ML25324A381
| ML25324A381 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 12/04/2025 |
| From: | Kerri Kavanagh NRC/NRR/DRO/IQVB |
| To: | Philip Mckenna NRC/NRR/DRO/IQVB |
| References | |
| Download: ML25324A381 (0) | |
Text
MEMORANDUM TO:
Philip McKenna, Acting Director Division of Reactor Oversight Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation FROM:
Kerri A. Kavanagh, Chief Quality Assurance and Vendor Inspection Branch Division of Reactor Oversight Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
SUBJECT:
VENDOR INSPECTION PROGRAM ANNUAL SELF-ASSESSMENT REPORT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025 The Vendor Inspection Program (VIP) verifies that reactor applicants and licensees are fulfilling their regulatory obligations with respect to providing effective oversight of the nuclear supply chain. It accomplishes this through limited scope, targeted inspections of vendor quality assurance programs, communicating relevant vendor information to stakeholders, and supporting allegation response activities. In addition, the VIP addresses interactions with nuclear consensus standards organizations, industry and external stakeholders, and international constituents.
The VIP also includes objectives and associated performance metrics to demonstrate that the overarching goals are being supported. The VIP performance metrics are assessed to ensure successful implementation and continuous improvement of the VIP. These performance metrics use objective measures and predetermined criteria to monitor the performance of the VIP as described in the Vendor Inspection Program Plan, Revision 30, dated July 2024 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System Accession No. ML24051A166).
The performance metrics are based on input from various sources, including, but not limited to, inspection reports and vendor inspection staff comments. The vendor inspection staff collects data quarterly and uses pre-established success criteria to analyze the data. In most cases, success is defined as a steady or improving trend and achieving the goals of the program performance metrics. Performance metrics have been established for each of the following VIP objectives:
Enclosure:
Vendor Inspection Program Performance Metrics CONTACT: Ada Bowie, NRR/DRO 301-287-9413 December 4, 2025 Signed by Kavanagh, Kerri on 12/04/25
P. McKenna 2
VIP O-1: Verify that applicants and licensees are fulfilling their regulatory obligations with respect to providing effective oversight of the supply chain for operating reactors and reactor design and construction through a strategic sample of vendor inspections.
VIP O-2: Effectively communicate with internal and external stakeholders.
VIP O-3: Perform timely and adequate allegation follow up and closure.
VIP O-4: Ensure that vendor inspectors have the necessary knowledge and skills to successfully implement the VIP.
Each objective has a set of performance metrics associated with it in order to establish the overall success of the VIP.
The results of the vendor inspection staff analysis are enclosed. The vendor inspection staff found that for fiscal year (FY) 2025, the VIP met 8 out of 9 performance metrics by meeting the criteria defined in Appendix D, Vendor Inspection Program Performance Metrics, to the Vendor Inspection Program Plan. Performance Metric VIP-O-1 was not met due to three qualified vendor inspectors leaving the Agency in FY25. Performance metric VIP-O-4A, Assessment of Trainee Qualifications, was not applicable for FY 2025 as there were no trainees that were due for qualification in FY 2025.
ML25324A381 NRR-106 OFFICE NRR/DRO/IQVB NRR/DRO/IQVB NRR/DRO/IQVB NAME ABowie YDiaz-Castillo KKavanagh DATE 11/20/2025 11/24/2025 12/04/2025
1 VENDOR INSPECTION PROGRAM PERFORMANCE METRICS VIP-O-1 Accomplish DROs (Division of Reactor Oversight) Established Number of Inspections per Fiscal Year1 Definition:
Accomplish DROs established number of inspections per fiscal year (FY) to capture a reasonable perspective of industry performance (per NUREG-1100, Performance Budget/Congressional Budget Justification).
Criteria:
Expect DRO to perform the required number of inspections established at the beginning of the FY.
