The Department of Energy, through its Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy
Reliability, funds Superconductivity Partnerships. Each Superconductivity Partnership
(Partnership) receives financial assistance primarily through a cooperative agreement
with industry to research and develop high-temperature superconducting electric power
cquipmcnt technologies. These technology projects offer the potential to drastically
increase electricity transnlission capacity but represent a challenging objective since it is
difficult to estimate the probability of success for such projects. Examples of these
technologies include generators, transformers, magnetic energy storage systems,
superconducting wire, and prototypes that have application in both the commercial and
defensc sectors. The Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability develops the
mission and objcctives for Partnership projects; formulates and justifies the budget; and,
provides overall guidance and direction. The Golden Field Office located in Golden,
Colorado, is responsible for administering the Partnership cooperative agreements.
Reliability, funds Superconductivity Partnerships. Each Superconductivity Partnership
(Partnership) receives financial assistance primarily through a cooperative agreement
with industry to research and develop high-temperature superconducting electric power
cquipmcnt technologies. These technology projects offer the potential to drastically
increase electricity transnlission capacity but represent a challenging objective since it is
difficult to estimate the probability of success for such projects. Examples of these
technologies include generators, transformers, magnetic energy storage systems,
superconducting wire, and prototypes that have application in both the commercial and
defensc sectors. The Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability develops the
mission and objcctives for Partnership projects; formulates and justifies the budget; and,
provides overall guidance and direction. The Golden Field Office located in Golden,
Colorado, is responsible for administering the Partnership cooperative agreements.
Sandia National Laboratory-California Procurement Card Program
The mission of the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Sandia
AND OBJECTIVE National Laboratory-California (Sandia-CA) includes applying advanced science and engineering to support the United States’ deterrence policy by ensuring the nuclear weapons stockpile is safe, reducing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and enhancing the surety of energy. Sandia-CA is managed by Lockheed Martin Corporation for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). Sandia-CA employs about 900 people.
In support of its mission, Sandia-CA procures more than $40 million in goods and services annually. Employees at Sandia-CA have several procurement methods available to them, to include the Procurement Card Program. This Program was established to simplify the procurement of low value, commercially available goods and services without going through a more protracted and costly competitive procurement process. Sandia-CA’s procurement card activities are administered by the Sandia National Laboratory-New Mexico (Sandia-NM) corporate organization. There are about 400 procurement card holders at Sandia-CA, with most limited to a spending authority of no more than $5,000 per transaction and $25,000 per month. However, some employees in the Sandia-CA Procurement Department have been authorized by Sandia management to spend as much as $250,000 to $1 million per monthly billing cycle.
Given the wide-spread use of procurement cards throughout the Department and the potential for abuse, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) has established a proactive initiative to review procurement card programs at Department facilities. Appendix C contains a partial listing of prior OIG reports related to procurement card reviews. As part of the OIG initiative, we reviewed the Procurement Card Program at Sandia-CA. The objective of this inspection was to determine whether Sandia-CA’s internal controls ensured that purchases made using procurement cards were in accordance with applicable policies and procedures. Our inspection methodology included reviewing all of Sandia-CA’s procurement card transactions for January through November 2005. There were 21,568 transactions valued at $12.7 million.
AND OBJECTIVE National Laboratory-California (Sandia-CA) includes applying advanced science and engineering to support the United States’ deterrence policy by ensuring the nuclear weapons stockpile is safe, reducing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and enhancing the surety of energy. Sandia-CA is managed by Lockheed Martin Corporation for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). Sandia-CA employs about 900 people.
In support of its mission, Sandia-CA procures more than $40 million in goods and services annually. Employees at Sandia-CA have several procurement methods available to them, to include the Procurement Card Program. This Program was established to simplify the procurement of low value, commercially available goods and services without going through a more protracted and costly competitive procurement process. Sandia-CA’s procurement card activities are administered by the Sandia National Laboratory-New Mexico (Sandia-NM) corporate organization. There are about 400 procurement card holders at Sandia-CA, with most limited to a spending authority of no more than $5,000 per transaction and $25,000 per month. However, some employees in the Sandia-CA Procurement Department have been authorized by Sandia management to spend as much as $250,000 to $1 million per monthly billing cycle.
