The first draft report of the recently initiated (FPN00-4) US Integrated Program Planning Activity (IPPA) has been posted for review and comment (http://vlt.ucsd.edu). All interested parties are encouraged to read the draft and to provide specific suggestions for changes and improvements to Dr. Charles Baker (cbaker@vlt.ucsd.edu) who is chairing the Working Group that prepared the draft. Comments received by June 16 will be considered for incorporation into the next draft, but comments will also be considered after that date. It is planned to provide the report, still in draft, to the DOE Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Committee at its meeting at General Atomics in San Deigo July 18-19. FESAC will then conduct a review of the document before submitting it in final to DOE in November.

The draft report seeks to respond to a charge from DOE (FPN00-4) that asks the group to prepare a draft plan that includes 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 charge to the group 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."

Preparation of the plan was stimulated by a report of the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board (SEAB) (FPN99-61). The SEAB stated, "Given the complex nature of the fusion effort, an integrated program planning process is an absolute necessity." The SEAB 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."

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 also has a Steering Committee consisting of John Lindl (LLNL), Chair, Stewart Prager (U. Wisconsin), Vice Chair, Steve Cowley (UCLA), Rich Hawryluk (PPPL), Tom Jarboe (U. Washington), Earl Marmar (MIT), Kathy McCarthy (INEEL), Dick Siemon (LANL), and Ron Stambaugh (General Atomics).