NLCIO Historical Letter of Initiation

The following letter from John Peoples, Director of Fermilab, to the DOE Laboratory Directors on November 12, 1996, initiated the creation of SLCCC.

Dear Colleague,

On several occasions we have discussed the report to us regarding DOE Management of Computing and Information (July 27, 1995). We have also discussed forming a committee of Associate Director level computing experts (essentially those who prepared the report plus representatives of four additional labs) to advise us on a continuing basis on such matters and to interact with the DOE on our behalf. This group has developed a charter, which has in some fashion been discussed by them individually with many of us. A chair person has been chosen. The DOE's CIO (Woody Hall) and David Nelson in ER have indicated strongly that such a committee would be a very useful forum with which they could interact. In fact the CCIRDA committee which Nelson formed will be disbanded to make way for this new committee chartered by us.

Because of the role I took earlier in coordinating a letter from the Directors to Mr. Curtis, it appears to fall on me again to send the charter to the Chairman of this committee with our endorsement. I enclose a draft of that letter and a copy of the charter and the presently understood membership list. You should, of course, review your representation on this committee to be sure it is consistent with your present intentions.

There are a number of urgent issues that this group should address. These include the new Information Management Umbrella order which has just been issued which mandates 9 manuals that have not yet been developed, a new plan for unclassified computer security at the labs which looks to this committee for oversight, the attempts to reach a determination on what legislative and regulatory mandates in this area are applicable to the labs, and performance metrics for our contracts in this area.

Because of this urgency and the fact that I believe we are fundamentally in agreement on this charter, I believe we can move ahead on this with little formality. My office will check to make sure you have received this message. Although I would appreciate a reply, if I do not hear from you in a week (November 19), I will assume I have your concurrence and will proceed to send out the letter.

Very truly yours,

John Peoples

Draft of letter to David Leith, SLAC, Chair elect of the new committee.

Dear David,

The DOE Laboratory Directors wish to formally charge their advisory committee on computing and to encourage the group to start work on the computing and information processing issues of concern to our laboratories and, where appropriate, to work with DOE/HQ on matters of mutual interest.

We are pleased that the group has already worked on establishing representation for each institution and developed a specific charge (see attached) and a name "Systems of Laboratories Computer Coordinating Commitee" (SLCCC). We find these appropriate. Please proceed with calling the group together and begin work on this important arena for all of our laboratories.

SIGNED

John Peoples, Jr.

Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory

For the DOE National Laboratory Directors*

Encl. cc:

*Lab Directors:

• Thomas J. Barton, Ames Laboratory

• Dean E. Eastman, Argonne National Laboratory

• Nicholas P. Samios, Brookhaven National Laboratory

• W.John Denson, Idaho National Engineering Laboratory

• Charles V. Shank, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

• C. Bruce Tarter, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

• Seigfried Hecker, Los Alamos National Laboratory

• Charles Gay, National Renewable Energy Laboratory

• Alan W. Trivelpiece, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

• William J. Madia, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

• Ronald C. Davidson, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory

• Paul Robinson, Sandia National Laboratories

• Burton, Richter, Stanford Linear Accelerator Center

• Hermann A. Grunder, Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility

Proposed members of committee:

Interested parties: