The University of California, operating contractor for the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has completed its review of the causes of the delay and cost increases of the National Ignition Facility construction (FPN99-41). The NIF is facing a delay of about 18 months and a cost increase estimated at around $300 million. The base-line cost of NIF is $1.2 billion. The review was conducted by a committee chaired by Prof. Steven Koonin, provost of the California Institute of Technology. A press release summarizing the review and a link to the full report can be found on the web at //labs.ucop.edu/nr/nr112399.html/

The Committee said that "the main problems have been a failure to fully appreciate the complexity of the NIF system, some relatively fundamental project management issues, and a contingency inadequate for a project of this complexity and technical challenge." The Committee noted that "The extraordinary complexity of the NIF Project is far beyond that previously attempted by the Laser Directorate. It requires extensive systems integration, design management, inventory tracking, and project planning and performance measurement capabilities beyond those that were available within the Laboratory. The Project's and Laser Directorate management structures and culture were not conducive to identifying or understanding these deficiencies. Those weaknesses were further exacerbated by weaknesses in the DOE project managment system, and by the lack of effective project review by the University. Combined, these management failures are the real root cause ...."

The Committee noted that the NIF problems were first identified by "an internal review of the Project, initiated by the Laser Directorate's Associate Director (Mike Campbell)" and that this initial review (in early 1999) "revealed that the original plan, which relied extensively on Laboratory management and manpower, would be unlikely to succeed in assembling and integrating the highly complex infrastructure within the planned cost and schedule." They noted that "after lengthy discussions within the Project about the validity of these findings and possible solutions, a new approach was developed that relies heavily on industrial project management, manufacturing and assembly expertise."

The Committee praised the Project personnel, saying, "The Project has already successfully solved a number of very difficult technology issues, including the large optical switch and the ability to grow large frequency conversion crystals very rapidly. The Project also successfully demonstrated the engineering feasibility of the high efficiency amplifiers, deformable mirrors, and electrical power systems." They note, "Two remaining technology issues involve the large-scale production of laser glass within specification and cost goals and the operational lifetime of the final optics."

The Commitee makes a series of recommendations for improved Project management and also notes that there are other reviews of the NIF situation underway, notably by the DOE Secretary of Energy Advisory Board (SEAB) and the General Accounting Office (GAO).