tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post2924928412277552723..comments2023-08-27T06:53:36.768-06:00Comments on LANL: The Rest of the Story: New Guest FeatureFrank Younghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02134775226991383924noreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-68347211120197421672009-02-21T07:02:00.000-07:002009-02-21T07:02:00.000-07:005:46 AM, thanks for your honesty. Many of us have ...5:46 AM, thanks for your honesty. Many of us have had trouble believing it too. But why would we expect LANS managers to care about anything other than raking in as much individual profit as possible over the course of their 7-year contract? Nearly all of our senior managers are either <5 years from retirement, or simply checking a box before they move onto their next assignment within their respective company. Long term sustainability is not part of LANS mission.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-69916375401009701282009-02-20T05:46:00.000-07:002009-02-20T05:46:00.000-07:00An apologyI do not work at the Lab. I have read th...An apology<BR/><BR/>I do not work at the Lab. I have read the posts here and the comments for years.<BR/><BR/>I did not believe many of the negative comments about the new people brought in by LANS. It seemed that a profit making company could not possibly act as badly as was claimed and so much against their own interests.<BR/><BR/>I was wrong. They do.<BR/><BR/>Sorry.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-5773457529478366372009-02-19T22:33:00.000-07:002009-02-19T22:33:00.000-07:00Doug, you and Frank should consider a "Mary Neu an...Doug, you and Frank should consider a "Mary Neu and all the corrupt things she has done while at LANL post". I thinkg since every AD gets a $1 M + bonus each year, we should have a weekly "what has your AD done for you" or under the guise of corruption "what had your AD done to f*ck you and the organization over?" post. Just a couple of suggestions to make these "leaders" accountable to some extent ... or not!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-14495955479318822612009-02-19T17:34:00.000-07:002009-02-19T17:34:00.000-07:00What Anonymous at 2/19/09 2:27 PMwrites is correct...What Anonymous at 2/19/09 2:27 PM<BR/>writes is correct. And then, after that was done it was my job to figure out how to get the work done with a big hunk of the money gone!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-51952772738393736782009-02-19T14:27:00.000-07:002009-02-19T14:27:00.000-07:00My experience as a former project manager was that...My experience as a former project manager was that even if I was very careful about tracking/verifying charges against my codes, at the end of the year everything was turned over to budget people who moved money to codes that were overspent so that it all balanced. The lesson learned was it doesn't pay to be fiscally responsible as they will take your money and give it to someone who was not.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-44117703599777926602009-02-19T11:28:00.000-07:002009-02-19T11:28:00.000-07:00At LLNL, they have this thing call EBA: "Empl...At LLNL, they have this thing call EBA: "Employee Betweeen Assignments." - 10:28 AM<BR/><BR/>At LANL, the new policy will be to simplify this task and refer to it as "Your Fired" (YF). Your friendly Oracle T&E system will accept this YF charge code and you'll get your paycheck... with $0.00 in pay.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-53566339095623253982009-02-19T10:28:00.000-07:002009-02-19T10:28:00.000-07:00Doing your T&E becomes stressful when you are ...Doing your T&E becomes stressful when you are told to charge a code that you know damned well that you did not work on.<BR/><BR/>I once objected and the GL told me that I had best be looking for another job if I was not going to cooperate!<BR/><BR/>Incompentence and abuse of employees will not get a GL into trouble but having too many employees charging overhead is professional suicide.<BR/><BR/>At LLNL, they have this thing call EBA: "Employee Betweeen Assignments." Very clearly each employee is a profit center and is reponsible to get himself funded. Management has no resonsibility to fund their subordinates. <BR/><BR/>This is close to the situation at LANL.<BR/><BR/>This, by the way, is something that they don't tell you during the job interview.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-19681412305601485712009-02-18T21:18:00.000-07:002009-02-18T21:18:00.000-07:002/17/09 11:41 AM wrote "Just entering T&E...2/17/09 11:41 AM wrote "Just entering T&E each month has become a stressful activity ..."<BR/><BR/>Why? This should not be stressful if you are being honest. Of course, if you are being dishonest and charging your T&E to say ... vacation or sick leave, then you have something to worry about. But only if someone turns you in. Now, if your management knows you are being dishonest and approves your T&E ... well then they should be fired along with you!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-55238980047119445642009-02-18T20:44:00.000-07:002009-02-18T20:44:00.000-07:00time charging is an interesting topic. I have mad...time charging is an interesting topic. I have made the observation that what would get someone fired without much discussion at several other DOE labs (PNNL and ORNL, for two) is done routinely, maybe weekly, at LANL. I love the comment about the problem with having to account accurately for your time because projects run out of money. DUH. Project Management 101. Watch the costs vs the budget as the project moves forward. Even a PhD nuclear Physicist can figure it out, if they try.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-40890268865345451142009-02-18T10:51:00.000-07:002009-02-18T10:51:00.000-07:00I'll bite. Where are you doing your work that requ...I'll bite. Where are you doing your work that requires an SCI, if not in a SCIF?