Goals:
Effective, Open FY 2025 Inspections Vendor Inspections Audits Observations Analysis:
DROs Operating Plan directed the vendor inspection staff to perform 20 inspections during FY 2025. In FY 2021, the DRO metric was modified to include licensing audits, observations, and regional inspection support to the definition of inspections. As such, the vendor inspection staff completed a total of 17 inspections, including audits, and observations. There were 13 inspections, three 1 This metric is counted based on the FY of the entrance date of the inspection. Therefore, other metrics associated with this inspection could be captured in a different FYs assessment.
Vendor Inspections Audits Observations
2 licensing audits, and one observation of Nuclear Procurement Issues Corporation. Therefore, this represents a score of 85%.
Metric Criteria Met: Yes VIP-O-2A Obtain Feedback from Vendors After the Vendor Inspection2 Definition:
The IQVB Branch Chief will solicit feedback from vendors on such aspects as the immediate inspection effort, vendor oversight, or NRC requirements and guidance.
Criteria:
Expect stable or increasingly positive perception over time.
Goals:
Effective, Open, Understandable Analysis:
This metric requires the IQVB Branch Chief to solicit feedback from the vendors management on such aspects as the immediate inspection effort, vendor oversight, or NRC requirements and guidance. In FY 2025, the IQVB Branch Chief solicited feedback from 10 vendors. Out of the 10 vendors, nine responses were received. All of the responses received contained positive feedback from the vendors on the thoroughness of the inspections and the professionalism of the IQVB staff. Feedback is only solicited for reports that were issued in the FY, feedback is not solicited for NUPIC observations.
Metric Criteria Met: Yes VIP-O-2B Notification of Inspection3 Definition:
Obtain data on the total number of inspections that were notified to the vendor within the timeliness goals stipulated in Section 10 of the Vendor Inspection Program (VIP) plan.
Criteria:
Expect 90 percent of inspections to be announced to the vendor within the VIP timeliness goals.
Goals:
Effective, Open, Predictable Analysis:
The metric for notifying the vendors of an NRC inspection is no less than 30 calendar days from the start date of the inspection unless the inspection is unannounced. In cases where the need for the inspection arises (i.e., allegation, testing schedule, and/or specific vendor activity) less than 35 days before the inspection start date, the Announcement Letter should be issued within five calendar days to the vendor of the need for the inspection. In cases where the need for the inspection arises less than five calendar days, the Announcement Letter should be issued prior to the inspection. Out of the 14 notifications for inspections completed in FY 2025, all were made within the VIP timeliness 2 This metric is counted based on the FY of the exit date of the inspection. Therefore, other metrics associated with this inspection could be captured in a different FYs assessment.
3 This metric is counted based on the FY of the first announcement of the inspection to the vendor if applicable. Therefore, other metrics associated with this inspection could be captured in a different FYs assessment.
3 goal, which represents a score of 100%.
Metric Criteria Met: Yes VIP-O-2C Inspection Plans are Timely4 Definition:
Obtain data on the total number of inspection plans issued within the timeliness goals stipulated in Section 10 of the VIP plan.
Criteria:
Expect 90 percent of inspection plans to be issued within the VIP timeliness goals.
Goals:
Effective, Open, Predictable Analysis:
The metric for issuing inspection plans is no less than seven calendar days from the start date of the inspection. In cases where the need for the inspection arises (i.e., allegation, testing schedule, and/or specific vendor activity) less than seven calendar days before the inspection start date, the inspection plan should be issued prior to the inspection. Out of the 13 inspection plans completed in FY 2025, all were completed within the VIP timeliness goal, which represents a score of 100%.
Metric Criteria Met: Yes VIP-O-2D Inspection Reports are Timely5 Definition:
Obtain data on the total number of inspection reports issued within the timeliness goals stipulated in Section 10 of the VIP plan and Inspection Manual Chapter 0617, Vendor and Quality Assurance Implementation Inspection Reports, dated July 2024.
