Protection Strategies Incorporated (PSI) provides staff support for the safeguards and security and emergency management functions of the Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management, Safeguards and Security Emergency Management Team (EM-24). This support includes assisting EM 24 in oversight of safeguards and security and emergency management programs at field sites falling under EM 24’s managerial cognizance. PSI activities include:

• Safeguards and Security Policy Development. PSI assists in providing program office-level input to DOE safeguards and security related orders, directives, and manuals in the development stage, represents the office as subject matter experts in various quality panels, working groups, and standing committees, and supports EM 24 in the international safeguards arena. PSI also assists in reviewing draft impact statements from the sites regarding costs of changing security and emergency management policies, and coordinates office input on safeguards and security research and development (R&D) programs.
• Safeguards and Security Plans Review and Validation. PSI provides specialized technical expertise during the review, analysis, and validation process of EM facility Site Safeguards and Security Plans (SSSP) and the supporting Vulnerability Assessments (VAs). PSI provides assistance in identifying roles for Federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies (FSLLEA), capturing those roles in Memoranda of Understanding and Mutual Aid agreements, and including those agencies in joint training exercises.
• Performance Assurance and Training. PSI closely monitors site security performance assurance programs, participates in evaluation, and operates a Standby Adversary cadre that provides training and mission planning for hand-picked adversaries in worst case scenarios for Graded Security Protection (GSP) level force-on-force performance testing and training exercises. PSI assists in reviewing site security training plans and provides direct assistance as required in field training and exercises.
• Operational Support. PSI augments field element safeguards and security staff with technical experts when needed for off normal events, such as protective force work stoppages, national emergency situations, and large-scale protection system exercises. PSI has also been tasked to research, write, and brief security situations in nations where spent fuel that will be shipped to the U.S. is stored, and recommend security measures to reduce risk of moving material to ports and then onto transit vessels.
• Emergency Management. PSI assists DOE personnel in the identification, research, and analysis of technical and administrative emergency and contingency planning issues, to address and resolve the issues, both in policy and program implementation. PSI assists DOE personnel in the review and analysis of emergency and continuity of operations program inter-agency requirements and associated exercise programs. PSI assists DOE staff in planning, training, conducting, and documenting government-wide and DOE exercises and operational monitoring, such as the validation of emergency and continuity of operations plans and exercise documentation. PSI assists in oversight activities such as reviewing updates to site emergency operations plans and emergency readiness assurance program (ERAP) documents, and participating in field surveys and reviews.