<BR/><BR/>2/17/09 8:46 PM<BR/><BR/>Many, if not most, of the scientists who hold SCI level clearances at LANL only need use of the SCIF to hold occasional SCI related discussions and don't have an office or lab within the facility.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-13223127874915434392009-02-17T20:46:00.000-07:002009-02-17T20:46:00.000-07:00"For example, anyone holding an SCI clearance at L..."For example, anyone holding an SCI clearance at LANL is required to fork over several thousand dollars each year to pay for the SCIF facilities, whether they need to use the facilities or not."<BR/><BR/>I'll bite. Where are you doing your work that requires an SCI, if not in a SCIF?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-80662197006643599602009-02-17T11:41:00.000-07:002009-02-17T11:41:00.000-07:00Since then, accounting for time has become much mo...Since then, accounting for time has become much more strict. I am not sure that has resulted in any improvement in productivity or accuracy.<BR/><BR/>2/17/09 5:33 AM<BR/><BR/><BR/>Yes, we are now told to slice it up into 15 minute increments, and woe to anyone who makes a mistake with any of the account codes that they charge. Just entering T&E each month has become a stressful activity as budgets run out of money and projects are cut back.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-29293817984476699382009-02-17T05:33:00.000-07:002009-02-17T05:33:00.000-07:00In my early time at LANL, reporting of time was do...In my early time at LANL, reporting of time was done by the group office. All that employees did was tell the group secretary when they took a day off for sick, vacation, etc. We worked on what we were told to work on but had no clue as to where our time was charged. <BR/><BR/>Those were the good old days. I remember having a need for expertise in some area. I would find a person, give him a call, schedule a sit-down, and discuss the matter. Often the expert would say that he needed to work the issue for a few days. That would be done a valuable information would be provided. There was never any discussion of a program code.<BR/><BR/>Since then, accounting for time has become much more strict. I am not sure that has resulted in any improvement in productivity or accuracy.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-79687436541542411482009-02-16T21:07:00.000-07:002009-02-16T21:07:00.000-07:00Slush funds are the norm. That is for sure. I do...Slush funds are the norm. That is for sure. I don't know how you would even begin to audit the trail of bread crumbs that LANS claims is their charge code system. It was always a joke but at least the work got done. Now, since there is no measurable productivity, or meaningful milestones, the system is essentially a criminal fraud perpetuated by Bechtel on the American taxpayer.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-20354673193135697252009-02-16T19:47:00.000-07:002009-02-16T19:47:00.000-07:00Team leaders illegally charge well-funded codes fo...Team leaders illegally charge well-funded codes for their management costs when they should be charging their time to an overhead cost code. <BR/><BR/>Staff are told to charge their "regular" cost code for things like group meetings, safety training etc., fine for those who only work for one sponsor, but illegal for staff that split time amongst multiple sponsors. <BR/><BR/>Everyone knows about the free-for-all that happens with recodes at the end of the fiscal year; when the project worked runs out of money work is recoded to other projects that are unrelated to the work actually done. I've seen instances of off-site personnel charging to projects that they have never worked on for a single minute.<BR/><BR/>Groups charge well-funded projects directly for materials and services that are used by the the entire group, and as others have written, more and more overhead functions are being pushed down onto the technical staff on direct codes to hide the ballooning overhead rate. <BR/><BR/>Waste, fraud, and abuse seems rampant under LANS, yet DOE auditors seem to look the other way. Either they're incompetent, or they don't want to ruin Mikey's bonus - for whatever reason.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-57154168691498050252009-02-16T18:10:00.000-07:002009-02-16T18:10:00.000-07:00Will this affect Mikey's bonus?2/16/09 3:30 PMNoth...Will this affect Mikey's bonus?<BR/><BR/>2/16/09 3:30 PM<BR/><BR/><BR/>Nothing will affect Mikey's bonus. NNSA strongly believes Mike is "getting the job done" at LANL. <BR/><BR/>I think many people working at LANL are becoming increasingly tuned in to what this "job" entails. The concept of Work Free Safety Zones comes to mind.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-31339202378409858322009-02-16T15:30:00.000-07:002009-02-16T15:30:00.000-07:00There are some suggestions of waste, fraud, and ab...There are some suggestions of waste, fraud, and abuse by Program Managers in some of the comments.<BR/><BR/>Is anybody in the DOE or the GAO reading this blog?<BR/><BR/>Will this affect Mikey's bonus?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-85534012794502719872009-02-16T15:17:00.000-07:002009-02-16T15:17:00.000-07:00Anonymous at 2/16/09 1:20 PM writes:"This could be...Anonymous at 2/16/09 1:20 PM writes:<BR/><BR/>"This could be a LANL career limiting event, but hasn't ever some LANL PI asked the WFO sponsors for 'clarification' in this case? An innocent request to WFO sponsors how to deal with personnel (with name of course) who use project funds but who were not listed on the proposal budget should be helpful. The term "fraud" comes in my mind."<BR/><BR/>Yet another comment by a person who very clearly is NOT a LANL employee.