Managing Nuclear Projects: A Design Agency Experience in the Design-Build of Waste Management Facilities in Canada

Abstract

Quality Assurance guarantees the quality of a product; it does not guarantee that it is a quality product. As procedures develop to satisfy QA programs and regulatory needs it is necessary to find ways to ensure that procedural management reinforces project management and does not detract from it. CANATOM NPM's experience in bidding for and executing the design or design and construction of nuclear waste management facilities demonstrates how design excellence and innovation can still be achieved while successfully managing the challenge of technical administration. The sourcing of expertise, the intricacies of design definition and the coordinating efforts required in the execution of the projects (one fully completed, the other into its engineering phase) will provide a valuable insight into the role and activities of an engineering company engaged in a 'Design Agency' (DA) role.