March 17, 2014

DOE IG: LIVERMORE INAPPROPRIATELY USED RESOURCES ON DOCUMENTARY

By ExchangeMonitor

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory inappropriately used Department of Energy facilities and resources when it participated in a 2011 National Geographic documentary on the 1915 sinking of the Lusitania, according to a DOE Inspector General report released yesterday. The lab spent $81,746 in Licensing and Royalty funds to conduct explosive testing and synthesis at the High Explosives Applications Facility for the documentary, simulating the explosive impact various materials might have had in the sinking of the Lusitania, a British passenger ship that was torpedoed in 1915 and sank in 20 minutes. Using Licensing and Royalty funds, which required a less stringent approval process, circumvented the normal approval process for Work For Others efforts at the lab, which the IG suggested might have raised flags about a Federally Funded Research and Development Center competing with the private sector. Licensing and Royalty funds are intended to be used for scientific research, development, technology transfer and education at the lab, according to the IG. “Our inspection revealed that this work may have been contrary to the prohibitions against an FFRDC competing with the private sector as well as restrictions on the use of Licensing and Royalty funds, and may not have been consistent with LLNL’s purpose, mission, general scope of effort or special competency,” the IG said.

The IG recommended Livermore’s Contracting Officer review the charges to determine whether they are allowable costs, which NNSA Associate Administrator for Management and Budget Cynthia Lersten said in a memo accompanying the IG report would occur by the end of June. Lersten also acknowledged that contractor and federal officials at the lab can strengthen the approval process for similar work to “more formally coordinate and document activities for ensuring non-competition for non-sponsored work and for ensuring appropriate use of license and royalty funds.” She said the Livermore Field Office will review the IG’s findings by the end of June. Notably, the IG said that a Livermore Field Office official said they had concerns with the approval approach taken by the lab but did nothing to address the concerns.

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