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Operations Schedule Change Procedure
Revision 1.0 Revision Date: 3/20/01
     
  1. Purpose 
     
    1. This procedure specifies the steps to be followed when: 
      1. significant changes to the published operation schedule are desired, 
      2. requesting allocation of the Monthly Reserve/Contingency time for a specific purpose, 
      3. requesting allocation of the End of Cycle Contingency time for a specific purpose. 

        4.  
  2. Responsibilities 
     
    1. The LANSCE Division Director or his designee is responsible for: 
      1. approval of the official operations schedule
      2. approval of significant changes to the published operation schedule. 
      3. approval of End of Cycle Contingency time allocation.
    2. The LANSCE Accelerator Facility Operations Manager is responsible for: 
      1. ensuring that requests for allocation of monthly reserve/contingency are discussed at the appropriate Operations Scheduling Meeting. 
      2. ensuring that operations personnel are informed of approved changes to the schedule
      3. maintaining the official record of the approved schedule
      4. approval of Monthly Contingency time allocation. 

        5.  
  3. Definitions 
     
    1. Monthly Reserve/Contingency time: A short (typically twenty four hours) block of time set aside each month to allow: 
      1. previously scheduled activities to make-up operation time that was lost due to unanticipated facility downtime, 
      2. previously unscheduled, high priority activities to be accomplished. 
    2. End of Cycle Contingency time: A block of time set aside at the end of the annual operation cycle to allow: 
      1. previously scheduled activities to make-up operation time that was lost due to unanticipated facility downtime (particularly time lost in multi-day blocks of time),
      2. previously unscheduled, high priority activities to be accomplished. 
    3. Significant Change to the operations schedule: A schedule change that changes the allocation time to  Lujan/WNR, Sole Use, or other activities noted on the operations schedule by a full day (or large fraction thereof)

      4.  
  4. Procedure 
     
    1. Significant Change to the Published Operation Schedule 
       
      1. If a significant change to the published operation schedule is desired, a written request for the change should be submitted to the Division Office marked "Request for Change in Operations Schedule." The written request should include (at a minimum) the following information: 
        1. a description of the requested schedule change, 
        2. justification for the requested schedule change, 
        3. any special requirements e.g. facility/beam parameters, security or safety considerations, etc. 
      2. The change request will be considered by the LANSCE Director who, depending upon the magnitude of the change, will consult with the LPPG, other line managers within and outside of LANSCE, program managers, the LANSCE User Group Executive Committee, or sponsoring agencies as appropriate.
      3. The LANSCE Accelerator Facility Operations Manager (FOM) is responsible for implementing approved change requests into the published operation schedule in a timely manner. 
      4. The LANSCE user coordinator will inform users of significant changes to the published operations schedule in a timely fashion.

        5.  
    2. Requests for Allocation of Monthly Reserve/Contingency 
       
      1. Requests for allocation of the monthly Reserve/Contingency for a specific purpose should be submitted in writing to the LANSCE Accelerator Facility Operations Manager (cc. to LANSCE Division Director and LANSCE Deputy Division Directors). 
      2. Requests should be submitted prior to an Operations Scheduling Meeting (OSM) that occurs at least two weeks before the affected Reserve/Contingency day. 
      3. Requests should include (at a minimum) the following information: 
        1. a description of the proposed activities, 
        2. justification for the allocation, 
        3. any special requirements e.g. facility/beam parameters, security or safety considerations, etc. 
      4. Requests will be discussed at the OSM. The OSM is charged with discussing the operational feasibility of all requests. The LANSCE Accelerator Facility Operations Manager will prepare an assessment of the feasibility of each request and submit this assessment to the LANSCE Division Director or his designee.
      5. The LANSCE Division Director or his designee will consult with the LANSCE Deputy Division Directors and LANL programmatic management prior to approval or disapproval of a request.
      6. The LANSCE Division Director or his designee will approve allocation of the Monthly Reserve/Contingency via a memo to the effected parties. 
      7. It is the responsibility of the FOM to ensure that the published schedule is be updated in a timely manner to reflect the approved reserve/contingency time allocation and notify the Central Control Room (CCR).
      8. In the event that there are no timely requests for monthly contingency, the contingency day will be allocated to Lujan/WNR operation.

        9.  
    3. Requests for Allocation of the End of Cycle Contingency Time 
       
      1. Requests for allocation of the End of Cycle Contingency time for a specific purpose should be submitted in writing to the LANSCE Division Director or his designee at least one month prior to the start of the contingency time. 
      2. Requests should include (at a minimum) the following information: 
        1. amount of time requested
        2. a description of the proposed activities, 
        3. justification for the allocation, 
        4. any special requirements e.g. facility/beam parameters, security or safety considerations, etc. 
      3. A Contingency Allocation Committee chaired by one of the Deputy Division Directors and consisting of the LANSCE-12 Group Leader, the LANSCE-3 Group Leader, the PRad Project Manager, the Accelerator Facility Operations Manager, and the other LANSCE Deputy Division Directors will review the contingency requests and provide recommendations to the LANSCE Division Director. 
      4. The LANSCE Division Director will approve, modify, or reject  the recommendations of the Allocation Committee.
      5. It is responsibility of the FOM to ensure that the published schedule is updated in a timely manner to reflect the approved reserve/contingency time allocation and notify the CCR.
      6. The default allocation of the End of Cycle Contingency Time will go to Lujan/WNR if no other allocations are approved.
         
    4. Revision History 
       
      1. Rev. # 1.0   N. Timothy Callaway 3/20/01   Initial version following Division Office review.