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Open Recommendations

National Nuclear Security Administration: Actions Needed to Improve Integration of Production Modernization Programs and Projects
GAO-24-106342
Jul 09, 2024
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4 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
National Nuclear Security Administration The NNSA Administrator should ensure that the NNSA schedule requirements applicable to Production Modernization programs are revised to fully incorporate the 10 best practices for developing reliable program schedules from GAO's Schedule Assessment Guide. (Recommendation 1)
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When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
National Nuclear Security Administration The NNSA Administrator should ensure that the other Production Modernization programs, as statutorily required for the Plutonium Modernization program, are managed in accordance with GAO's best practices for schedule development by developing and maintaining reliable, resource-loaded integrated master schedules, or otherwise documenting with senior leadership approval their rationale for not doing so. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
National Nuclear Security Administration The NNSA Administrator should ensure that the NNSA cost estimating requirements applicable to Production Modernization programs are revised to fully incorporate the 12 steps for developing reliable program cost estimates from GAO's Cost Estimating and Assessment Guide. (Recommendation 3)
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When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
National Nuclear Security Administration The NNSA Administrator should ensure that the other Production Modernization programs, as statutorily required for the Plutonium Modernization program, are managed in accordance with GAO's best practices for cost estimating by developing and maintaining reliable life cycle cost estimates, or otherwise documenting with senior leadership approval their rationale for not doing so. (Recommendation 4)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Nuclear Waste Cleanup: Closer Alignment with Leading Practices Needed to Improve Department of Energy Program Management
GAO-24-105975
Jul 08, 2024
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7 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Energy The Senior Advisor for the Office of Environmental Management should ensure EM strategic plans, roadmaps, and program management plans follow best practices for being comprehensive for the entire EM program and, as applicable, for each site. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Energy The Senior Advisor for the Office of Environmental Management should ensure the EM program's integrated master schedule (1) is comprehensive, (2) includes site-level and program-wide interdependencies, and (3) is based on realistic assumptions. (Recommendation 2)
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When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Energy The Senior Advisor for the Office of Environmental Management should ensure that, as EM implements its risk management policy, EM follows the seven key processes for a risk management framework. (Recommendation 3)
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When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Energy The Senior Advisor for the Office of Environmental Management should ensure EM develops program-wide performance metrics that follow the key components of effective performance metrics, as applicable, such as by developing performance metrics that measure the cost per unit of radioactivity treated. (Recommendation 4)
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When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Energy The Senior Advisor for the Office of Environmental Management should ensure that monitoring and change control processes are standardized to facilitate integration and reporting of data EM-wide. (Recommendation 5)
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When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Energy The Senior Advisor for the Office of Environmental Management should ensure that, when a site FSLE exceeds a change control threshold that requires the Senior Advisor's approval and a root cause analysis under the Protocol, (1) the site's root cause analysis be accompanied by a corrective action plan and that corrective actions are tracked through completion, (2) an independent review is performed that includes an assessment and validation of the extent to which the corrective actions resolve the root causes identified, and (3) EM report each year on the program impacts of the independent reviews and outcomes of corrective actions, such as through EM's program plan updates. (Recommendation 6)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Department of Energy: Actions Needed to Assess U.S. Manufacturing Policy and Protect Technology from Foreign Acquisition
GAO-24-106504
Jun 24, 2024
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6 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Energy To improve DOE's oversight of intellectual property licensing practices, U.S. manufacturing policies, and risk management strategies, we recommend that the Secretary of Energy ensure that the Office of the Assistant General Counsel for Technology Transfer and Intellectual Property develop and implement, in coordination with DOE's Office of Technology Transitions and other relevant offices, a strategy or approach for monitoring and assessing the effects of the U.S. Competitiveness Provision pursuant to its 2021 DEC and identify whether it is achieving progress towards planned performance. (Recommendation 1).
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Energy To improve DOE's oversight of intellectual property licensing practices, U.S. manufacturing policies, and risk management strategies, we recommend that the Secretary of Energy ensure that the Office of the Assistant General Counsel for Technology Transfer and Intellectual Property provide additional guidance to waiver or modification applicants to help improve transparency on how to demonstrate alternative benefits to the U.S. economy, such as clear examples for approval, as well as communicate expectations for waiver review timelines. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Energy To improve DOE's oversight of intellectual property licensing practices, U.S. manufacturing policies, and risk management strategies, we recommend that the Secretary of Energy ensure that the Office of the Assistant General Counsel for Technology Transfer and Intellectual Property provide clarifying information to universities for monitoring compliance with U.S. manufacturing commitments, including guidance on how it interprets "manufactured substantially in the United States." (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Energy To improve DOE's oversight of intellectual property licensing practices, U.S. manufacturing policies, and risk management strategies, we recommend that the Secretary of Energy ensure that the Office of the Assistant General Counsel for Technology Transfer and Intellectual Property conduct a review of university licensing procedures to ensure that appropriate licensing monitoring and enforcement practices are in place. (Recommendation 4)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Energy To improve DOE's oversight of intellectual property licensing practices, U.S. manufacturing policies, and risk management strategies, we recommend that the Secretary of Energy ensure that the Office of the Assistant General Counsel for Technology Transfer and Intellectual Property provide guidance to labs and universities on license provisions and other risk management practices and procedures for monitoring licensee foreign ownership, with consideration of critical and emerging technologies, to encourage consistency across all DOE-funded inventions. (Recommendation 5)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Energy To improve DOE's oversight of intellectual property licensing practices, U.S. manufacturing policies, and risk management strategies, we recommend that the Secretary of Energy ensure that the Office of the Assistant General Counsel for Technology Transfer and Intellectual Property develop and implement procedures or a DOE order for labs detailing when counterintelligence reviews of potential and existing licensees are indicated. (Recommendation 6)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Decarbonization: Opportunities Exist to Improve the Department of Energy's Management of Risks to Carbon Capture Projects
GAO-24-106489
May 16, 2024
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2 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Energy The Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management should take actions to more clearly document project risk treatment strategies consistent with the project management principles identified in its Guide to Financial Assistance. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Energy The Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management should take steps to ensure that the office adheres to guidance and only selects projects that are deemed to be technically acceptable, as required by its Merit Review Guide for Financial Assistance. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
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