Research Office Reopening Plan

PTRC

PHASE 1: May 15 - June

All PTRC personnel are on duty at their assigned posts. Virtually all regular customer interactions were canceled, with two exceptions involving small numbers of visitors on site, when CDC recommended social distancing, personal protection, and disinfection protocols were observed. As of 03 June, 81 U.S. Army personnel are billeted on site, all of whom have been in Hidalgo County for over six months and have not traveled out of state.

PHASE 2: July – August

Above mentioned U.S. Army personnel will continue residing on site. From 05-22 Aug, an additional 80 military personnel will be on site for Red Flag Rescue exercise. Potential exists for First Responder trainings to resume in August. DOD personnel are exempt from NM health orders but social distancing, PPE, and disinfection practices will remain in accordance with CDC guidelines.

PHASE 3: August – Unknown

We anticipate a continuous presence of approx. 80 U.S. Army personnel on site through 2020 and potentially through 2021, as well. It is considered likely that First Responder training may resume in August. PTRC intends to comply with prevailing recommendations for social distancing, PPE, and disinfection procedures. PTRC staff work predominately in outdoor environments but when necessary to work indoors, office environments permit one person per room.

Magdalena Ridge Observatory 2.4m Telescope

PHASE 1: May 15 - June

The Observatory staff is composed of a total number of 3 people: 1 technician and 2 astronomers. The technician works primarily off campus at the facility on Magdalena Ridge during the daytime, and is infrequently on campus as needed for refueling and paperwork tasks. The 2 astronomers work at the Observatory or remotely during the evening, and access their campus offices when necessary. Rarely are the astronomers and the technician in the common areas at the same time.

PHASE 2: July – August

Staffing deployment is the same as for Phase 1. Vendor site access on the mountain will be permitted following University guidelines and policies for external visitors.

PHASE 3: August – Unknown

The 3 staff members continue the work deployment protocol as described in Phase 1 and 2. Visitor access will be permitted following NM State guidelines and social distancing policies for size limitations and indoor gatherings.  

ICASA

PHASE 1: May 15 - June

Socorro Office: Staff and students working exclusively from home with the exception of five individuals determined essential due to need to access systems, work on federal projects with sensitivities precluding work from home, and/or that have no viable option to work from home. This accounts for approximately 10% of desk capacity. Guests (e.g., new hires) escorted onsite only as needed (e.g. for fingerprint checks, being issued computers, obtaining badges, etc.). All individuals accessing the facility using CSP’s, including wearing of masks, maintaining separation, and practicing disinfection techniques as per CDC, NMDOH, and NMT published guidelines. Access to sensitive facilities (e.g., classified spaces) further as per any and all relevant federal guidelines from sponsoring agency. Any other incidental access only on a case-by-case basis with the prior approval of the Director.

Albuquerque Office: Staff and students working exclusively from home. Any incidental access permitted only on a case-by-case basis with prior approval of the director.

PHASE 2: July – August

Socorro Office: Same as Phase 1

Albuquerque Office: Same as Phase 1

PHASE 3: August – Unknown

Socorro Office: Pending compatibility with CDC and NMDOH guidelines, move to a hybrid staffing model with rotating schedules, particularly in open and/or common work areas. Preference given to onsite work to employees requiring access to sensitive and/or classified spaces, or needing the ability to work in lab areas. Occupancy of up to 50% of desk capacity. Guests (e.g., government sponsors, new hires) escorted onsite only as needed. Deviations from developed staffing plan and schedules only granted on a case-by-case basis and with prior approval of the Director.

Albuquerque Office: Move to a hybrid staffing model, with no more than two (out of four) desks occupied. Continued compliance with all relevant CSPs, as well as CDC, NMDOH, and NMT published guidelines. Guests not anticipated, but escorted onsite and only as needed.

NMT Tech Transfer Collaborative Office (KAFB/Albuquerque NM)

PHASE 1: May 15 - June

Program Facilities Affected:

AFRL Tech Engagement Office

AFRL Innovation Lab

AFRL Maker Hub

Actions:

  1. Prep facilities for limited use at 25% of maximum capacity
  2. Appointment only
  3. No large group meetings, seminars, or events
  4. Establish guest tracking and check-in protocols
  5. Re-deploy scheduling site and forms
  6. Schedule staff to support meetings/activities as needed, telework remains primary method of work

PHASE 2: July – August

Program Facilities Affected:

AFRL Tech Engagement Office

AFRL Innovation Lab

AFRL Maker Hub

Actions:

  1. Prep facilities for moderate use at XX% of maximum capacity
  2. Continue appointment only and limited walk-in activities
  3. Continue guest tracking and check-in protocols
  4. Staff support meetings/activities as needed with some limited routine work activities performed on-site, hybrid in-person and telework

PHASE 3: August – Unknown

Program Facilities Affected:

AFRL Tech Engagement Office

AFRL Innovation Lab

AFRL Maker Hub

Maxwell Collaboration Center

AFRL Maker Lab Express

KAFB Building 497

Actions:

  1. Prep facilities to fully re-open for use up to 100% maximum capacity
  2. Scheduling site and forms revised to accommodate full use
  3. Guest tracking and check-in modified, as required
  4. Appointments and walk-in use permitted
  5. Staff return to in-person work activities in their respective facilities, telework is formally discontinued
EMRTC

PHASE 1: May 15 - June

EMRTC is considered an "essential" business and remained working as normally as possible during this time. The First Responders Program was put on hold, and classes were cancelled as people could not travel to Socorro to attend classes. EMRTC had as many people work remotely as possible. Those who were working in the Field and Engineering worked on-site, following the rules in place. The exception was while working in the EMRTC Field Laboratory, masks were not required while working outdoors. Masks were required when personnel were in bunkers and buildings. Visitors were not allowed to come to EMRTC during the months of March-May. EMRTC also implemented a 10-hour day/four day workweek to reduce the number of days employees had to be on-site.

