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From the Director: FY09 DOE Report Card

(Photo - Persis Drell)
(Photo by Linda Cicero.)

This week the Department of Energy Office of Science released annual performance assessments for the national labs, including SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, for the fiscal year 2009 (October 2008 through September 2009). The assessment is based on the goals set in the lab's FY09 DOE Performance Evaluation and Management Plan, or PEMP.

The hard work of everyone at the lab over in recent years, together with our lab-wide efforts to be our own harshest critics, have paid off. In this year's PEMP scores, SLAC once again earned an overall science and technology grade of A-. The management and operations score of B+ represents sustained performance and continued improvements from our mission support staff.

The DOE report specifically called out the LCLS construction and commissioning work as "extraordinary" and made note of the lab's work in self-governance: "Throughout the year, SLAC leadership modeled and demonstrated accountable behaviors, owning issues, as well as developing solutions and taking action to make change happen."

The detailed grades are available on the Office of Science Web site, in the FY2009 Report Card for SLAC. The lab's grades on goals set for each year's performance evaluation since 2006 show our clear improvements and sustained good performance:

SLAC Grades for Fiscal Years 2006–2009

AreaFY06FY07FY08FY09
Mission Accomplishment (Quality and Productivity of R&D) AA-A A-
Construction and Operation of Research FacilitiesB+B-A- A-
Science and Technology Project/Program Management B- B+B+ B+
Contractor Leadership/StewardshipB-B-A- A-
Environment Safety and HealthC+C+B B+
Business SystemsBB-B-B
Facilities Maintenance and Infrastructure C+B-B+ B
Security and Emergency Management BBB B+

I am pleased to see external recognition and validation on all the efforts to move the laboratory to its future. We all know we still have a long way to go before we are performing at a level that meets our own expectations in many areas but we are headed in the right direction and we are making real progress. Congratulations to all!

—Persis Drell
  SLAC Today, December 17, 2009