The DOE Office of Fusion Energy Sciences (OFES) has initiated an "Integrated Program Planning Activity (IPPA)" in response to a Secretary of Energy Advisory Board's report (FPN99-61). The SEAB stated, "Given the complex nature of the fusion effort, an integrated program planning process is an absolute necessity." The report says, "Proper management of the fusion program requires a comprehensive planning system that: provides the means to manage by performance; encourages fundamental, innovative scientific research; drives resource planning; provides linkage of accomplishments to goals; establishes accountability; encourages the development of trained personnel; describes activity interrelationships, and aids in integration among the base programs in OFES and DP (DOE Defense Programs) and the fusion energy goal of practical fusion energy."

In a January 28 letter to Dr. Charles C. Baker (University of California at San Diego), asking him to "chair a group to begin preparing such a plan," OFES head, Dr. N. Anne Davies, said, "Your group should start with the FESAC (DOE Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Committee) reports, work closely with the fusion research community and this office, and have a draft plan ready for review by FESAC no later than July 14, 2000."

A charter for the group, which accompanied the letter, states "The draft plan should include the following elements: (1) a description of the program goals that acknowledges both the science and energy goals of the program; (2) a description of program activities needed to achieve the goals; (3) a set of intermediate milestones for each program activity; (4) a description of the interrelationships among the activities; and (5) a linkage between program accomplishments and program goals."

The letter states, "The draft plan when implemented should provide: (1) a flexible program framework to account for the inevitability of scientific and programmatic surprises; (2) the basis for performance-based management of the program; (3) the basis for resources planning; (4) the basis for establishing accountability; (5) encouragement of fundamental, innovative scientific research; and (6) encouragement of the development of trained personnel."

Other members of Baker's "Working Group," include: Steve Dean (Fusion Power Associates), Bill Ellis (Raytheon Engineers and Constructors), Richard Hazeltine (University of Texas), Grant Logan (LLNL), Mike Mauel (Columbia University), Ned Sauthoff (PPPL), and Tony Taylor (General Atomics).

The study will also have an "Oversight Committee" consisting of John Lindl (LLNL), Chair, Stewart Prager (U. Wisconsin), Vice Chair, Ben Carreras (ORNL), Steve Cowley (UCLA), Rich Hawryluk (PPPL), Tom Jarboe (U. Washington), Earl Marmar (MIT), Kathy McCarthy (INEEL), Dick Siemon (LANL), and Ron Stambaugh (General Atomics).