National Academies Press: OpenBook
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2013. Performance Metrics for the Global Nuclear Detection Architecture: Abbreviated Version. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18424.
×

PERFORMANCE METRICS FOR THE

GLOBAL NUCLEAR
DETECTION ARCHITECTURE

Abbreviated Version

Committee on Evaluating the Performance Measures and Metrics
Development for the Global Nuclear Detection Architecture

Nuclear and Radiation Studies Board
Division on Earth and Life Studies

NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
                     OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS

Washington, D.C.

www.nap.edu

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2013. Performance Metrics for the Global Nuclear Detection Architecture: Abbreviated Version. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18424.
×

THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS     500 Fifth Street, NW     Washington, DC 20001

NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance.

This study was supported by Contract No. HSHQDC-11-D-00009 between the National Academy of Sciences and the Department of Homeland Security. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the organizations or agencies that provided support for the project.

International Standard Book Number-13: 978-0-309-29014-2

International Standard Book Number-10: 0-309-29014-7

Additional copies of this report are available for sale from the National Academies Press, 500 Fifth Street, NW, Keck 360, Washington, DC 20001; (800) 624-6242 or (202) 334-3313; http://www.nap.edu.

Copyright 2013 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.

Printed in the United States of America

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2013. Performance Metrics for the Global Nuclear Detection Architecture: Abbreviated Version. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18424.
×

THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

Advisers to the Nation on Science, Engineering, and Medicine

The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. Upon the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and technical matters. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone is president of the National Academy of Sciences.

The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, as a parallel organization of outstanding engineers. It is autonomous in its administration and in the selection of its members, sharing with the National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advising the federal government. The National Academy of Engineering also sponsors engineering programs aimed at meeting national needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes the superior achievements of engineers. Dr. C. D. Mote, Jr., is president of the National Academy of Engineering.

The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences to secure the services of eminent members of appropriate professions in the examination of policy matters pertaining to the health of the public. The Institute acts under the responsibility given to the National Academy of Sciences by its congressional charter to be an adviser to the federal government and, upon its own initiative, to identify issues of medical care, research, and education. Dr. Harvey V. Fineberg is president of the Institute of Medicine.

The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy’s purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the federal government. Functioning in accordance with general policies determined by the Academy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities. The Council is administered jointly by both Academies and the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone and Dr. C. D. Mote, Jr., are chair and vice chair, respectively, of the National Research Council.

www.national-academies.org

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2013. Performance Metrics for the Global Nuclear Detection Architecture: Abbreviated Version. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18424.
×

This page intentionally left blank.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2013. Performance Metrics for the Global Nuclear Detection Architecture: Abbreviated Version. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18424.
×

COMMITTEE ON EVALUATING THE PERFORMANCE
MEASURES AND METRICS DEVELOPMENT FOR THE
GLOBAL NUCLEAR DETECTION ARCHITECTURE

ARDEN BEMENT (Chair), Purdue University (retired), West Lafayette, Indiana

KELLEY COYNER, Northern Virginia Transportation Commission, Arlington, Virginia

MARTHA CRENSHAW, Stanford University, Stanford, California

JAMES S. DYER, University of Texas, Austin

ROGER L. HAGENGRUBER, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque

JOHN H. HOLMES, Port of Los Angeles, California

EDWARD H. KAPLAN, Yale School of Management, New Haven, Connecticut

JOHN MATTINGLY, North Carolina State University, Raleigh

GREGORY S. PARNELL, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

DONALD PROSNITZ, Independent Consultant, Livermore, California

THOMAS C. SCHELLING, University of Maryland, College Park

DETLOF von WINTERFELDT, University of Southern California, Los Angeles

Staff

JENNIFER HEIMBERG, Study Director

ERIN WINGO, Senior Program Assistant

SHAUNTEÉ WHETSTONE, Senior Program Assistant (through July 8, 2013)

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2013. Performance Metrics for the Global Nuclear Detection Architecture: Abbreviated Version. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18424.
×

NUCLEAR AND RADIATION STUDIES BOARD

JAY C. DAVIS (Chair), Hertz Foundation, Livermore, California

BARBARA J. MCNEIL (Vice Chair), Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts

