these requirements. If there are any questions or dis-connects, please contact your respective Campaign counterparts. Regards, Alex ________________________________________________ Alex R. Larzelere Director, Advanced Modeling and Simulation Office of Nuclear Energy, Fuel Cycle Management (NE-5) U.S. Department of Energy 202-586-1906 Alex.Larzelere(a)nuclear.energy.gov

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PI Meeting Materials
by Larzelere, Alex 17 Aug '09

17 Aug '09

PMT, Good to talk with most of you on the call today. Here are the three items I promised: * Draft Agenda * Invite List Spreadsheet * NEAMS Anatomy Diagram As discussed on the call, what we are looking for by Friday (8/21) is the following: * Presenter's names and tentative talk titles on the agenda for your respective sessions * Your inputs to the invitation list. This should include people working on your program element as well as any "outsiders" you would like to invite. This could include other people from labs, government, universities and/or industry. * Review the anatomy diagram to see how this could be used as a point of reference for each talk. Thanks for your help and I look forward to your comments and input. Regards, Alex ________________________________________________ Alex R. Larzelere Director, Advanced Modeling and Simulation Office of Nuclear Energy, Fuel Cycle Management (NE-5) U.S. Department of Energy 202-586-1906 Alex.Larzelere(a)nuclear.energy.gov

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