DOE's National Laboratories:
Adopting New Missions and Managing Effectively Pose Significant Challenges
T-RCED-94-113: Published: Feb 3, 1994. Publicly Released: Feb 3, 1994.
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Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO discussed the changing missions for the Department of Energy's (DOE) national laboratories, focusing on: (1) DOE difficulties in managing and evaluating its laboratories; (2) DOE challenges in providing assistance to industry; and (3) alternative methods for managing DOE laboratories. GAO noted that: (1) DOE national laboratories should be able to contribute to important national priorities outside of their traditional missions; (2) the laboratories' missions need to be clarified to include changing national defense needs, the linkage between energy and environmental research, and technical support for commercial technology; (3) DOE needs a more strategic management approach to evaluate its laboratories; (4) DOE business practices and environmental, health, and safety oversight are inadequate; (5) DOE has created new oversight offices for its laboratories, but this causes overlap in guidance and reviews and is not cost-effective; (6) DOE laboratories face special challenges in their commercial technology missions including defining objectives, clarifying the laboratories' role in working with industry, and establishing realistic expectations and measurements of success; and (7) suggested laboratory management alternatives include converting some laboratories into independent entities, transferring some laboratories to the universities that manage them, transferring some laboratories to other agencies, and giving one laboratory a leadership role in a mission or area of technology.
Dec 10, 2020
Uranium Management:
Actions to Mitigate Risks to Domestic Supply Chain Could Be Better Planned and CoordinatedGAO-21-28: Published: Dec 10, 2020. Publicly Released: Dec 10, 2020.
Dec 8, 2020
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Offshore Wind Energy:
Planned Projects May Lead to Construction of New Vessels in the U.S., but Industry Has Made Few Decisions amid UncertaintiesGAO-21-153: Published: Dec 8, 2020. Publicly Released: Dec 8, 2020.
Nov 19, 2020
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Nuclear Waste Disposal:
Better Planning Needed to Avoid Potential Disruptions at Waste Isolation Pilot PlantGAO-21-48: Published: Nov 19, 2020. Publicly Released: Nov 19, 2020.
Oct 29, 2020
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Nuclear Safety:
DOE and the Safety Board Should Collaborate to Develop a Written Agreement to Enhance OversightGAO-21-141: Published: Oct 29, 2020. Publicly Released: Oct 29, 2020.
Oct 15, 2020
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Nuclear Weapons:
NNSA Plans to Modernize Critical Depleted Uranium Capabilities and Improve Program ManagementGAO-21-16: Published: Oct 15, 2020. Publicly Released: Oct 15, 2020.
Jul 24, 2020
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Nuclear Weapons:
Action Needed to Address the W80-4 Warhead Program's Schedule ConstraintsGAO-20-409: Published: Jul 24, 2020. Publicly Released: Jul 24, 2020.
Jun 24, 2020
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National Nuclear Security Administration:
Analyzing Cost Savings Program Could Result in Wider Use and Additional Contractor EfficienciesGAO-20-451: Published: Jun 24, 2020. Publicly Released: Jun 24, 2020.
Jun 9, 2020
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Nuclear Weapons:
NNSA Needs to Incorporate Additional Management Controls Over Its Microelectronics ActivitiesGAO-20-357: Published: Jun 9, 2020. Publicly Released: Jun 9, 2020.
May 13, 2020
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Environmental Liabilities:
DOE Needs to Better Plan for Post-Cleanup Challenges Facing SitesGAO-20-373: Published: May 13, 2020. Publicly Released: May 13, 2020.
May 12, 2020
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Hanford Waste Treatment Plant:
DOE Is Pursuing Pretreatment Alternatives, but Its Strategy Is Unclear While Costs Continue to RiseGAO-20-363: Published: May 12, 2020. Publicly Released: May 12, 2020.
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