More Resources

Yakima Fisheries Project-Construction/modification upgrades to the Prosser Hatchery and the Marion Drain Hatchery Facilities

High-Level Waste Tank Closure, Savannah River Operations Office, Aiken, SC

The final Environmental Assessment for the Highly Enriched Uranium Blend-Down facilities at the Savannah River Site (DOE/EA-1322).

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) plays an important role in helping to ensure the efficiency, effectiveness, and integrity of all of the programs and operations of the Department of Energy, including those of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). During this reporting period, the OIG continued to provide special attention to the particular management challenges, vulnerabilities, and issues of concern to the NNSA. The challenges to the NNSA in its formative stages are many, and the OIG has sought to be of service to this crucial national security mission. Most notably, we issued a report on the state of the nuclear weapons infrastructure, discussed on pages 4 and 24 of this report. Our reviews addressed other important issues facing the NNSA and the Department, as well, including in the areas of safeguards and security, contract administration, and program management. The OIG will continue to serve as an independent voice to the Department, the NNSA, the Congress, and the taxpayer on important matters of national concern.

Inspector General Semiannual Report to Congress, April 1 to September 30, 2000

In Fiscal Year (FY) 1998, the Oak Ridge Operations Office (Operations Office) decided to restructure its security services in an effort to reduce cost, gain more administrative control, and to capitalize on the efficiencies associated with a centralized approach to security. This new approach was thoroughly vetted with senior Department officials at Headquarters. To achieve its objectives, in FY 2000 the Operations Office awarded a 3-year base term contract for security services valued at $218 million to Wackenhut Services, Incorporated (Wackenhut). In its analysis justifying the new approach, the Operations Office estimated that cost savings of approximately $5 million a year would result from this new security services contract. Yet, in fact, security costs increased from $78.4 million in FY 1999 to an estimated $92.1 million in FY 2000. In response to the increase in security service cost, the Acting Deputy Administrator for Defense Programs requested that the Office of Inspector General evaluate security costs at the Oak Ridge Reservation to determine why costs increased after the Operations Office restructured security services under the Wackenhut contract. The objective of the audit paralleled the request from Defense Programs.