Working With Central Piedmont Community College

Posted by asantiago on May 12, 2010 at 04:09 PM

The Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) recognized the need for continuing education for supporting the nuclear industry.  As many small businesses look to diversify their services and/or products, the coming nuclear renaissance is a solid place to begin.  After approaching Global Quality Assurance with a request to hold one of our workshops at their location, we worked as a team to make some adjustments to adhere to college requirements, and a continuing education course was developed from our day long workshop.  Classes will be held July 27th and August 10th at the CPCC Harris Campus, Harris II building, room 2124.  Please contact Central Piedmont Community College at 704-330-4645 and ask for the Corporate and Continuing Education (CCE) Customer Service to register for classes.  Because of the changes to the course, and the location, there will be a small fee for attendance.  Please contact me if you would like on of their flyers.

The Carolinas Nuclear Cluster

Posted by asantiago on May 12, 2010 at 04:07 PM

Global Quality Assurance representatives, Debbie Borland and Marsha Balash, have the unique opportunity of speaking before attendees of the Nuclear industry Supplier Seminar that will be conducted on May 14th in Columbia, South Carolina and May 21st in Goose Creek, South Carolina.  These events are being hosted by the Carolinas Nuclear Cluster, which is part of the New Carolina Organization.  The May 14th seminar in Columbia, SC will be from 8:30 – 11:45am and another is to be scheduled for May 21st, 8:30 - 11:30am, in Goose Creek, South Carolina.  This section of the organization is dedicated to focusing on economic growth in the Carolinas through nuclear energy.  If your business is a manufacturer of:  pipes, valves, fittings, electrical systems, HVAC, and/or construction materials or if you are a services provider of:  machine shops, electrical/mechanical/HVAC maintenance, waste, clean-up, office maintenance, hazmat, painters, radiological protection, quality control, and/or lab services – then you will find it beneficial to attend.  The seminars will offer an opportunity to learn:  trends in the growth of the nuclear industry, basic parameters required of nuclear suppliers, how procurement officers in the industry work with suppliers, important quality control certification issues in the nuclear industry and how to become qualified.  The registration fee for the seminars are just $40.  Please e-mail with:  your name, title, company, mailing address, phone number, and e-mail address. 

A New Employee From the NRC.

Posted by asantiago on May 12, 2010 at 04:06 PM

We are pleased to announce our newest employee, Michael J. Morgan.  Michael comes to us directly from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), and chose our company because he had noted the quality of Global Quality Assurance’s deliverables to their clients.  We are fortunate to have Mike, and plan to utilize his expertise in a consulting capacity for our clients.  Mr. Morgan has lead or participated in numerous utility and supplier NRC inspection teams as a US NRC Operations Engineer/Project Manager (Rockville) and Senior Resident Inspector with US NRC Region II (Atlanta).  He successfully planned, coordinated and directed several nuclear power station re-licensure projects.  He also served as an NRC Resident Inspector for Browns Ferry and Farley Nuclear Plants and developed Westinghouse accredited course including:  simulator and classroom instruction, operations and engineers, and basic reactor operations and reactor physics.  Michael has a Bachelor of Science Degree from Central Michigan University (New York Regents Program).  He also served as an adjunct faculty member of Joliet Junior College in Joliet, Illinois.  Michael is available to support Global Quality Assurance’s clients with assessments, consulting, technical specialist support, audit and/or training needs

NUPIC Vendor Meeting and NRC Workshops scheduled.

Posted by asantiago on Apr 21, 2010 at 04:04 PM

On March 30th, Earl Mayhorn, QA Manager for Ameren and and the Vendor Interface Committee Chairman for the Nuclear Procurement Issues Committee (NUPIC), annouced the date and location of the Vendor meeting .  Visit the Future NUPIC Meetings page at the NUPIC website, from the drop down menu choose the “6/14/2010-6/17/2010” option to obtain registration information.  This meeting is an excellent way for vendors in the industry to stay abreast of current codes, standards, and industry practices. 

On June 17th, the day after the vendor meeting, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) will be holding their 2nd annual workshop on Vendor Oversight for New Reactor Construction. Registration information for this can also be found on the above Future NUPIC Meetings webpage link.  The following topics will be discussed during the workshop presentation:  Safety, NRC Enforcement Policy, Counterfeit, Fraudulent, and Substandard Items (CFSI), and more.

Global Quality Assurance will be attending, and we would love to see you there.

Make sure you are ready…

When reading the NEI Smartbrief today I read an interesting article about nuclear energy making a comeback.  China and other countries are either currently building their reactors, or are putting in the applications to do so.

This Nuclear Renaissance we keep hearing about is not exclusive to the United States - nuclear power is a solution to a global energy problem.  This editorial quotes Gary Gates, Chairman of the Board of the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) , as saying, “There’s about 446 plants today around the world.  They’re projecting 1,200 by 2030.” The editorial goes on to talk about how companies in India and Korea are applying to take advantage of this growth in the industry.  Make sure your company is in a position to do the same thing for the resurgence on this side of the ocean.  Plan to attend one of our Free* Workshops to find out what is necessary to be ready for our renaissance in the U.S.

