Joseph Rasson was appointed by Deputy Director Graham Fleming and Associate Laboratory Director David McGraw to be project manager of the Berkeley Lab management contract transition plan, which guides the process of transitioning from the old UC management contract ("Contract 98") to the new contract ("Contract 31"). Fleming is the transition manager at Berkeley Lab, and Ron Nelson is the transition manager at the UC Office of the President.

“We need everyone’s support during this short transition process,” said Rasson. “We will work closely with everyone at the Lab to ensure the transition is seamless.”

In this spirit, it is imperative that Lab personnel support Rasson and other members of the transition team in fulfilling several commitments, which include:

• Contract assurance: A key transition activity is the establishment of the new UC Contractor Assurance Council and the Berkeley Lab Oversight Advisory Board to begin a new phase of partnership between the DOE Office of Science and the University of California.
• Setting up the implementation of UC strategic management initiatives. The transition team will develop an implementation plan with a project schedule and budget, and assigned staff responsibilities, for four broad initiatives: an information management systems initiative, a financial management systems initiative, an initiative for strategic recruiting, and a facility management systems initiative.
• Property management: A new baseline inventory for Berkeley Lab’s physical and intellectual properties will be established.
• New DOE directives and orders: The transition team will establish a process by which UC will review new DOE directives and orders. In some cases, this process will give UC the flexibility to tailor the directives to meet Berkeley Lab’s needs, or substitute the directives with acceptable industry standards.

Communications will also play a large role during the transition period. All Berkeley Lab employees will be advised of any changes to their work environment, UC’s oversight model, and the Lab’s organization. The Lab will also communicate changes to DOE and UC, as well as its customers and subcontractors.