Audit of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC) Safety Inspections of Class II Research and Test Reactors

Agency Response NRC Staff Action: Update Management Directive (MD) Dated January 30, 2025: 10.43, “Time and Labor Reporting,” to reflect the changes to the new Human Capital Management Cloud System. Target: 6/30/2025.<br />
Status: The staff has revised the schedule for completing the updated MD 10.43 from June 30, 2025, to September 30,<br />
2025. The update of MD 10.43 is on track for completion by the revised date.<br />
OIG Analysis: The proposed actions meet the intent of this recommendation. The OIG will close this recommendation<br />
upon reviewing the updated Management Directive 10.43, “Time and Labor Reporting” to ensure that it reflects the new changes to the Human Capital Management Cloud System. This recommendation remains open and resolved.

Agency Response NRC Staff Action: Enhance relevant guidance to further Dated January 30, 2025: clarify the process for creating, recording, and approving inspection hours in the Reactor Program System (RPS). Target: 12/31/2024.<br />
Status: Complete. The RPS training videos and a desktop user guide is available in the RPS system under the “How Do<br />
I?” tab. Additionally, the Non-power Production and Utilization Facility (NPUF) Oversight Branch’s “RPS Training Material – How to Guide?” provides supplemental instruction to the NPUF inspectors and is maintained in the<br />
NPUF Licensing and Oversight SharePoint site. The staff enhanced the instructions for creating, recording, and<br />
approving inspection hours and completed the revisions to the guide on July 2, 2024.<br />
OIG Analysis: The OIG verified the supplemental instruction provided on the NPUF Licensing and Oversight SharePoint site. Additionally, the OIG verified RPS training videos and the RPS-Inspection desktop guide to aide staff in recording and approving RTR inspection hours to specific Cost Activity Codes. This recommendation is closed.

Agency Response NRC Staff Action: Enhance the RTR inspector training Dated January 30, 2025: program to ensure the recording and tracking of required training, including the track of post-qualification and refresher training. Target: 12/31/2024. Status: Partially complete. The staff completed a review of the training program and identified post-qualification and refresher training enhancements for implementation. The staff is coordinating these training enhancements along with the improvements to inspector training and inspection procedures identified in a separate NRC response related to the OIG’s special inquiry into the NRC’s oversight of RTRs (OIG Case No.12100162). The enhancements being made to the RTR inspector training include revising Inspection Manual Chapter (IMC) 1245 Appendix C5 “Research and Test Reactor Technical Proficiency Training and Qualification Journal,” to include computer-based training from the basic class for safety culture assessors as required post-qualification and refresher training. Additionally, the RTR inspectors are being included in site access refresher training in the NRC’s Talent Management System (TMS).<br />
Finally, relevant topic-specific training is conducted annually during a joint meeting between the NPUF Licensing and<br />
Oversight Branches. That training is documented, and attendance is tracked. RTR inspectors completed annual event response training and training on the NPUF rule during December 10-11, 2024. Revisions to IMC 1245 Appendix C5 to reflect the enhancements and the tracking within TMS efforts are in progress. The staff has revised the schedule to complete implementation of these enhancements, including the tracking of post-qualification and refresher training from December 31, 2024, to September 30, 2025.<br />
OIG Analysis: The proposed actions meet the intent of these recommendations. The OIG will close these recommendations upon reviewing supported evidence pertaining to RTR training guidance for specific courses and hours for refresher training, and tracking post qualification and refresher training. These recommendations remain open and resolved.

Agency Response NRC Staff Action: Enhance the RTR inspector training Dated January 30, 2025: program to ensure the recording and tracking of required training, including the track of post-qualification and refresher training. Target: 12/31/2024. Status: Partially complete. The staff completed a review of the training program and identified post-qualification and refresher training enhancements for implementation. The staff is coordinating these training enhancements along with the improvements to inspector training and inspection procedures identified in a separate NRC response related to the OIG’s special inquiry into the NRC’s oversight of RTRs (OIG Case No.12100162). The enhancements being made to the RTR inspector training include revising Inspection Manual Chapter (IMC) 1245 Appendix C5 “Research and Test Reactor Technical Proficiency Training and Qualification Journal,” to include computer-based training from the basic class for safety culture assessors as required post-qualification and refresher training. Additionally, the RTR inspectors are being included in site access refresher training in the NRC’s Talent Management System (TMS).<br />
Finally, relevant topic-specific training is conducted annually during a joint meeting between the NPUF Licensing and<br />
Oversight Branches. That training is documented, and attendance is tracked. RTR inspectors completed annual event response training and training on the NPUF rule during December 10-11, 2024. Revisions to IMC 1245 Appendix C5 to reflect the enhancements and the tracking within TMS efforts are in progress. The staff has revised the schedule to complete implementation of these enhancements, including the tracking of post-qualification and refresher training from December 31, 2024, to September 30, 2025.<br />
OIG Analysis: The proposed actions meet the intent of these recommendations. The OIG will close these recommendations upon reviewing supported evidence pertaining to RTR training guidance for specific courses and hours for refresher training, and tracking post qualification and refresher training. These recommendations remain open and resolved.

Agency Response NRC Staff Action: Periodically revise the RTR training Dated January 30, 2025: program to reflect new training needs of the RTR staff. Target: 12/31/2024. Status: Complete. The NRC staff is identifying training needs and documenting the review of the RTR training program as part of the annual joint branch meeting. <br />
OIG Analysis: The proposed actions meet the intent of the recommendation. The OIG will close this recommendation<br />
upon reviewing and verifying supported evidence that the staff discussed the RTR training program and training needs<br />
at the annual joint branch meeting. This recommendation remains open and resolved.