Given the wide-spread use of procurement cards throughout the Department and the potential for abuse, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) has established a proactive initiative to review procurement card programs at Department facilities. Appendix C contains a partial listing of prior OIG reports related to procurement card reviews. As part of the OIG initiative, we reviewed the Procurement Card Program at Sandia-CA. The objective of this inspection was to determine whether Sandia-CA’s internal controls ensured that purchases made using procurement cards were in accordance with applicable policies and procedures. Our inspection methodology included reviewing all of Sandia-CA’s procurement card transactions for January through November 2005. There were 21,568 transactions valued at $12.7 million.
Recovery of Costs for the Proprietary Use of the Advanced Photon Source
The Department of Energy is responsible for the operation of the Advanced Photon
Source, a light source user facility at the Argonne National Laboratory. The facility was,
until recently, operated for the Department by the University of Chicago. It is currently
operated by UChicago Argonne, LLC. Using x-ray beams from the Advanced Photon
Source, scientists conduct leading-edge research in areas such as material science,
biology, physics and chemistry. The Advanced Photon Source was completed in 1995 at
a cost of $467 million, and it was constructed to operate at an optimal capacity of 70
beam lines. Each beam line provides high intensity x-rays for research in almost all
scientific disciplines for government, academia and the private sector. The annual
operating budget of the facility is about $90 million, and the Department's Argonne Site
Office administers the contract for Laboratory operations.
Source, a light source user facility at the Argonne National Laboratory. The facility was,
until recently, operated for the Department by the University of Chicago. It is currently
operated by UChicago Argonne, LLC. Using x-ray beams from the Advanced Photon
Source, scientists conduct leading-edge research in areas such as material science,
biology, physics and chemistry. The Advanced Photon Source was completed in 1995 at
a cost of $467 million, and it was constructed to operate at an optimal capacity of 70
beam lines. Each beam line provides high intensity x-rays for research in almost all
scientific disciplines for government, academia and the private sector. The annual
operating budget of the facility is about $90 million, and the Department's Argonne Site
Office administers the contract for Laboratory operations.
Certification and Accreditation of Unclassified Information Systems
Inforn~ations ystems are essential to accomplishing the Department of Energy's
environmental, energy, and national security-related missions. Actions to protect these
systems from increasingly sophisticated attacks have become critically important to the
Department and each of its subordinate organizations. The certification and accreditation
(C&A) process, required by Federal law and Departmental guidance, is designed to
ensure that the agency's inforniation systems are secure prior to beginning operation and
that they remain so throughout their lifecycle. The process involves determining whether
system controls are in place and operating as intended, identifying weaknesses,
mitigating them to the maximum extent possible, and officially recognizing and accepting
residual risks. C&A's must be performed on all systems, and they remain in force for a
three-year period unless significant changes are made to the system or operating
environment.
environmental, energy, and national security-related missions. Actions to protect these
systems from increasingly sophisticated attacks have become critically important to the
Department and each of its subordinate organizations. The certification and accreditation
(C&A) process, required by Federal law and Departmental guidance, is designed to
ensure that the agency's inforniation systems are secure prior to beginning operation and
that they remain so throughout their lifecycle. The process involves determining whether
system controls are in place and operating as intended, identifying weaknesses,
mitigating them to the maximum extent possible, and officially recognizing and accepting
residual risks. C&A's must be performed on all systems, and they remain in force for a
three-year period unless significant changes are made to the system or operating
environment.
Annual Performance Report FY 2005 Annual Performance Plan FY 2006
Annual Performance Report FY 2005 Annual Performance Plan FY 2006
In 1998, legislation was enacted requiring the Department of Energy (Department) to convert the 794,000 metric tons of depleted uranium hexafluoride stored at its gaseous diffusion plants to a more stable form. In August 2002, the Department awarded ...