NUWC Division, Keyport achieves ‘outstanding’ results during NAVSEA Inspector General Inspection

Photo By Peter Clute | Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Keyport earned a satisfactory rating and numerous accolades during its most recent Naval Sea Systems Command Inspector General Inspection, which concluded on May 11. (U.S. Navy graphic by Peter Clute/Released)  

KEYPORT, WA, UNITED STATES

05.23.2023

Story by Frank Kaminski 

Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Keyport

Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Keyport earned a satisfactory rating and numerous accolades during its most recent Naval Sea Systems Command Inspector General Inspection, which concluded on May 11.

The NAVSEA inspection, which occurs once every four years, took place this year from May 1 through 11 and included about 50 on-site inspectors and another 25 who supported virtually, said NUWC Division, Keyport Corporate Business Office Division Head Chelsie Lomax, who served as the Command Inspection Coordinator for Keyport’s IG Compliance Team.

The inspectors conducted a thorough review of 18 compliance areas and three special emphasis areas at NUWC Division, Keyport and its San Diego and Hawaii detachments, as well as the Naval Sea Logistics Center. They used a variety of methods, including an online workforce survey conducted prior to the inspection, 14 on-site focus groups conducted during the inspection and special assessments.

“[The IG inspection] is really an inspection of our business processes, versus a traditional technical inspection," said Lomax. “It takes a look at your business processes, your compliance with higher-level policy and guidance related to functions, and your ability to self-assess risk in those areas and then implement corrective actions."

Speaking during an outbrief held on the final day of the inspection, NAVSEA Inspector General Carl J. Adams, Jr. said the IG inspection team was particularly impressed by NUWC Division, Keyport’s workplace culture, its commitment to the mission and its professionalism. The team also identified several best practices.

"The overall inspection results have been outstanding,” said Adams. “You have a really positive workforce climate that came out through all the interaction we had with you over the last couple of weeks." He added that Keyporters’ survey participation rate was “pretty darn good.”

The IG inspection team rated a total of 18 NUWC Division, Keyport programs on a scale from low to high risk. On this scale, low risk indicates compliance with guidance and strong internal controls, moderate risk indicates only partial compliance and a need for improved internal controls, and high risk indicates a total lack of compliance and weak internal controls.

Between the previous inspection in 2019 and this year’s inspection, three programs saw improvements in their risk levels and three programs previously rated low risk maintained their low risk rating.

Adams spoke especially highly of the work done by the Command Inspector General Office. "It's been a long time since I've had an office knock it out of the park like your command IG office has done,” he said, adding that the office “[does] a lot of hard work and it's amazing what you were able to accomplish."

He specifically cited the Hotline and Command Evaluation programs run by NUWC Division, Keyport’s Command IG Office as being among the command's superior programs.

The Hotline program provides NUWC Division, Keyport personnel a means of reporting fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement to the Command IG Office, according to its internal website. The CE conducts independent internal reviews of Keyport programs to assess their effectiveness, efficiency, and compliance with laws, regulations and directives, said the site.

Rosalie Ferrara, Deputy for the Command Inspector General Office, said, "Our programs were successful because we are doing the right things as a matter of business. We’re following requirements. We’re focusing on compliance as well as efficiency and effectiveness as a matter of practice. It’s not just something we do as we’re preparing for inspections.”

The Equal Employment Opportunity program is another one that stood out during this inspection, going from moderate to low risk since the last inspection. NUWC Division, Keyport EEO Deputy Director Steve Warren said he credits this improvement largely to the program’s increased engagement in “creation and execution of effective EEO training to EEO staff, command supervisors and employees” since 2019.

He added that the EEO program is “constantly monitoring its efforts toward being a model EEO program.”

In his concluding remarks at the end of the outbrief, NUWC Division, Keyport Commanding Officer Capt. Clint Hoskins said that as a leader, he welcomes inspections like the IG, viewing them as valuable learning opportunities.

He added that the NAVSEA IG team is scheduled to return to the Keyport area twice over the next year to conduct inspections of two other area commands, and that he intends for NUWC Division, Keyport to reengage with the team during these visits as a follow up on progress made since NUWC Division, Keyport’s IG.

-KPT-

About Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Keyport
NUWC Division, Keyport provides advanced technical capabilities for test and evaluation, in-service engineering, maintenance and industrial base support, fleet material readiness, and obsolescence management for undersea warfare to expand America’s undersea dominance.

• Date Taken: 05.23.2023
• Date Posted: 05.23.2023 16:44
• Story ID: 445353
• Location: KEYPORT, WA, US