What GQA can do for you.

Posted by asantiago on Apr 02, 2010 at 04:03 PM

I wanted to take a minute to tell you about all of the services Global Quality Assurance (GQA) has to offer.
We schedule, plan, and perform your Internal Audit, as well as your Supplier Audits, Surveillances, and Commercial Grade Surveys.  For the last 10 years we have provided the nuclear industry with the most qualified, competent and efficient lead auditors to support their needs.  Most of our auditors are NUPIC and NIAC process trained to accommodate your special qualification needs.  We understand utilities’ needs, equipment application, and the unique codes and standards applicable to nuclear power industry equipment; for this reason, we are known as the best in the industry.  GQA audits and survey reports and supporting checklists have been reviewed by nupic, niac and the nrc with rave reviews.

“Fantastic job! Exceeded expectations!” Mark H. - WA

We have highly experienced personnel who can offer you their technical expertise as needed, even on a long term basis.  We have placed our contractors and employees in QA Management, Procurement, Engineering, Configuration Management, Dedication, and several other roles within the industry.

“It is always a pleasure to do business with a company that takes a ‘vested’ interest in wanting to help a utility and be genuine about it.” Lisa H. – Arizona

We offer training – but did you know we will come to you?  If you have 10 or more people within your organization that need one or all of the classes we offer, then we can bring the classroom to you!  If you are interested, just contact Alie Santiago to be provided an estimate.
“Absolutely the best QA program overview I have attended in 30 years of nuclear quality assurance.” Tim P. - Tennessee

Additionally, we have the manpower and applications to take complete ownership of your Approved Supplier List (ASL).  No more keeping up with annual evaluations and remembering who needs audits and surveys – and when – we can take care of all of that for you, and give you a single place where you can download needed documentation for any of your suppliers.  Let me know if you want more information about ASL Maintenance Services.

“Global Quality Assurance has once again proven to be a very professional organization and valued partner in meeting our quality goals.” Scott B. – Ontario, Canada

In short, GQA can be your QA team, leaving you to concentrate on other important matters – such as growing your business and satisfying your customers.

Still not sure about the Nuclear Power Industry?

Posted by asantiago on Mar 12, 2010 at 03:59 PM

By now you have seen news everywhere about President Obama’s push for nuclear power; numerous editorials and articles can be found with a quick ‘nuclear power’ search at Google.com.  Without a doubt, right now is the best time to get ready for this Nuclear Renaissance.

Despite this, you still may be unsure about getting into the industry.  Global Quality Assurance (GQA) understands this hesitation, and wants to help you understand this important business decision.  For this reason we offer our Free* Workshops throughout the year.  We invite you to attend our ‘no pressure’ seminar detailing what you need to do before you can do business within the nuclear power industry. 

You will have access to one of our most experienced personnel.  Both of our workshop instructors have over 25 years in the industry - and one of them will be available to answer your pressing questions about the industry and what it would mean for your organization should you decide to pursue this business venture.

Our next free* workshop will be on April 16, 2010 - just after our next set of training classes.  After that - we will be holding a workshop on the last Friday of every month, until the holiday months.  Please see the column to the left for specific dates.

Contact us to sign up for the workshop; we are here to help you every step of the way.  If you are attending the NEI Conference in Irvine, CA later this month - look for us - we will be there too.

$8.3 Billion Approved to Build 2 New Reactors

Posted by asantiago on Feb 24, 2010 at 03:15 PM

Feb. 17, 2010, President Obama announced the guarantee of an $8.3 Billion loan for the building of two new plants and the Vogtle site near Augusta, Georgia.  If you were still unsure if you should get into the nuclear industry, this should tell you that there is no better time than now to get into this industry.

This is just the beginning, as VC Summer is just behind Vogtle with getting their Unit numbers 3 & 4 built.  More and more stories like this will be seen in the years to come.

Global Quality Assurance (GQA) personnel are ready to prepare your company for this and the upcoming opportunities.  We are considered experts in the supply of Nuclear (NQA-1 and 10CFR50 App. B) program development, commercial grade item (CGI) edication, internal audit services, supplier audits and training.  GQA is here to help you in this nuclear renaissance.

Speaking at PowerGen

Posted by asantiago on Feb 08, 2010 at 03:49 PM

In December 2009 the GQA VP of Quality , Deborah Borland, was invited and had the pleasure of presenting at the Power-Gen International Conference.  The Topic was Vendor 101, NQA-1 Nuclear Program Development.  Almost 20,000 people attended the 2009 conference in Las Vegas. A copy of the Vendor 101, NQA-1 Nuclear Program Development Power Point Presentation is available upon request to .

NQA-1-2008 & NQA-1a-2009

Posted by asantiago on Feb 08, 2010 at 03:48 PM

At this time, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission is currently reviewing the ASME NQA-1-2008 guidelines. 

