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Santiam-Bethel Transmission Line Project

The Small Business Innovation Development Act of 1982 (P.L. 97-219) established the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program to assist small businesses in developing new ideas and technology. Under this Program, the Department of Energy sets aside 2.5 percent of its research and development budget for grants to small businesses, using a phased approach. Phase II SBIR grants, which were the focus of this audit, enable small businesses to evaluate commercial potential of new ideas and technology, often culminating in a prototype product or process that can be demonstrated to potential investors. Currently, the Department awards about $60 million annually in Phase II grants. Under the procedures for Phase II grants, small businesses can be reimbursed only for their actual costs incurred in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation. Grant applicants can, at their discretion, propose to contribute a share of total project cost and, when doing so, receive extra credit in the grant evaluation process. Historically, the Office of Inspector General has recognized grants administration as a significant management challenge within the Department of Energy. Hence, the objective of the audit was to determine whether the Department obtained assurance that costs claimed by SBIR Phase II grantees were incurred in accordance with acquisition regulations and, where applicable, met cost sharing requirements.

Administration of Small Business Innovation Research Phase II Grants

All information processed, transmitted, stored, or disseminated by or on behalf of the Department of Energy (Department) on automated information systems requires some level of protection. The loss or compromise of information entrusted to the Department or its contractors may affect the nation’s economic competitive position, the environment, national security, Department missions, or citizens of the United States. In response to the increasing threat to Federal information systems, the Government Information Security Reform Act (GISRA) was enacted in October 2000. GISRA specifically requires that national security or other classified information systems be evaluated annually by an independent organization designated by the Secretary of Energy. GISRA also requires that the Office of Inspector General perform an audit of this evaluation. The Department formally selected the Office of Independent Oversight and Performance Assurance (OA) to perform the independent evaluation of its classified information systems security program. The objective of our audit was to determine whether the evaluation of classified information systems was performed in accordance with GISRA requirements.

Umatilla Generating Project; Umatilla County, Oregon

The Department of Energy (Department) operates four light source facilities which are used to conduct experiments in disciplines such as chemistry, biology, and physics. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2000, the light sources, located at Argonne National Laboratory, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, received $172 million in funding and served over 5,000 users. Research performed at the light sources resulted in the publication of over 540 peer-reviewed scientific journal articles in FY 2000.ÿ™™™ÿ

Peer-Reviewed Scientific Literature Generated at the Department's Light Sources

Protecting unclassified information systems continues to be one of the top issues facing Government organizations today. While the increase in computer interconnectivity, most notably growth in the use of the Internet, has revolutionized the way the Government does business, it has also significantly increased the risk of damage to information systems by malicious or unauthorized users.

Evaluation of the Department's Unclassified Cyber Security Program

Evaluation of Classified Information Systems Security Program