Case Studies

The Challenge

Identify cost effective means for providing protective forces at National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) sites.

The Solution

Determine alternatives and make recommendations to the NNSA on the manner in which Protective Force services are provided to its facilities and National assets.  In doing so, a comparative analysis of contractor and federal security forces was conducted to determine whether federalization of security forces would be a more effective and efficient model to provide tactical response forces in today’s threat environment.  The comparative analysis study analyzed the feasibility, costs and benefits, and strengths and weaknesses of providing protective forces for the nuclear weapons complex through the use of contract employees, federal employees, or a combination of the two.  The study addressed the impact of one-time, recurring, and long-term Security Police Officer’s economic issues such as:

• Wages.
• Overtime (scheduled and unscheduled).
• Bonuses and special pay (e.g. Human Reliability Program, marksmanship bonuses).
• Medical and dental benefits.
• Retirement plans (Defined Benefit and 401k-type plans).
• Income Protection.
• Non-wage economic benefits.
• Liabilities of converting from contractor to federal model.

Additionally, the study addressed the impact of non-economic issues such as:

• Federal equivalent position classification.
• Initial accession and training.
• Continuing training.
• Deployment considerations and organizational models.
• Career planning and progression, including supervisory and “officer” opportunities.
• Physical fitness standards.
• Organized labor issues and considerations.
• Other human and labor relations issues and considerations.
• Provisions of contingency forces.

The study also addressed an assessment of the impacts of strikes in general and specifically the 44 day strike by the Protective Force at the Pantex Plant.

CTAC’s Role

CTAC provided subject matter experts to:

• Assist in the technical analysis of all factors of Protective Force management.
• Developed a series of options/alternatives to providing Protective Force services and made recommendations on the course of action that should be taken. The study was used by NNSA in deciding on a path, and was also used to support a Congressional mandated study conducted by the Government Accountability Office of similar scope.
• Supported a related study on Protective Force services involved with analyzing Protective Force requirements and determining the appropriate level of services required and the cost for providing that level of service.