Energy Management

Better DOE Controls Needed Over Contractors' Discretionary R&D Funds Gao ID: RCED-91-18 December 5, 1990

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the discretionary research and development (R&D) activities of three Department of Energy (DOE) laboratories and the DOE need for, uses of, and management controls over those activities.

GAO found that: (1) DOE had specific authority to approve laboratories' reasonable use of funds for discretionary R&D activities; (2) DOE had statutory authority to use laboratory operating funds to conduct R&D projects at the discretion of the laboratory directors; (3) the DOE order regarding the use of exploratory R&D funds was not clear enough to ensure that laboratories used funds appropriately; (4) DOE did not evaluate laboratories' discretionary R&D activities to determine the extent to which results benefited DOE programs; and (5) DOE lacked effective controls over laboratories' administration and use of discretionary funds.

Recommendations

Our recommendations from this work are listed below with a Contact for more information. Status will change from "In process" to "Open," "Closed - implemented," or "Closed - not implemented" based on our follow up work.

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