Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) is enhancing its industrial
supply base through the Supplier Technical Assessment and Validation (STAV) Program and partnerships
with the state Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP). This initiative aims to increase the capability
and capacity of SRNS suppliers and manufacturers to meet and perform critical mission scopes for the
Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA).
The Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) Supplier Technical Assessment and Validation (STAV) team perform a STAV
manufacturing facility review at a large equipment fabrication company. Pictured, from left: Sergio Mazul, Savannah River
Plutonium Processing Facility Subject Matter Expert; Bart Meyer, Quality Assurance Manager; Candice Kitchens, SRNS Supplier
Relationship Development (SRD) Lead; Wayne Potter, SRNS SRD Manager for NNSA Capital Projects; Chris Calandra, NNSA
Senior Technical Consultant; and Daniel Bittner, SRNS SRD Lead.
“The STAV Program is a significant benefit for our suppliers and manufacturers, bridging the gap between
part requirements, manufacturing capabilities and demonstrated execution,” said Wayne Potter, SRNS
Supplier Relationship Development (SRD) Manager for NNSA Capital Projects, Supply Chain Management.
“Participating in a STAV helps suppliers better align procurement requests with core competencies,
highlights additional capabilities, and creates proactive risk mitigation strategies.”
Established at SRNS in 2023, this program was adapted
from the HII Navy Shipbuilding Sector to ensure that
manufacturers could meet the critical schedule
requirements for the Savannah River Plutonium
Processing Facility’s pit production mission, initially
focusing on glovebox manufacturers.
“The program provided a method to quickly determine
the technical capability and capacity at each glovebox
manufacturer we were considering,” said Hector Lopez-
De Jesus, SRNS Senior Procurement Director. “The
STAV results gave us current and forecasted
manufacturing capacities. This was critical to level-load
our procurements and support the project delivery
schedule.”
Today, STAVs have expanded to include engineering
and balance-of-plant equipment and aim to scale up
across SRNS’ manufacturing supply base to enhance
DOE’s project and mission success.
To date, SRNS has completed 25 STAVs and 18 MEP Lean assessments and work scopes. These efforts
align with recent executive orders linked to manufacturing, ensuring SRNS can vet suppliers to meet
national security needs.
“STAVs are like a business health assessment, reviewing things like facilities, expansion capability,
staffing, technical rigor, machines, and manufacturing flow,” said Candice Kitchens, SRNS SRD Lead.
“After the STAV is performed, state MEPs develop Lean/Sigma work scopes that are focused on any
weaknesses and risks identified to improve overall business operations.”
Differing from Quality Management System audits, STAVs help build strong relationships with key
manufacturers and suppliers, verify their capabilities, and provide MEP resources if needed. This process
reduces cycle-time, defects, and delays while increasing overall assembly capacity. State MEPs can
access grants for process improvements, aiding business growth and new supplier development at no cost
to SRNS. Typically conducted over several days, these assessments offer an in-depth review of the
supplier's people, processes and equipment.
The SRD team recently identified two suppliers to participate in a STAV event to meet increased
production demands in support of DOE/NNSA customers.
The SRNS STAV team perform a manufacturing facility
review with a potential new supplier who specializes in
solvent system designs.
"SRNS helped us identify several needs within our organization to meet increasing demands," said Patrick
Halligan, Carolina Fabricators Sales Manager. "The SRD team then connected us with the South Carolina
MEP, where we completed staff and management training to enhance our current Nuclear Quality program
and our readiness to provide materials for our customers. This unique team of experts is unlike any other—
they were genuinely interested in helping us improve our overall business and manufacturing operations,
making us a more efficient supplier for national security needs."
Douglas Henderson, Westerman’s Director of Government Services, added, “Our NQA-1 system, skilled
workforce, and U.S.-based manufacturing capabilities make us a strong partner to support development
initiatives at SRS. With support from the STAV and Ohio MEP teams, we are now advancing projects in IT
security and talent acquisition to strengthen our supplier readiness.”
According to Dan Bittner, SRNS SRD Lead, proactive customer and supplier collaboration is vital in the
manufacturing supply chain to prevent unnecessary costs and unplanned material issues as production
increases.
"Before this program, SRNS relied on suppliers and manufacturers to meet our purchase order
requirements without verifying their capabilities,” explained Bittner. “This lack of verification led to delays,
excessive engineering design requests, missed delivery dates, and inefficient processes. Today, our key
suppliers benefit from an honest review and manufacturing assessment, supported by MEP expertise and
funding streams, to help them improve and sustain their businesses."
SRNS plans to expand the program across the DOE Complex, including joint STAV opportunities. This
initiative will help shared suppliers become more agile, preventing DOE sites from competing for limited
supplier capacity. By aligning material needs with an awareness of other DOE sites' requirements and the
suppliers' actual capabilities, SRNS aims to enhance coordination and efficiency.