ML25218A080
| ML25218A080 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 08/07/2025 |
| From: | Scott Flanders NRC/OCIO |
| To: | |
| References | |
| Download: ML25218A080 (1) | |
Text
Driving Regulatory Decisions Through More Effective Communications The NRC is committed to maintaining effective communication and regulatory efficiency with licensees, applicants, and vendors. OEDO procedure P0235, Driving Regulatory Decisions Through More Effective Communications, provides guidance on how to facilitate a mindset shift towards more efficient and reliable regulatory activities, enabling the safe and secure use and deployment of civilian nuclear materials for the benefit of society.
The objectives of the procedure are to:
Serve as a resource for staff, providing strategies and practices for regulatory engagements.
Facilitate timely and efficient resolution of regulatory activities while maintaining independence and transparency, and Provide clearly documented expectations and guidance to support timely updating of agency procedures.
The procedure focuses on the importance of effective communications and distinguishes between communicating effectively to drive outcomes and consulting. Effective communication involves clearly articulating positions and concerns, asking questions to ensure mutual understanding, and providing clarification without consulting. Staff should prepare in advance for meetings, be accurate and concise, discuss regulations and regulatory guidance, and identify critical information gaps.
Consulting, on the other hand, involves providing specific direction or solutions to licensees, applicants, or vendors, which the NRC staff must avoid to maintain credibility as a fair and impartial regulator. Instead, staff should explain licensing and oversight processes, regulatory requirements, information gaps, and acceptance criteria, ensuring that licensees understand the requirements and what information the staff is seeking to make its regulatory decision.
Appendix B, offers guidelines for effective communication with licensees, applicants, and vendors. It includes a list of recommended practices (Do's) such as describing the specific regulatory issue and its safety significance, and practices to avoid (Don'ts) such as simply citing the regulatory requirement without describing the issue and its significance.
Appendix C also provides specific examples of pre-application and acceptance review activities, detailed technical review, and oversight and inspection activities. The examples where NRC staff can provide feedback and guidance without acting as consultants, ensuring that the staff maintains its role as an impartial regulator.