Professional Audit Review Team

GAO reviewed the results of the Professional Audit Review Team's (PART) evaluation of the Energy Information Administration (EIA) for the period October 1992 through June 1994.

GAO found that: (1) most recipients of EIA reports were confident in using the factual data in the reports and were satisfied with the reports' content; (2) 83 percent of the recipients stated that the reports were useful as sources of basic facts and for maintaining trend information; (3) only 13 to 20 percent of the recipients stated that the reports were useful for conducting investment analysis; (4) 15 to 23 percent of the recipients believed that the reports were timely for investment analysis purposes; (5) a majority of the recipients believed that the reports would be more useful if they were available sooner; (6) EIA improved the quality of the data contained in its Underground Gas Storage Report by extending the data reporting date by 10 days; (7) the National Energy Modeling System has allowed EIA to enhance its ability to represent and analyze alternative energy policies; (8) EIA has provided training and technical information to its technical monitors; and (9) EIA could reduce its operating costs by $5.8 million by performing more of its support services inhouse.