The Office of River Protection (ORP), which reports to the Office of Environmental Management, is
responsible for remediation of the radioactive waste stored in tanks at the Hanford Site in the State
of Washington. For Fiscal Year (FY) 2000, ORP established 26 performance-based contract
incentives (PBCIs) that provided its management and operating contractor the opportunity to earn
incentive fees totaling about $19.4 million. Department guidance states that it is through the use of
performance-based contracting concepts that improved contractor performance and greater
accountability will be realized, as well as more efficient deployment of contract management and
oversight resources
responsible for remediation of the radioactive waste stored in tanks at the Hanford Site in the State
of Washington. For Fiscal Year (FY) 2000, ORP established 26 performance-based contract
incentives (PBCIs) that provided its management and operating contractor the opportunity to earn
incentive fees totaling about $19.4 million. Department guidance states that it is through the use of
performance-based contracting concepts that improved contractor performance and greater
accountability will be realized, as well as more efficient deployment of contract management and
oversight resources
Utilization of the Department’s Low-Level Waste Disposal Facilities
Since the creation of the Department of Energy’s nuclear weapons complex, large
amounts of low-level waste have been generated as a result of the processes which are part
of the mission of the complex. To date, the Department has disposed of nearly 69 million
cubic feet of this waste at its facilities, and over the next 70 years, plans to dispose of an
additional 358 million cubic feet of low-level waste. In February 2000, the Department
announced that it had developed a hierarchy of preferred options for disposal of the lowlevel
waste.
amounts of low-level waste have been generated as a result of the processes which are part
of the mission of the complex. To date, the Department has disposed of nearly 69 million
cubic feet of this waste at its facilities, and over the next 70 years, plans to dispose of an
additional 358 million cubic feet of low-level waste. In February 2000, the Department
announced that it had developed a hierarchy of preferred options for disposal of the lowlevel
waste.
Performance Measures in the Department of Energy
On April 5, 2001, the Chairman, Committee on Government Reform of the U.S. House
of Representatives, requested information on the Department of Energy's
implementation of the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (Results
Act). Specifically, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) was asked to identify the ten
most significant performance measures contained in the Department's performance
report and the extent to which the data or information underlying the measures are
valid and accurate. The OIG was asked to complete this evaluation no later than May
11, 2001.t
of Representatives, requested information on the Department of Energy's
implementation of the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (Results
Act). Specifically, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) was asked to identify the ten
most significant performance measures contained in the Department's performance
report and the extent to which the data or information underlying the measures are
valid and accurate. The OIG was asked to complete this evaluation no later than May
11, 2001.t
Incentive Fees for Bechtel Jacobs Company LLC
In December 1997, the Oak Ridge Operations Office (Operations Office) awarded a $2.5 billion
performance-based management and integration contract to Bechtel Jacobs Company LLC (Bechtel
Jacobs) for environmental remediation activities in Oak Ridge, Tennessee; Paducah, Kentucky; and
Portsmouth, Ohio. The contractor was also responsible for uranium enrichment functions at Paducah
and Portsmouth. Under this arrangement, the contractor is to receive incentive fees for
accomplishing performance objectives negotiated before the start of the performance period, in this
case prior to the beginning of each fiscal year. The performance objectives describe what the
contractor is to accomplish and when the task is to be completed.
performance-based management and integration contract to Bechtel Jacobs Company LLC (Bechtel
Jacobs) for environmental remediation activities in Oak Ridge, Tennessee; Paducah, Kentucky; and
Portsmouth, Ohio. The contractor was also responsible for uranium enrichment functions at Paducah
and Portsmouth. Under this arrangement, the contractor is to receive incentive fees for
accomplishing performance objectives negotiated before the start of the performance period, in this
case prior to the beginning of each fiscal year. The performance objectives describe what the
contractor is to accomplish and when the task is to be completed.
Sale of Land at Oak Ridge
Under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, the U.S. Department of Energy (Department) may sell land in the performance of identified programmatic functions. The functions specified in the Atomic Energy Act include encouraging scientific and industrial progress, controlling special nuclear material, encouraging utilization of atomic energy for peaceful purposes, promoting the common defense, and the administration of programs that implement these functions. The objective of this audit was to determine if the sale of land was an appropriate use of the special authorities granted under the Atomic Energy Act.
Remediation and Closure of the Miamisburg Environmental Management Project