The Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (Livermore) is a premier research and development institution for science and technology supporting the core mission of national security. According to Livermore, as of November 2008 the Laboratory managed 64,933 items of Government personal property valued at about $1 billion. At the beginning of Fiscal Year 2008, Livermore reported 249 DOE property items valued at about $1.3 million that were missing, unaccounted for, or stolen during Fiscal Year 2007.
Department of Energy Efforts to Manage Information Technology Resources in an Energy-Efficient and Environmentally Responsible Manner
conservation as critical to the Nation's economic vitality; its goal of reducing dependence on foreign energy sources; and, related efforts to improve the environment. The Act highlights the significant use of various forms of energy in the Federal sector and promotes efforts to improve the energy efficiency of Federal operations. One specific area of interest is the increasing demand for Federal sector computing resources and the corresponding increase in energy use, with both cost and environmental implications. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reported that, without aggressive conservation measures, data center energy consumption alone is expected to double over the next five years. In our report on Management of the Department's Data Centers at Contractor Sites (DOE/IG-0803, October 2008) we concluded that the Department of Energy had not always improved the efficiency of its contractor data centers even when such modifications were possible and practical.
The Department of Energy and its facility contractors are major players in this process. U.S. taxpayers invest more than $2 billion annually in Department information technology resources, including devices that consume significant amounts of electricity. The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, required the Department and all other Federal agencies to improve energy efficiency and to reduce energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions. In 2008, to help achieve these goals, the Department issued operating guidance requiring the adoption and implementation of a number of information technology-related environmental stewardship practices, including enabling power management features on computers and peripherals.
Because of significant cost, energy and environmental impacts, we initiated this audit to determine whether the Department managed information technology resources in an energy-efficient and environmentally responsible manner.
The Department of Energy and its facility contractors are major players in this process. U.S. taxpayers invest more than $2 billion annually in Department information technology resources, including devices that consume significant amounts of electricity. The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, required the Department and all other Federal agencies to improve energy efficiency and to reduce energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions. In 2008, to help achieve these goals, the Department issued operating guidance requiring the adoption and implementation of a number of information technology-related environmental stewardship practices, including enabling power management features on computers and peripherals.
Because of significant cost, energy and environmental impacts, we initiated this audit to determine whether the Department managed information technology resources in an energy-efficient and environmentally responsible manner.
Security Weaknesses in the Handling of Unclassified Printers and Copiersat the Oak Ridge National Laboratory
ORNL’s primary mission is to provide technology and expertise to Government agencies in support of national security. Much of the information produced or received by ORNL is sensitive and requires special handling to protect against unauthorized disclosure. The Department’s Oak Ridge Office oversees the management of ORNL by UT-Battelle, LLC.
In carrying out its mission, ORNL uses various information technology systems to process or reproduce information, including some printers and copiers containing hard drives capable of storing information. This information may include sensitive, unclassified information, such as official use only, export controlled, and personally identifiable information (e.g., name, social security number and medical history) and requires specific protection as mandated by law, regulation, or policy. Department policy requires that information storage devices in printers and copiers used to process such information must be cleared, purged, or destroyed
by approved overwriting software, degaussing, or physical destruction before being excessed, returned to vendors, or internally transferred, so such information is not released to unauthorized personnel.
In carrying out its mission, ORNL uses various information technology systems to process or reproduce information, including some printers and copiers containing hard drives capable of storing information. This information may include sensitive, unclassified information, such as official use only, export controlled, and personally identifiable information (e.g., name, social security number and medical history) and requires specific protection as mandated by law, regulation, or policy. Department policy requires that information storage devices in printers and copiers used to process such information must be cleared, purged, or destroyed
by approved overwriting software, degaussing, or physical destruction before being excessed, returned to vendors, or internally transferred, so such information is not released to unauthorized personnel.
Report on the Audit of National Security Technologies, LLC Costs Claimed under Department of Energy Contract No. DE-AC52-06NA25946 for Fiscal Year 2007
National Security Technologies, LLC (NSTec), the management and operating contractor of the
Nevada Test Site (Test Site), assumed its management responsibilities on July 1,2006, under
Department of Energy (Department) contract DE-AC52-06NA25946. We performed an audit of
costs claimed under the contract for Fiscal Year (FY) 2007 (October 1,2006 to September 30,
2007). For FY 2007, NSTec's Statement of Costs Incurred and Claimed (SCIC) reported total
costs claimed of $358,876,930. The audit was performed from April 2008 to January 2009 at the
NSTec offices in North Las Vegas, Nevada and was limited to costs claimed for FY 2007, which
will determine the basis for signing the SCIC
Nevada Test Site (Test Site), assumed its management responsibilities on July 1,2006, under
Department of Energy (Department) contract DE-AC52-06NA25946. We performed an audit of
costs claimed under the contract for Fiscal Year (FY) 2007 (October 1,2006 to September 30,
2007). For FY 2007, NSTec's Statement of Costs Incurred and Claimed (SCIC) reported total
costs claimed of $358,876,930. The audit was performed from April 2008 to January 2009 at the
NSTec offices in North Las Vegas, Nevada and was limited to costs claimed for FY 2007, which
will determine the basis for signing the SCIC
Office of Secure Transportation DC-9 Aircraft Refurbishment
The National Nuclear Security Administration's (NNSA) Office of Secure Transportation (OST) maintains a fleet of seven aircraft to transport sensitive items, equipment and security personnel. Based on increasing requirements for transporting components and security personnel, OST decided to add a heavy transport aircraft to meet the Department's weapons surety and emergency response missions. In 2004, as a replacement following the sale of a portion of its fleet, OST acquired a DC-9 cargo aircraft that had been excessed by the U.S. military. Prior to integrating the DC-9 into its fleet, NNSA ordered a refurbishment of the aircraft. This refurbishment project was to permit the aircraft to be certified to civil air standards so that it could transport passengers for site visits, training and other travel. The NNSA Service Center (Service Center) awarded a contract for the refurbishment of the aircraft in December 2004.
Letter Report on Selected Aspects of the Department of Energy's Activities Involving the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act