JOHN S. APPLEGATE, Indiana University School of Law, Bloomington

DAVID J. BRENNER, Columbia University, New York, New York

MARGARET S. Y. CHU, M.S. Chu & Associates, LLC, Albuquerque, New Mexico

MICHAEL L. CORRADINI, University of Wisconsin, Madison

PATRICIA J. CULLIGAN, Columbia University, New York, New York

ROBERT C. DYNES, University of California, San Diego

HEDVIG HRICAK, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York

THOMAS H. ISAACS, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California

CAROL M. JANTZEN, Savannah River National Laboratory, Aiken, South Carolina

ANNIE B. KERSTING, Glenn T. Seaborg Institute, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California

MARTHA S. LINET, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland

FRED A. METTLER, JR., New Mexico VA Health Care System, Albuquerque

BORIS F. MYASOEDOV, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow

LAWRENCE T. PAPAY, PQR, LLC, La Jolla, California

DANIEL O. STRAM, University of Southern California, Los Angeles

RICHARD J. VETTER, Mayo Clinic (retired), Rochester, Minnesota

Staff

KEVIN D. CROWLEY, Director

JENNIFER HEIMBERG, Senior Program Officer

OURANIA KOSTI, Senior Program Officer

TONI GREENLEAF, Administrative and Financial Associate

LAURA D. LLANOS, Administrative and Financial Associate

DARLENE GROS, Senior Program Assistant

ERIN WINGO, Senior Program Assistant

DANIEL POMEROY, Postdoctoral Fellow

SHAUNTEÉ WHETSTONE, Senior Program Assistant (through July 8, 2013)

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2013. Performance Metrics for the Global Nuclear Detection Architecture: Abbreviated Version. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18424.
×

Preface

The Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO) within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is responsible for developing and coordinating a cross-agency strategy, the Global Nuclear Detection Architecture (GNDA), to detect, analyze, and report on nuclear and radiological materials that are out of regulatory control. The GNDA is a global activity that involves programs, people, and technical systems in the United States and many other countries. It was mandated by presidential directive (in 2005) and public law (in 2006).

DNDO and its federal partners issued the Global Nuclear Detection Architecture Strategic Plan in 2010 which describes the high-level goals and federal agency responsibilities for implementing the GNDA. The U.S. government intends to undertake an annual review of the GNDA strategic plan to assess its effectiveness and identify new requirements arising from changes in technology and/or the threat environment.

DNDO has asked for advice from the National Research Council on developing quantitative approaches for assessing the effectiveness of the GNDA. This advice will be used to improve the GNDA strategic plan during future annual review cycles.

The committee approached this study by first gaining an understanding of what is meant by the “global nuclear detection architecture.” We reviewed its documentation (strategic plan, annual reviews, and the domestic implementation plan). We interviewed staff from DNDO and its many federal partners. We visited the Ports of Los Angeles (LA) and Long Beach and the LA Joint Regional Intelligence Center. The committee also invited other government agencies to tell us about their measures of effectiveness

Page viii Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2013. Performance Metrics for the Global Nuclear Detection Architecture: Abbreviated Version. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18424.
×

and performance metrics (see Appendix A for full listing of the briefings received by the committee).

The GNDA is a worldwide network of detection and reporting capabilities controlled by many different entities and funding lines. It is meant to protect against a wide range of adaptive and committed adversaries. Developing metrics to measure the effectiveness of such a complex system of systems is a difficult problem.

DNDO and its partner agencies have developed documentation and an initial accounting of the many existing federal programs and activities that support nuclear detection and reporting objectives. The committee has developed metrics and an analysis framework that may help guide DNDO and its GNDA partners from this initial accounting to developing a capability to measure the effectiveness of the overall GNDA.

However, it became clear during the course of the study that the lack of a lead architect and a centralized GNDA budget (see Observation 1) make it difficult for the GNDA to function as a system rather than a collection of programs. The decision to address this concern (e.g., to assign clear leadership through organizational change) rests with the U.S. government.

I would like to extend special thanks to Captain John Holmes for organizing and the Ports of LA and Long Beach for hosting the committee during one of our information-gathering sessions. Our visit to the ports and the surrounding facilities and discussions with numerous stakeholders allowed the committee to see a unique example of federal, state, and local agencies truly working together toward a common goal of protecting the nation against threats.

