The Department of Energy’s Inspector General yesterday released the latest version of its annual report on management challenges facing DOE, focusing in Fiscal Year 2014 on many of the same issues identified in last year’s report but noting steps toward improvement. “In the past year, the Department has taken a number of actions to address long-standing management issues,” states a memo accompanying the report from the IG to DOE Secretary Ernest Moniz. “For example, under your leadership, the Department established a new Office of the Under Secretary for Management and Performance. The stated focus of this office is to consolidate the mission support functions of the Department in order to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of agency operations. Another objective of this reorganization is to improve project management and performance in key areas such as the Department’s environmental remediation program. Also, you initiated a review of the structure of the Department’s human capital function.”
Management challenges for this fiscal year include environmental cleanup, nuclear waste disposal, stockpile stewardship, safeguards and security, cyber security, human capital management, contract and financial assistance award management and operational efficiency and cost savings. All of those were included in last year’s list. This year’s watch list of other significant issues include infrastructure modernization, the loan guarantee program and worker and community safety.
