1.1 Guidelines for IAEA member states requesting NEA Data Bank codes

These guidelines clarify the procedure for organisations, institutes or establishments (hereafter 'entities') in the IAEA member states requesting NEA Data Bank codes. As the NEA Data Bank works exclusively with Liaison Officers of the 'entities' in the respective IAEA member states, the guidelines also explain the role of the NEA Data Bank Liaison Officer (NEA-DB LO) and the procedure for appointing an NEA-DB LO. The role of the NEA-DB LO should not be confused with the role the IAEA International Nuclear Information System Liaison Officer (INIS LO).

NEA Data Bank Liaison Officers, their entities and end users should be aware of the following:

• The NEA Data Bank will only consider requests for NEA Data Bank codes submitted via the respective entity's NEA-DB LO. The NEA-DB LO and the end user must be affiliated with the same entity. The NEA-DB LO must also provide full details of the intended use of the requested code, and for some codes, full details of nationalities held by the end user(s) will be required.
• The NEA Data Bank will generally communicate only with the NEA-DB LO on matters relating to end user requests. An end user needing a code should ask the NEA-DB LO at his/her entity to make the request on his/her behalf at the Code Request Portal. Entities that do not have a designated NEA-DB LO can propose an individual be designated following the guidelines below.

1.2 Guidelines for IAEA member states on designating NEA Data Bank Liaision Officers

The procedure for proposing an individual as a designated NEA-DB LO of a specific IAEA member state entity is as follows:

• A request from the IAEA member state entity to nominate a person as an NEA-DB LO should include the full name of the nominated person, the name of the entity they are representing, and his/her official address, email, and telephone number at the entity (private email addresses etc. will not be accepted), and should be sent to the focal point of the National Atomic or Nuclear Energy Commission (NAEA/NEC) of the IAEA member state concerned. A sample LO nomination letter to the NAEA/NEC can be found here.
• Once the National Atomic Authority or Nuclear Energy Commission of the IAEA member state has approved the nomination of the NEA-DB LO, the request and all related information should be forwarded to the respective member state’s Permanent Mission to the IAEA in Vienna, Austria.
• The IAEA member state's Permanent Mission in Vienna then forwards the designation request to the IAEA’s INIS Secretariat at INIS.Feedback@iaea.org where the designation is registered, validated and passed on to the NEA Data Bank. Sample designation letters can be found here. The NEA Data Bank sends the official documents to the newly designated NEA-DB LO for signature.

For any further questions relating to code requests or NEA-DB LO nominations and designations, IAEA Member States are advised to contact to INIS.Feedback@iaea.org.

1.3 FAQs for IAEA member states

Please note that these FAQs apply only to non NEA/DB or non OECD countries. The majority of IAEA Member States fall into this category.

I am an NEA-DB LO for an IAEA member state entity. How do I request a code?

You may request a code for yourself or another individual affiliated with your entity by searching through the NEA Data Bank catalogue and subsequently placing a request at the Code Request Portal.

What are the requirements for becoming my entity's NEA-DB LO with the NEA Data Bank?

Your country has to be a member of the IAEA, you have to be a permanent staff member at your entity, be familiar with computer science, coding practices and have some knowledge of nuclear science. You cannot be nominated if you are a student, a visiting staff member, etc.

My entity does not have an NEA-DB LO. Can I become the NEA Data Bank Liaison Officer for my entity?

Yes, if you satisfy the aforementioned requirements. Your entity should formally nominate you by contacting your country's National Atomic or Nuclear Energy Commission and asking for your designation as your entity's NEA-DB LO.

Can the NEA Data Bank nominate me to be my entity's Liaison Officer?

No. Only your country's National Atomic or Nuclear Energy Commission can approve the nomination of an entity's NEA-DB LO. Once approved at the country level, nominations must be submitted, through official channels, to the IAEA's INIS Secretariat at INIS.Feedback@iaea.org who will further transmit them to the NEA Data Bank.

How do I know if my entity is nominated by the NEA Data Bank and/or has an NEA-DB LO?

The list of nominated entities in non-NEA DB countries can be accessed here. If your entity is listed, please contact programs@oecd-nea.org to obtain details of your NEA-DB LO. If your entity is not listed, please go through the entity and NEA-DB LO nomination process, described earlier on this web page.

My entity's NEA-DB LO has contacted the NEA Data Bank to request a code on my behalf. How long will it take to receive the code package?

The time to receive your package can vary significantly from weeks to months depending on the type of code package requested, the restrictions that apply to it, and the time it takes to receive all necessary approvals, among other factors.

How do I request a code if I am the end user?

You should ask the NEA-DB LO of the entity with which you are affiliated to request a code package on your behalf at the Code Request Portal

Can I request US codes such as MCNP, SCALE, etc.?

Please contact RSICC (https://rsicc.ornl.gov) directly for MCNP, SCALE and code packages in the NEA Data Bank catalogue starting with CCC, DLC, or PSR. The NEA Data Bank cannot distribute codes of US origin to you.

Do I have to pay a fee for each NEA Data Bank code request?

The NEA Data Bank does not charge a fee for its services to IAEA member states that are neither NEA nor OECD members.

What are my obligations regarding codes received from the NEA Data Bank?

All packages distributed by the NEA Data Bank have terms and conditions of use. Please ensure you read them carefully as you are required to comply with the intended use provided in your request. Your package is for your use only. You are not permitted to share it with anyone and cannot keep a copy of it when changing entity, i.e. you must destroy your copy when leaving your entity.

I have a question not covered in these FAQs. Whom do I contact?

Please use your institutional email to address any further questions to the NEA Data Bank's Computer Program Service (CPS) at programs@oecd-nea.org or to the IAEA's INIS Secretariat at INIS.Feedback@iaea.org. The CPS team and the IAEA's INIS Secretariat will only respond to emails sent from an official institutional email address. Queries from private emails will go unanswered.

2. Canada and the United States

Canada and the United States are not participating members of the NEA Data Bank and therefore cannot receive computer codes from it. All American and Canadian requesters should direct requests to one of these two centres depending on the program requested:

For codes with PSR-, CCC-, DLC-, USCD-, and IAEA- prefixes contact:
Radiation Safety Information Computational Center
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Post Office Box 2008
1 Bethel Valley Road
OAK RIDGE, TN 37831-6171
USA
https://rsicc.ornl.gov/

For codes with ESTS-, NESC-, USCD-, IAEA-, and NEA- prefixes contact:
DOE CODE
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information
P.O. Box 62
Oak Ridge, TN 37831
USA
https://www.osti.gov/doecode/