Arden Bement, Chair

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2013. Performance Metrics for the Global Nuclear Detection Architecture: Abbreviated Version. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18424.
×

Acknowledgments

The committee wishes to acknowledge and thank a number of individuals and organizations for their valuable contributions to this study:

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO) for its sponsorship of this study, and especially DNDO staff members Brendan Plapp, John Zabko, Kimberly Koeppel, Greg Haugan, and Richard Passow.

Those who gave presentations at the committee’s information-gathering meetings provided insight and information that made this report possible (presentations are listed in Appendix A):

•   Major General Julie A. Bentz, National Security Council

•   Brendan Plapp, DNDO Architecture and Plans Directorate (currently with the National Defense University)

•   John Zabko, DNDO Architecture and Plans Directorate

•   Kevin Hart, DNDO Architecture and Plans Directorate

•   Teri N. Leffer, Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration, Second Line of Defense (NA-256)

•   Steven Streetman, Data Architecture Solutions, Inc.

•   Henry Willis, RAND Corporation

•   David Kulp, Department of Defense

•   Ernest Muenchau, DNDO Operation Support Directorate (OSD) (deceased)

•   Colonel Robert Kolterman, Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA)

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2013. Performance Metrics for the Global Nuclear Detection Architecture: Abbreviated Version. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18424.
×

•   Brian Savage, DNDO OSD, Joint Analysis Center

•   James Smith, Los Alamos National Laboratory

•   Mark Oliphant, DNDO Red Team and Net Assessments Directorate

•   J. J. Fisher, DNDO OSD

•   Bernie Bogdan, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

•   J. C. Wyss, State Department

•   David Travers, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

•   Detective Jeff Shanaphy, Los Angeles Port Police

•   Sgt. Peter Jackson, Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department

The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach graciously hosted one of our information gathering sessions and opened their doors to the committee for touring purposes, as did the National Marine Exchange in Los Angeles and the Joint Regional Intelligence Center (JRIC). The staff and committee are very grateful for the hospitality shown at these locations. The committee thanks the following agencies for providing briefings at that meeting:

•   FBI

•   Long Beach Police Department

•   Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department

•   Los Angeles Fire Department

•   Los Angeles Police Department

•   U.S. Coast Guard

•   U.S. Customs and Border Protection

•   Los Angeles Port Police

The committee extends special thanks to the staff of the National Research Council for supporting this study. Staff members who have contributed to this effort are Jenny Heimberg (study director), Kevin Crowley (director of the Nuclear and Radiation Studies Board), Erin Wingo (senior program assistant), Shauntée Whetstone (senior program assistant), and Toni Greenleaf (financial and program associate).

This report has been reviewed in draft form by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise, in accordance with procedures approved by the Report Review Committee of the National Research Council. The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the National Research Council in making its published report as sound as possible and will ensure that this report meets institutional standards for objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the study charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process. We thank the following individuals for their review of this report:

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2013. Performance Metrics for the Global Nuclear Detection Architecture: Abbreviated Version. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18424.
×

•   Margaret Chu, M.S. Chu and Associates, LLC

•   William Hagan, independent consultant

•   Milton Levenson, independent consultant

•   David Morton, University of Texas, Austin

•   C. Paul Robinson, President Emeritus Sandia National Laboratories

•   Tim Runyon, Illinois Emergency Management Agency (retired)

•   Henry Willis, RAND Corporation

Although the reviewers listed above provided many constructive comments and suggestions, they were not asked to endorse the conclusions or recommendations, nor did they see the final draft of the report before its release. The review of this report was overseen by Chris G. Whipple, ENVIRON, and John F. Ahearne, Sigma Xi. Appointed by the National Research Council, they were responsible for making certain that an independent examination of this report was carried out in accordance with institutional procedures and that all review comments were considered carefully. Responsibility for the final content of this report rests entirely with the authoring committee and the institution.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2013. Performance Metrics for the Global Nuclear Detection Architecture: Abbreviated Version. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18424.
×

This page intentionally left blank.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2013. Performance Metrics for the Global Nuclear Detection Architecture: Abbreviated Version. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18424.
×

This page intentionally left blank.

Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2013. Performance Metrics for the Global Nuclear Detection Architecture: Abbreviated Version. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18424.
×
Page R1
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2013. Performance Metrics for the Global Nuclear Detection Architecture: Abbreviated Version. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18424.
×
Page R2
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2013. Performance Metrics for the Global Nuclear Detection Architecture: Abbreviated Version. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18424.
×
Page R3
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2013. Performance Metrics for the Global Nuclear Detection Architecture: Abbreviated Version. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18424.
×
Page R4
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2013. Performance Metrics for the Global Nuclear Detection Architecture: Abbreviated Version. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18424.
×
Page R5
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2013. Performance Metrics for the Global Nuclear Detection Architecture: Abbreviated Version. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18424.
×
Page R6
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2013. Performance Metrics for the Global Nuclear Detection Architecture: Abbreviated Version. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18424.
×
Page R7
Page viii Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2013. Performance Metrics for the Global Nuclear Detection Architecture: Abbreviated Version. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18424.
×
Page R8
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2013. Performance Metrics for the Global Nuclear Detection Architecture: Abbreviated Version. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18424.
×
Page R9
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2013. Performance Metrics for the Global Nuclear Detection Architecture: Abbreviated Version. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18424.
×
Page R10
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2013. Performance Metrics for the Global Nuclear Detection Architecture: Abbreviated Version. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18424.
×
Page R11
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2013. Performance Metrics for the Global Nuclear Detection Architecture: Abbreviated Version. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18424.
×
Page R12
Page xiii Cite
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2013. Performance Metrics for the Global Nuclear Detection Architecture: Abbreviated Version. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18424.
×
Page R13
Suggested Citation:"Front Matter." National Research Council. 2013. Performance Metrics for the Global Nuclear Detection Architecture: Abbreviated Version. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/18424.
×
Page R14
Next: Summary »
Performance Metrics for the Global Nuclear Detection Architecture: Abbreviated Version Get This Book
×
Buy Paperback | $38.00 Buy Ebook | $30.99
MyNAP members save 10% online.
Login or Register to save!
Download Free PDF

The Global Nuclear Detection Architecture (GNDA) is described as a worldwide network of sensors, telecommunications, and personnel, with the supporting information exchanges, programs, and protocols that serve to detect, analyze, and report on nuclear and radiological materials that are out of regulatory control. The Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO), an office within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), coordinates the development of the GNDA with its federal partners.

Performance Metrics for the Global Nuclear Detection Architecture considers how to develop performance measures and quantitative metrics that can be used to evaluate the overall effectiveness and report on progress toward meeting the goals of the GNDA. According to this report, two critical components are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of the GNDA: a new strategic plan with outcome-based metrics and an analysis framework to enable assessment of outcome-based metrics.

The GNDA is a complex system of systems meant to deter and detect attempts to unlawfully transport radiological or nuclear material. The recommendations of Performance Metrics for the Performance Metrics for the Global Nuclear Detection Architecture may be used to improve the GNDA strategic plan and the reporting of progress toward meeting its goals during subsequent review cycles.

  1. ×

    Welcome to OpenBook!

    You're looking at OpenBook, NAP.edu's online reading room since 1999. Based on feedback from you, our users, we've made some improvements that make it easier than ever to read thousands of publications on our website.

    Do you want to take a quick tour of the OpenBook's features?

    No Thanks Take a Tour »
  2. ×

    Show this book's table of contents, where you can jump to any chapter by name.

    « Back Next »
  3. ×

    ...or use these buttons to go back to the previous chapter or skip to the next one.

    « Back Next »
  4. ×

    Jump up to the previous page or down to the next one. Also, you can type in a page number and press Enter to go directly to that page in the book.

    « Back Next »
  5. ×

    Switch between the Original Pages, where you can read the report as it appeared in print, and Text Pages for the web version, where you can highlight and search the text.

    « Back Next »
  6. ×

    To search the entire text of this book, type in your search term here and press Enter.

    « Back Next »
  7. ×

    Share a link to this book page on your preferred social network or via email.

    « Back Next »
  8. ×

    View our suggested citation for this chapter.

    « Back Next »
  9. ×

    Ready to take your reading offline? Click here to buy this book in print or download it as a free PDF, if available.

    « Back Next »
Stay Connected!