We contacted Mr. Paul Prescott of the NRC to find out what the progress is on the review.  According to Mr. Prescott there will be about 2 more months before the revision is published.  He suggested we check this site (full link below) towards the end of April.  Mr. Prescott also mentioned that the version would be named NQA-1-2008 and the approved addendum will be NQA-1a-2009.

http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/reg-guides/

The NRC In Training

Posted by asantiago on Feb 08, 2010 at 03:45 PM

In December 2009, GQA was privileged to have four (4) members from the Nuclear Regulatory Committee (NRC) attend our December 7-9, 2009 Nuclear Auditors and Commercial Grade Item (CGI) Dedication training classes. This included an Analyst from the NRC Office of the Inspector General (OIG). The purpose of the NRC personnel attendance was to not only have them trained as auditors, but evaluate the GQA training program. The gentleman from the OIG was present to learn more about the applicable regulations as well as better understand the training that industry auditors and other personnel receive. In addition, the NRC OIG is conducting a scheduled program review of the NRC’s vendor inspection program. During and after the training sessions, several of the attendees stated that the NRC personnel not only participated in the class project sessions actively, but also offered value added information that was beneficial to the class. The feedback regarding our courses from the NRC was positive. The NRC indicated that the class was well organized and provided positive comments on the type of presentations that were offered to the students. The NRC commented the class room assignments for participating in mock audits offered the individuals the opportunity to realize what would be expected of them when performing audits of quality related activities. Upon completion of the training sessions, the NRC OIG Analyst, the GQA Trainer and the GQA Quality Manager met to discuss various issues associated with Counterfeit/Fraudulent items; the GQA nuclear training class and how the NRC information could become more available to the vendors.

The Counterfeit/Fraudulent items discussion was mainly directed toward the generation of the new nuclear plant construction. It was felt that NRC website contains an abundance of information but it could be a little overwhelming to the individual searching for the information.

During the discussion, the GQA Trainer and GQA Quality Manager addressed the current situation and the effort required to obtain what is actually needed. Several suggestions were offered. One suggestion offered was that the NRC Inspection Branch could establish a vendor ICON within the NRC website that could contain information for a vendor that could be accessed and printed out. The website ICON could also have an area that will allow the vendor to post a question for the NRC to respond back by placing the information as an answer to the question.

Another suggestion was that maybe the NRC could contact NUPIC and offer a proposal to permit a symposium on vendor related topics at the June 2010 NUPIC meeting. The NRC OIG Analyst stated that he had contacted the NUPIC Chairman about the possibility of such a presentation. The GQA Trainer offered his services of suggesting to the NUPIC Vendor Interface Committee Chairman to hopefully include this as part of June 2010 meeting agenda.

The discussions held between the NRC personnel, the GQA Trainer, and the GQA Quality Manager were informative and developed a positive and mutually rewarding relationship between the NRC and GQA representatives. 

State of the Union Address & Nuclear Power

Posted by asantiago on Jan 28, 2010 at 12:14 PM

Last night, in the State of the Union Address, President Obama, stressed the importance of clean energy as the country moves forward.  One of those forms of clean energy mentioned was nuclear energy.

“But to create more of these clean energy jobs, we need more production, more efficiency, more incentives. That means building a new generation of safe, clean nuclear power plants in this country,” stated the President.

While this was a small part of the State of the Union Address, it says a lot for those of us working within the nuclear industry – and those that are looking to break into supplying the nuclear industry.  With the president’s support we can be assured projects will continue to move forward within the industry, while other pending projects continue forward.  There has never been a better time to work in the nuclear industry.

NEI Outreach & Date for our Free* Workshop

Posted by asantiago on Jan 22, 2010 at 02:04 PM

The Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) has set the location and dates of their next Nuclear Manufacturing Outreach Workshop.  This workshop will be held March 25-26 at the Irvine Marriott in Irvine, California. The workshop will give you an excellent opportunity to meet with engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) companies.  Please visit the NEI webpage to find out more.  Global Quality Assurance personnel will be attending the workshop, and we hope to see you there!

We have also set up the date for our Free* Nuclear Quality Program Development Workshop for April 16th. This will be just after our training classes for your convenience. I will be sending out more information soon, or look for us at the NEI Outreach Workshop; we will be happy to talk to you about it.

Women’s Business Enterprise Council

Posted by asantiago on Sep 29, 2009 at 01:54 PM

GQA is very excited to announce our certification with the Women’s Business Enterprise Council (WBENC).  This was not just a matter of filling out a form.  Since February we have completed an extensive application and were interviewed by a WBENC representative to verify GQA is actively managed by women.  This certification carries more weight with supplier diversity than state certification because of their rigorous application process.

GQA = Experience

Posted by asantiago on Sep 29, 2009 at 01:07 PM

Our management team has a combined experience of over 70 years in quality in the nuclear industry, 50 years of which were spent in the utilities.  The management team also looks for this kind of experience in our lead auditors, many of which have 30+ years experience in the industry.

Along with the years of experience in the industry, our quality management team has also served or chaired on several committees for NUPIC and NIAC, such as:  Commercial Grade Committee, Audit Checklist Committee, and Survey Checklist Committee.

It is because of this experience, Debbie Borland, our Vice President of Quality, has been asked to participate in a panel discussion at the upcoming Nuclear Power Conference, which is part of the PowerGen Conference in Las Vegas, NV.