UC Office of the National Laboratories

Within the UC Office of the President, the Office of the National Laboratories (UCNL) plays a central role in managing the University’s prime contract administration and governance at Berkeley Lab and for the University’s governance of LANL and LLNL as a member of the two limited liability companies that manage the national labs:

• LANL – Triad National Security, LLC (Triad)
• LLNL – Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC (LLNS)

For all three national laboratories, UCNL assures that The Regents and the Office of the President have the information needed to effectively execute their responsibilities related to science, technology and engineering (ST&E) excellence and operations and business (O&B) compliance and best practices while limiting the University’s liability exposure. In addition, UCNL connects the national laboratories with University resources, including research and collaboration opportunities as well as business and operations expertise. UCNL’s role is essential in keeping UC senior management well-informed regarding performance at the UC-affiliated national laboratories. The UCNL is headed by Craig Leasure, Vice President for National Laboratories. UCNL contains three groups in addition to the immediate office of the Vice President:

• National Laboratory Programs
• National Laboratory Operations
• National Laboratory Contracts, Business and Finance

National Laboratory Programs

Assuring the health and vitality of science, technology and engineering (ST&E) activities and programs in meeting the mission responsibilities of the national laboratories is the basis for UC’s continuing management of Berkeley Lab and involvement in the LLCs that manage LANL and LLNL. UCNL works with the senior ST&E leadership of the national laboratories to assure that their program execution meets federal sponsor mission requirements and that an environment of freedom of expression and scientific integrity and excellence is maintained. UCNL also works to ensure recruitment and retention of a premier ST&E workforce and encourages opportunities for mutually beneficial collaborative research programs between the UC and the national laboratories. UCNL engages both UC and external ST&E experts to provide peer review of the national laboratories’ ST&E performance and advises senior UC management, national lab leaders and the LLC Boards of Governors. National Laboratory Programs is managed by Executive Director for National Laboratory Programs Alan Wan.

National Laboratory Operations

UCNL facilitates the achievement of excellence in the management, productivity and performance of national laboratory operations and assists the labs in the adoption and implementation of appropriate performance-based measurement and continuous improvement processes. Operations includes: environment, Safety and Health (ES&H); Environmental Restoration and Waste Management (ERWM); Information Technology; Nuclear Operations; Project, Facilities, Infrastructure and Construction Management; and Safeguards and Security. The Executive Director for National Laboratory Operations is Ken Hoar.

National Laboratory Contracts, Business and Finance

UCNL is responsible for managing the DOE prime contract for Berkeley Lab and for supporting all three national labs the in the achievement of cost effective, efficient and contract compliant business and finance systems and assisting the laboratories in the adoption and implementation of appropriate performance-based measurement and continuous improvement processes. Contract, Business and Finance includes: Contract Assurance, Financial Management, Human Resources, Internal Audit, Prime Contract Management (Berkeley Lab), Procurement, Property Management and Records Management. National Laboratory Contracts, Business and Finance, is managed by Executive Director for Contracts, Business and Finance Ray Miskelley.