Management Advisory Committee meets for the first time

On 30-31 May, the Management Advisory Committee (MAC) to the Interim ITER Council was convened for the first time, in Gréoux-les-Bains (near Cadarache). The majority of MAC members are government-level representatives of the ITER Parties, and its goal is to advise the ITER Council on matters such as ITER project management, budget allocations, and other administrative issues.

The first MAC was moderated by Mr. Bob Iotti, president of the engineering company CH2M-WG Idaho. The activities of the ITER Organization since the opening of the Cadarche Joint Work Site in March 2006 were presented by ITER senior management. Included in these were a general overview of the activities by NDG Kaname Ikeda, a presentation on ITER project management and the progress in the development of an integrated project schedule by NPDDG Norbert Holtkamp, and a presentation by Eisuke Tada on the function and major activities of the ITER Project Office. Mr. Tada also presented a proposal for the establishment of a group to coordinate the project activities between the ITER Organization and the Domestic Agencies, which was supported by the MAC.

Further presentations were given on the current staffing status and plans, the resource estimates for 2007/2008, guidelines for the in-kind procurement process, and the Headquarters Agreement between the IO and the French State, which provides the priviliges and immunities for the ITER staff.