Criteria:
Expect 90 percent of inspection reports to be issued within the VIP timeliness goals.
Goals:
Effective, Open, Predictable Analysis:
The metric for issuing inspection reports is no later than 45 calendar days after the exit meeting, extended until the next business day if the 45 days end on a weekend or a Holiday. Out of the 14 inspection reports issued in FY 2025, 13 were completed within the VIP timeliness goal, which represents a score of 93%.
One report was late due to the departure of the team lead from the Agency.
Metric Criteria Met: Yes VIP-O-2E Acknowledgment Letters Are Timely6 4 This metric is based on the FY of when the inspection was announced to the vendor. Therefore, other metrics associated with this inspection could be captured in a different FYs assessment.
5 This metric is based on the FY of when the inspection report was issued to the vendor. Therefore, other metrics associated with inspections could be captured in a different FYs assessment.
6 This metric is based on the date that the vendors correction actions are received by ADAMS and the date that the staff
4 Definition:
Obtain data on the total number of acknowledgement letters issued within the timeliness goals stipulated in Section 10 of this plan.
Criteria:
Expect 90 percent of acknowledgement letters to be issued within the VIP timeliness goals.
Goals:
Effective, Open, Predictable Analysis:
The metric for issuing acknowledgement letters is no later than 30 calendar days after the vendors last communication is entered into ADAMS. Only inspection reports with NOVs or NONs will provide a response. For the vendor responses received in FY 2025, the vendor inspection staff issued four acknowledgement letters within the VIP timeliness goals, which represents a score of 100%.
Metric Criteria Met: Yes VIP-O-2F Inspection Results Accepted by Stakeholders Definition:
Track the total number of NOVs and NONs contested by vendors.
Criteria:
Retract less than ten percent of NOVs and NONs because they are successfully contested by the stakeholders.
Goals:
Effective, Objective, Open, Predictable Analysis:
There were no NOVs and NONs contested by vendors in FY 2025, which represents a score of 100%
Metric Criteria Met: Yes VIP-O-3 Allegation Support Definition:
Achieve the timely submittal of allegation response documents.
Criteria:
Conduct all support within the Allegation Program timeliness requirements.
Support includes, but is not limited to, providing input for Allegation Review Board (ARBs) materials, attending ARBs, providing input to requests for information, participating in phone calls with the Concerned Individual(s), providing input for closure and response after closure letters, etc.
Goals:
Effective, Objective, Risk-Informed Analysis:
The vendor inspection staff supported 43 allegation actions during FY 2025. Of those allegations, zero resulted in a reactive inspection based on the outcome of the ARB. All input provided to the Headquarters Allegation Team was submitted within the Allegation Programs timeliness requirements, which represents a score of 100%.
acknowledges receipt of the vendors corrective actions. Therefore, other metrics associated with inspections could be captured in a different FYs assessment
5 Metric Criteria Met: Yes VIP-O-4A Assessment of Trainee Qualifications Definition:
Branch Chiefs assess inspectors in training for progress in achieving qualifications at least quarterly.
Criteria:
Expect 90 percent of trainees to qualify in two years.
Goals:
Effective, Predictable, Understandable Analysis:
In FY 2025 there were no vendor inspectors within the two-year qualification timeline that were required to complete their qualifications. As such, this metric is not applicable for FY 2025.
Metric Criteria Met: Yes VIP-O-4B Assessment of Inspector Proficiency Definition:
Maintain proficiency for all qualified inspectors.
Criteria:
Maintain annual proficiency for all qualified inspectors in accordance with the guidance set forth by the VIP for refresher and continuing training.
Goals:
Effective, Predictable, Understandable Analysis:
All qualified vendor inspectors met the annual proficiency requirements as stated in Section 12 of the VIP plan and Section C-8 of Appendix D1 to Inspection Manual Chapter 1245, Maintaining Qualifications, dated June 2025. Therefore, this represents a score of 100%.
Metric Criteria Met: Yes