<BR/><BR/>Yes, indeed this would be a career-limiting event. But not for the thieving Program Manager but rather for the poor PI who attempted to prevent the theft.<BR/><BR/>And, the Program Manager covers his/her tracks by NOT charging to the project's program code. Instead, the money is taken as a tax and thereby laundered.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-38517983404153541622009-02-16T14:17:00.000-07:002009-02-16T14:17:00.000-07:00"This could be a LANL career limiting event, but h..."This could be a LANL career limiting event, but hasn't ever some LANL PI asked the WFO sponsors for "clarification" in this case?" - 1:20 PM<BR/><BR/>You might get 5% more to spend on your little WFO project over the next year, but payback could be a bitch. It would also key the WFO sponsor in on just how incredibly burdened their incoming funds are with the various types of stealth lab charges. <BR/><BR/>For example, anyone holding an SCI clearance at LANL is required to fork over several thousand dollars each year to pay for the SCIF facilities, whether they need to use the facilities or not. Time spent writing proposals are also suppose to be charge to current projects, whether those proposals involve the current sponsor or not. Lab travel and purchases are subjected to high rates of additional taxation on top of the original cost of the items. LANS LLC (Bechtel and BWXT) even get about a 2% profit fee off of incoming WFO funds. It goes on and on, but you get the idea. <BR/><BR/>Just make the WFO sponsors think you are extremely bright and well worth the nearly $500K per year that they are paying for your time. It's best not to open cans of worms that you don't really wish to consume.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-43973931491709595572009-02-16T13:20:00.000-07:002009-02-16T13:20:00.000-07:00"As soon as the money came in, a program manager w..."As soon as the money came in, a program manager was assigned and he took a 5% tax." - 5:44 AM<BR/><BR/>This could be a LANL career limiting event, but hasn't ever some LANL PI asked the WFO sponsors for "clarification" in this case? An innocent request to WFO sponsors how to deal with personnel (with name of course) who use project funds but who were not listed on the proposal budget should be helpful. The term "fraud" comes in my mind.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-11554898165290776282009-02-16T12:10:00.000-07:002009-02-16T12:10:00.000-07:00Anonymous at 2/16/09 11:58 AM writes:"You would th...Anonymous at 2/16/09 11:58 AM writes:<BR/><BR/>"You would think that it would be consider charge code abuse by LANS."<BR/><BR/>This anonymous person is clearly not a LANL employee. Abuse is what is done by employees, not by management!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-20155501847794577492009-02-16T11:58:00.000-07:002009-02-16T11:58:00.000-07:00"As soon as the money came in, a program manager w..."As soon as the money came in, a program manager was assigned and he took a 5% tax." - 5:44 AM<BR/><BR/>This happens all the time at LANL. You would think that it would be consider charge code abuse by LANS. Didn't everyone at LANL just go through an online class about this subject? If that is what you thought, you would be wrong. ;-(<BR/><BR/>There are apparently two sets of rules when working for LANS. One for the general staff and another for those within the ranks of management. We've all seen this over and over during the last 2 years as LANS has generated a never-ending stream of strict, new policies.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-74740494692150377522009-02-16T10:50:00.000-07:002009-02-16T10:50:00.000-07:00"So, right from the start, I had a budget cut. Abo..."So, right from the start, I had a budget cut. About halfway thru the fiscal year, I got an Email from the program manager that stated that another 5% would be required because he was short on funds to cover his salary."<BR/><BR/>What is it that programs managers do? It seems like some kind of kick back you have to pay someone who got placed in the position as a favor. Maybe there are some program managers that do work and do help with the program goals but I have not seen one.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-91308002533158665912009-02-16T05:44:00.000-07:002009-02-16T05:44:00.000-07:00On the subject of Program Managers and WFO: I had ...On the subject of Program Managers and WFO: I had a ~$500K WFO project a few years ago. I had gone out and gotten the money with no assitance at all from management. As soon as the money came in, a program manager was assigned and he took a 5% tax. So, right from the start, I had a budget cut. About halfway thru the fiscal year, I got an Email from the program manager that stated that another 5% would be required because he was short on funds to cover his salary.<BR/><BR/>Of course, throughout the duration of the project, the program manager did absolutely nothing at all in support of the project. I was required by the sponsor to send in a monthly report. I never sent a copy to the program manager and he didn't seem to notice.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28220200.post-17360046846024269352009-02-16T01:44:00.000-07:002009-02-16T01:44:00.000-07:002/15/09 9:09 PM,Vendetta? An answer to a very reas...2/15/09 9:09 PM,<BR/>Vendetta? An answer to a very reasonable question would satisfy me. What spilled out off that pipe?<BR/><BR/>You want vendetta? I should be demanding the head of the person withholding the answer. He should be out on the street, for cause. Real justice would be if he took a good deep whiff of what I did. <BR/><BR/>Two wrongs don't make a right. I'll settle for an answer.Frank Younghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02134775226991383924noreply@blogger.com