Combating Nuclear Smuggling: NNSA’s Detection and Deterrence Program Is Addressing Challenges but Should Improve Its Program Plan, GAO-16-460: Published: Jun 17, 2016. Publicly Released: Jun 17, 2016.

The National Nuclear Security Agency’s (NNSA) Nuclear Smuggling Detection and Deterrence (NSDD) program has developed a program plan that includes four 5-year goals to guide its efforts; however, NSDD cannot measure its progress toward completing key activities and achieving these goals because its program plan does not fully incorporate leading practices for program management. Leading practices include having measurable outcome-oriented goals, goals for all key activities, performance measures that align with these goals, and details for how and when key activities will be completed and goals achieved. However, NSDD’s goals are not all measurable, some describe actions rather than outcomes, and they do not fully address all of the program’s key activities. In addition, its performance measures are not aligned with these goals, and its program plan does not detail how it will complete key program activities or achieve its goals. Absent a program plan incorporating these leading practices, NSDD may not be able to determine when it has accomplished its mission and risks continuing to deploy equipment past the point of diminishing returns. In each of the three selected partner countries GAO visited—Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, and Georgia—law enforcement officers and government officials attributed multiple cases of successful detection, deterrence, and interdiction of smuggled nuclear and radiological materials to the use of NSDD-provided radiation detection equipment. For example, one of these countries has been involved with 21 such smuggling cases over the past 10 years, with over 50 convictions made as a result. Moreover, some cases in these countries have involved the detection and interdiction of highly enriched uranium, which can be used to develop a nuclear weapon. NSDD faces an unusual set of challenges in performing its work, many largely outside of its control. Nonetheless, the program is taking actions to mitigate the effects of these challenges. For example, NSDD officials cited changing conditions in partner countries as a key challenge. In particular, NSDD officials noted that the conflict between the Ukrainian government and separatist groups that began in 2014 has led to the destruction of 29 radiation portal monitors, and NSDD officials do not know whether the program will be able to fix or replace them and, if so, when. To mitigate this challenge, NSDD plans to deploy additional radiation detection equipment at key locations outside the conflict area.”