United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2007-03-09 monographic deposited born digital 15 p. GA 1.13:GAO-07-347R https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-07-347R P0b002ee1803a36bf f:d07347r DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-28 GAOREPORTS-GAO-07-347R machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-07-347R GAO-07-347R Data collection Data integrity Homeland security Nuclear materials Nuclear weapons Radiation monitoring Radiation safety Research and development Schedule slippages Testing Correspondence A66664 Preventing a nuclear weapon or radiological dispersal device (a "dirty bomb") from being smuggled into the United States is a key national security priority. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), through its Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO), has lead responsibility for conducting the research, development, testing, and evaluation of radiation detection equipment that can be used to detect smuggled nuclear or radiological materials. Much of DNDO's work on radiation detection equipment to date has focused on the development and use of radiation detection portal monitors, which are larger-scale equipment that can screen vehicles, people, and cargo entering the United States. Current portal monitors, made of polyvinyl toluene (plastic) and known as "PVTs," detect the presence of radiation but cannot distinguish between benign, naturally occurring radiological materials (NORM) such as ceramic tile, and dangerous materials such as highly enriched uranium (HEU). DNDO hopes that the next generation of portal monitors, known as "Advanced Spectroscopic Portals" (ASP), will be able to detect and more specifically identify radiological and nuclear materials within a shipping container. Given DNDO's goal of replacing PVT portal monitors with much more expensive ASPs, it is important for DNDO to fully understand the relative advantages and disadvantages of PVTs and ASPs before making the multibillion dollar investment that would be necessary to implement its current plan. Further, in light of the important role that DNDO foresees for state and local governments in radiation detection, it is also important that DNDO communicate this understanding to its state and local partners. Our October 2006 report concluded that DNDO's assessment of ASPs did not fully support DNDO's decision to purchase and deploy them. This report examines whether DNDO has fully collected and maintained all existing tests on PVTs in order to fully assess their advantages and limitations. To that end, we agreed with your offices to examine the extent to which DNDO has (1) compiled previous test results from the national laboratories on commercially available portal monitors, and (2) provided state and local authorities with information on the technical performance characteristics and operation of radiation detection equipment. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-07-347R/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-07-347R.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-07-347R/pdf/GAOREPORTS-GAO-07-347R.pdf GAO-07-347R https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-07-347R Correspondence GAO-07-347R; Combating Nuclear Smuggling: DNDO Has Not Yet Collected Most of the National Laboratories' Test Results on Radiation Portal Monitors in Support of DNDO's Testing and Development Program; Data collection Data integrity Homeland security Nuclear materials Nuclear weapons Radiation monitoring Radiation safety Research and development Schedule slippages Testing Public Law 106-65