First Responders - In Phase 1 all First Responder employees are working from home and only online training is active. Both remote and direct delivery courses are on hold. The workforce is focused on course conversion to alternate delivery schemes

PHASE 2: July – August

EMRTC will continue to work as normally as possible, with testing and research continuing. EMRTC will continue to have a blended workforce, with employees working from home as much as possible. The First Responders Classes have been cancelled for the month of July, with August still undetermined. Visitors will be allowed to come to EMRTC as long as they follow our protocols and have not come in close contact with anyone who may have COVID-19 for two weeks prior to their visit. Also, prior to their visit, they have to fill out the EMRTC visit request form, read EMRTC's SOP 500 Emergency Operations for the COVID-19 Virus and allow EMRTC to follow up with them for 2 weeks post visit to see if they are experiencing any COVID symptoms. While they are on-site, they will keep their distance from EMRTC employees, wear face coverings and a face shield if they are in a bunker. The visitors will be minimizing their contact time with EMRTC employees, and will follow social distancing requirements and guidelines.

First Responders - FEMA is approving remote delivery courses on a one by one case. We have had the approval for 2 course delivery. Driect delivery courses are still on hold. Guidlines for direct delivery being delevoled.

PHASE 3: August – Unknown

EMRTC will bring employees back to work on-site during Phase 3. EMRTC does have some employees who have pre-existing conditions and are considered vulnerable. Those employees may have to continue teleworking until Phase 4 is reached. EMRTC will continue to conduct research and testing. The First Responders program will begin to resume on-site classes. Precautions are being implemented to minimize the contact of those students with EMRTC and NMT employees. This includes monitoring temperatures, wearing face coverings, limiting the number of students in each class, transportation issues, travel requirements, and limiting their exposure as much as possible. All safety guidelines and protocols will continue to be followed.

First Responders - Direct Delivery courses are expected to start back up in the August/September time frame. Initial direct delivery courses will be conducted in Playas. Direct delivery is not expected in Socorro until after the first of the year.

Additional Notes

EMRTC has continued to operate as an "essential" business, so our re-opening plan is minimal. Bringing everyone back to work on-site will be the next challenge. We are planning on bringing everyone back on the same date to minimize complaints and perceived favoritism. There are some employees who, with proper medical documentation, may have to continue to work remotely until either there is a vaccine, or the pandemic ends.

Langmuir Laboratory

PHASE 1: May 15 - June

Only our essential staff work on campus and only on an as needed basis. All other staff work remotely from home. The mountaintop facilities are closed during the winter and spring seasons, in anticipation of the summer thunderstorm season.

PHASE 2: July – August

July and August coincide with the summer thunderstorm season. Due to COVID-19 our anticipated collaboration with and funding by Sandia Labs will not happen this year. In addition, in a practical sense current COVID-19 restrictions prevent us from operating at the mountaintop facilities for lightning triggering, because some of our emergency hire staff would need to travel from out of state and possibly be subject to quarantine. The only operations we will do are deploying and remotely operating autonomous instrumentation (interferometer, lightning mapping, and lightning electric field recordings). We are able to do so by maintaining current social distancing guidelines.

Our research and administrative staff will work on campus in Workman Center as needed and will maintain social distancing guidelines, with one staff member occupying an office, and no more than two persons working in labs.

PHASE 3: August – Unknown

We anticipate a similar work scheme as phase 2, however at this time we will be wrapping up data taking for the summer. We will retrieve our instrumentation from the mountaintop facilities and we continue our work and research either on campus, or by working remotely from home, as required by state directives and the institution.

IRIS/PASSCAL

PHASE 1: May 15 - June

Roughly 75% PASSCAL staff working off-site. Warehouse operations and equipment processing/testing continues on-site. Fieldwork has been put on pause lessening our need for training users and out-of-state travel.

PHASE 2: July – August

Transition to 50% staff working off-site. Additional staff are needed to ensure we are able to make instrument commitments as experiments start to come back online, and to significantly move forward testing and evaluation of new equipment scheduled for purchase in federal fiscal years FY20 & FY21. Allow outside vendors in to repair critical testing equipment for polar season support.

PHASE 3: August – Unknown

Transition to 75-80% of staff working on-site. Equipment stuck in-field during COVID restrictions should start to return to PASSCAL and the delivery of new equipment is expected late summer to early fall. This, with the expectation that fieldwork will continue to increase will require more staff working on-site. We may face the need to travel out-of-state for fieldwork and are expected to send staff to Antarctica early fall. We'd expect outside contractors on-site visits to deliver goods and establish new work orders and/or review prototypes as development projects get back online.

Additional Notes

During the work-at-home order we've realized that some aspects of our operations can be effectively and efficiently performed off-site. Our phase 3 on-site staffing levels may be optimal as we migrate to a new operational normal.