Attachment_14_newpartneringagreement.pdf

ATTACHMENT 2

10/25/2012

PARTNERING AGREEMENT

BETWEEN

THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

AND

FOR THE NRC HEADQUARTERS OPERATIONS AND

MAINTENENANCE (O&M)

CONTRACT

DEFINITION:

Partnering is the creation of a relationship that promotes achievement of mutually beneficial goals through a positive, disputes-prevention atmosphere during the period of performance of the NRC Headquarters Operations and Maintenance Contract.

ASSUMPTIONS:

Partners build confidence in each other and invest effort in establishing measures of mutual accountability within the relationship through proactive communication. They demonstrate the commitment to resolve disputes. The partners expect excellent performance from each other and give it, thereby developing synergy. Partnering uses team-building activities to help define common goals, improve communication, and foster a problem-solving attitude among individuals at NRC and KKT, who must work together throughout the period of performance of the Operations and Maintenance Contract.

GOALS:

The dual goals of this partnering agreement are to share the risks involved in achieving maximum success (a quality project, on time completion of tasks, and within budget) and to establish, promote, and nurture a partnership environment by adopting a cooperative team-based approach.

The two parties agree to the following goals:

• Be open and honest when discussing issues.

• Work together in a professional manner to solve problems.

• Knowing that equipment or systems are going to break down, judgment should be made on how we react to the problem and the solution we offer.

• Be proactive in our approach. Keep the asset and the agency mission in mind; do not wait for someone else to fix the problem.

• Take ownership of the property; treat every opportunity as if it's personally your asset.

• Make decisions at the lowest possible level.

• The Project Manager has complete autonomy. He(She) is authorized to commit company assets at any level to speed the process through. He does not have to wait for corporate approval.

• Our goal is to have the tenants think we work directly for NRC, not just another contractor.

ACTIONS:

In order to most effectively administer this contract, NRC is encouraging the formation of a cohesive partnership with (contractor) and its subcontractors. The agreement is bilateral in makeup, and participation is voluntary. This partnership will draw on the strengths of each organization to achieve a quality project done right the first time, within budget, and on schedule.

Any cost associated with affecting this partnership will be agreed to by both parties and will be shared equally.

MISSION STATEMENT:

The partnering agreement for administering the NRC Headquarters Operations and Maintenance contract award is a joint commitment to work cooperatively and in harmony and to communicate openly in an atmosphere of confidence and trust. NRC and (contractor) will work as a team to build action plans, to break down communication barriers, to resolve disputes at the lowest possible level, to streamline the paperwork process, and to build a team spirit to achieve maximum success for all.

IMPLEMENTATION PLAN:

The following issues are central to the successful implementation of this partnering agreement. These four issues are global and cross-cutting, impacting all areas which are a part of the O&M contract. The partnering agreement provides the framework for development and documentation of specific issues that will be handled subsequently in a series of appendices.

These specific issues will be addressed throughout the course of the performance of the contract, thus ensuring that partnering agreement keeps pace with program changes.

Basic Services and Establishing, Negotiating and Executing Work Orders

The NRC O&M contract is a combination· firm fixed price, work order, and award term contract. For all basic services, (contractor) will endeavor to regularly meet or exceed identified service level requirements. For each identified work order, NRC and the (contractor) will function as a team to identify, develop, and negotiate all work to be performed, as reflected in a Statement of Work. Associated prices will be negotiated with each Work Order, ensuring all costs are fair and reasonable to accomplish the work. The acceptance of an NRC and the (contractor) negotiated Work Order becomes the premise for acceptance and authorization for execution.

Primary concerns throughout the performance of the contract are:

• The allocation of Contractor staff necessary to meet both the stated basic work requirements and work orders in terms of timeliness, quality and cost on a regular basis.

• The appropriate use of subcontractors to meet the stated work requirements.

• The initiation of joint efforts to identify methods to minimize costs to the NRC for meeting O&M contract performance requirements, without jeopardizing timeliness and quality of support.

• The focus on timeliness of all work performed by both organizations.

• The commitment to work as a team to meet established milestones essential to the success of the program.

Alternative Disputes Resolution

The minimization of disputes is essential to meet the established goals of this partnering agreement. NRC and (contractor) will use proactive measures to prevent disputes from occurring. However, should any disputes arise, every effort will be made to resolve them at the lowest possible level. The initial approach to disputes resolution will be informal but adhere to an established protocol. Should a formal dispute resolution be required, the same protocol will apply.

Lines of Communication

Free and open communication is the key element in fostering a cooperative environment, thus ensuring the success of the program. NRC and (contractor) will use the method of communication, be it written or verbal, most applicable to the circumstance, or as specified in the statement of work. Appropriate lines of communication must be established and adhered to by all individuals, both NRC and (contractor).