1. EFCOG Startup and Commissioning Task Team Introduction
Chris A. James
February 28, 2017

2. Education and Experience
B.S. in Chemistry from Northwest Missouri State University – 1988
Ph.D. in Chemistry from Texas A&M University – 1992
R&D Experience
Postdoctoral Fellow in Inorganic and Nuclear Chemistry – 3 years
Actinide research and development
Technical Staff Member in Nuclear Materials Technology Division – 4 years
Pit Disassembly and Conversion Project (PDCF)
Qualified Glovebox worker and Fissile Material Handler at LANL and LLNL
Participated in ORR on ARIES line in PF-4
Senior Project leader for Pit Disassembly and Conversion – 3 years
PDCF facility design and PF-4 upgrades
Process equipment design, installation, and start-up in PF-4
Pilot scale technology demonstration
Los Alamos National Laboratory
2/28/17 | 3

3. Education and Experience
Program Management Experience
Nuclear Materials Program Manager at LANL – 3 years
Nuclear material manager for LANL
PF-4 Vault upgrade design, construction, start-up
Shipping and receiving upgrade design, construction, and start-up
Program Director for TA-18 Early Move and Criticality Experiments Facility – 3 years
Design, construction, and start-up of HC2 SST Pad at TA-55
Involved in DAF ORR for material receipt
Moved of metric tons of SNM from TA-18 to NTS, Y12, and TA-55
Program Director for CMR Facility Consolidation and Life Extension – 3 years
DSA development and implementation
Major CMR facility reinvestment initatives
Developed materials disposition and facility closure plans
Los Alamos National Laboratory
2/28/17 | 3

4. Education and Experience
Operations Experience
Deputy Associate Director for Nuclear and High Hazard Operations – 5 years
Operations of nuclear and non-nuclear facilities including nuclear
Conduct of Operations, Safety Basis, Criticality Safety and Readiness programs across LANL site.
Oversight of various Readiness activities including: Weapons Engineering Tritium Facility, and Confinement Vessel Disposition
Senior Advisor for PF-4 Restart – 4 years
Completed 6 readiness evolutions (MSA/CRA/FRA) encompassing 45 discrete activities
T-Base II
Machining
Isotope Fuels Impact Tester
Pit Flowsheet
Furnace/Casting/ARIES
Pyrochemical Operations
Aqueous Chloride and Americium Operations (ongoing)
Remediated Nitrate Salt Operations (ongoing)
Los Alamos National Laboratory
2/28/17 | 4

5. Potential Gaps, Needs, and Concerns
Readiness assessments are conducted with objectives organized by functional area and mapped back to Core Requirements in 425.1D. It would simplify the process if 425 and the associated implementing documents (POAs) were organized by functional area.
A readiness handbook that containing examples, tools, and best practices would be useful to those preparing for readiness.
Should include separate sections for contractors and for field offices.
Should include example POAs, implementation plans, start-up plans, LMR plans, and assessment and LMR reports.
Currently available “readiness training” should be mandatory for contractor and federal team members and a refresher should be provided by the team leader and discussed with the team.
Readiness should be conducted as a team effort, we all have the same goal.
Scope and objectives should be clear and unambiguous to all involved.
A schedule for the readiness activities should be developed and agreed to by all.
Corrective actions should be developed by the contractor, feedback provided by the LMR team, and approved by the SAA.
Los Alamos National Laboratory
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