Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) Supply Chain Management (SCM) recently visited Los Alamos National Laboratory to solidify ongoing mutual support agreements across several initiatives. Since 2023, SRNS SCM and Los Alamos’ Supply Chain Logistics (SCL) have identified best practices to meet the demands of the overall pit production mission.

The partnership began in August 2023 when Los Alamos representatives visited the Savannah River Site (SRS) to benchmark SRNS SCM best practices. In the most recent visit, team members from each site established a Center of Excellence in support of critical missions for the Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA).

Supply Chain leaders from Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) and Los Alamos National Laboratory sign a charter solidifying ongoing mutual support agreements. Front row: Jay Johnson, SRNS Deputy Vice President of Contracts and Supply Chain Management; and Dee-Dee Madsen, Los Alamos SCL Deputy Division Leader. Second row: Priscilla Armijo, Los Alamos SCL-2 Group Leader; Andrea Wolfe, SRNS Weapons Quality Assurance Manager; Ben Aguirre, Los Alamos SCL-1 First Line Manager; Tammy Rimes, SRNS Senior Director of Supply Chain and Operating Programs; and Lisa Tanner, SRNS Senior Manager of Supply Chain Excellence. Third row: Robin Garduno, Los Alamos SCL-1 Group Leader; David Dietz, SRNS Senior Director of Procurement; Danny Borrego, Los Alamos SCL-3 Group Leader; Dan Gwilt, Los Alamos SCL-1 First Line Manager; Douglas Henderson, SRNS Deputy Director of Procurement; Nicole Bullock, SRNS Supply Chain Integration Manager; Richard Olivas, Los Alamos SCL-1 First Line Manager; Tony Brinson, SRNS Director of Supply Chain Information Systems and Analytics; and Vincent Shih, SRNS Pit Production Weapon Quality Program Manager.

According to Leo Thompson, who supports the SRS pit production mission and is stationed at Los Alamos, the collaboration on supply chain issues will be essential to the mission’s success.

“The nation’s efforts to modernize the nuclear security enterprise presents numerous supply chain challenges including competition for specialized manufacturing capacity and a shortage of skilled manufacturing workers,” said Thompson. “The collaboration is a creative way for both pit production sites to jointly address supply chain challenges.”

“This critical and sustainable partnership will provide mission support for both DOE and NNSA,” said Jay Johnson, Deputy Vice President, SRNS Contracts and SCM. “By collaborating on lessons learned, weapons quality and other elements of the supply chain, we will continue to perform at our maximum potential.”

SRNS and Los Alamos signed a collaboration charter to solidify a forum for monthly management discussions on best practices, lessons learned, acquisition strategies, risk management, warehousing concerns and LEAN processes. Representatives from each site will collaborate in supplier relationship management, inventory and materials management, workforce strategy, acquisition management and project interface.

Erin Blue, Los Alamos SCL Division Leader, explains that elements of the charter will focus on creating a stronger shared supply base.

“Los Alamos and SRNS have now established a direct line of communication to ask questions, collaborate, and maximize mission execution,” said Blue. “As the Center of Excellence matures, new ideas will be considered and possibly implemented for a stronger supply base and capacity.”

During the visit, Los Alamos personnel from Supply Chain and Logistics, Institutional Quality & Performance Assurance, Production Agency Quality, Acquisition Services Management, Modernization Projects, and Logistics Property Management presented overviews of their work scope and led tours of various workspaces. In addition, SRNS attendees participated in a historical weapons tour by Los Alamos’s Analytics, Intelligence, and Technology Division.

Scott Brown, SRNS Property Administrator; Shannon Blaylock, Los Alamos SCL Technical Project Manager; and Nicole Bullock, SRNS SCM Integration Manager coordinated the two-day benchmarking trip to Los Alamos.

Blaylock believes the new communication platform will bring together supply chain personnel from all facets to drive standardization and efficiencies. “Los Alamos is tasked with delivery of a first production unit W87-1 pit in the near future,” said Blaylock. “As a result of the supply chain efforts required to meet production deadlines, Los Alamos can offer lessons learned, while SRNS offers insight into vendor resources, streamlined processes and best practices.”

In the early stages of the collaboration, the pair established an approach for SRNS to acquire the same type of specialized equipment that is used at Los Alamos through an existing equipment manufacturer

subcontract. To meet this need, Los Alamos increased the quantity of their order which created time and cost-savings for SRNS.

“Improving our communication could ultimately lead to greater efficiencies for the pit mission through coordinated procurement actions like the approach taken for the specialized equipment,” continued Thompson.

Collaboration between Los Alamos and SRNS is not limited to the supply chain. Presently, there are ten on-going collaborative activities between the two organizations. In addition, SRNS has six engineers embedded at Los Alamos to learn different aspects of pit production.

Savannah River Nuclear Solutions Tammy Rimes, far left, and Jay Johnson, second from left, tour the SM-30 Shipping and Receiving facility with Los Alamos National Laboratory’s Doug Cummings, second from left, and Jason Montoya to learn about the Institutional Quality Program receipt inspection processes.

Savannah River Nuclear Solutions

Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, a Fluor and HII partnership company, is responsible for the management and operations of the Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site, located near Aiken, South Carolina.

Los Alamos National Laboratory

Los Alamos National Laboratory, operated by Triad, LLC, is responsible for providing scientific and engineering support to national security programs. Los Alamos National Laboratory’s main campus is located in Los Alamos, New Mexico.