Conference Management Reporting and Spending – FY 2014
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB), on May 11, 2012, issued a memorandum to all agencies that contained steps to improve operations, increase efficiency, and cut unnecessary spending. Consistent with this guidance, the Department of Energy (DOE) is taking aggressive steps to ensure that conference-related expenses are appropriate, necessary and managed in a manner that minimizes expenses to taxpayers. As part of this commitment, the Department continues to identify new cost saving opportunities and reduce conference-related expenses wherever possible.
Following are DOE-sponsored conferences for this reporting period in which net conference expenses were in excess of $100,000.
Fiscal Year 2014 DOE Conference Activity
| Conference Title | Purpose of Conference | Date of Conference | Location | DOE Attendees | Total Net Costs |
| Strategic Weapons in the 21st Century: Security & Stability in Today's Environment | The SW21 conference provides a forum for senior government officials and academicians to engage in an ongoing, in depth dialog on topics related to the roles of strategic weapons, both nuclear and conventional in national and international security with special attention to the interface between technology and policy. The goal is to gain insight into the future course of the Nation's strategic weapons posture and the role of deterrence in a changed world. The emphasis of the dialog is on seeking clarity rather than consensus, highlighting what we know, what we don't know, and what we need to find out. | January 23, 2014 | Washington, DC | 63 | $126,925 |
| 2014 DOE Solid-State Lighting (SSL) R&D Workshop | DOE’s annual SSL R&D Workshop is designed to directly involve the SSL industry and R&D community as a functional component of DOE program planning and is a cost-effective way to engage a large number of SSL stakeholders in the development of R&D priorities, targets, and milestones, in support of the DOE MYPP and the program’s overarching objectives. This workshop also provides training and outreach to this audience, which includes SSL technology leaders from industry, universities, research institutions, and national laboratories. Their input builds on outcomes from previous workshops; helps DOE update its industry-driven, consensus-based R&D agenda; and directly affects the needs statements in upcoming SSL solicitations. Progress reports on SSL projects provide opportunities for discussion on potential collaboration, IP issues, and integration into future planning. In addition, this Workshop identifies opportunities for industry and energy efficiency organizations to participate in DOE SSL activities and collaborate on education and outreach programs. The 2014 annual R&D workshop also provides an opportunity for information exchange with representatives from other DOE programs involved in R&D related to SSL (Office of Science, BES, ARPA-E, AMO, CEMI and others. | January 28 -30, 2014 | Tampa, FL | 9 | $101,667 |
| 2014 ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit | The ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit is the premier event dedicated to transformative energy solutions. This unique event brings together thought leaders from academia, business, and government to discuss cutting-edge energy issues and facilitate relationships to help move technologies into the marketplace. The Summit’s strategic combination of leaders makes it the perfect forum for developing energy solutions that will enable America to out-innovate its global competitors. | February 24 - 26, 2014 | National Habor, MD | 210 | $319,170 |
| DOE National Laboratory Ideas Summit | The Summit is a significant opportunity for senior leadership at DOE headquarters and the Laboratories to work in partnership to address the nation’s most important energy challenges. Broadly, the objectives of the Summit are to:
| March 12 - 13, 2014 | Washington, DC | 148 | $103,895 |
| DOE Project Management Workshop- Spring 2014 | The workshop is planned for the DOE project management workforce. The workshop covers a wide range of topics including information on project management successes, benefits of implementing an earned value management system (EVMS), the importance of independent cost estimates and cost reviews, and other current project management issues. | March 25 - 26, 2014 | Washington, DC | 413 | $398,080 |
| Emergency Management Issues Special Interest Group (EMI SIG) Annual Meeting | The Departments's Emergency Management Programs play a critical role in ensuring the health and safety of the public and workers at and around DOE facilities. The 28th EMI SIG Annual Meeting brings together the DOE and NNSA federal and contractor emergency management community from sites and facilities across the country. The primary focus is the 15 elements of the DOE Emergency Management Program as described in DOE O 151.1C and the continuity programs described in DOE O 150.1. Discussion of lessons learned and peer review of current initiatives related to development of DOE emergency management and continuity policy, requirements, and guidance are significant focuses of the meeting. | April 21 - 25, 2014 | Shepherdstown, WV | 98 | $262,198 |
| Nuclear Facility Safety Program Annual Workshop 2014 | The workshop provides training courses related to Facility Representatives (FR), Safety System Oversight (SSO), Fire Protection, and Operational Readiness Reviews. | May 5 - 9, 2014 | Las Vegas, NV | 129 | $219,897 |
| Actinide Separations Conference | The purpose of the Actinide Separations Conference is to provide a forum in which U.S. scientists and engineers can meet annually to present and discuss problems, experiences, results of research in progress, and other matters of interest concerning development, testing, and application of actinide and fission product separations chemistry and engineering. | May 20 - 22, 2014 | Albuquerque, NM | 83 | $110,209 |
| 20th Topical Conference on High-Temperature Plasma Diagnostics (HTPD) | This biennial conference brings together plasma physicists from a variety of fields, including magnetic confinement fusion, inertial confinement fusion, space plasmas, astrophysics, and industrial applications, to discuss mutual problems in the development of instrumentation and experimental techniques for the characterization of high-temperature plasmas. The High Temperature Plasma Diagnostics (HTPD) conference is the premier event where international progress is showcased on the development of diagnostic systems for use in fusion-grade plasma producing experiments, such as ITER, and other domestic and international devices. This supports the aspect of the US DOE mission, which addresses the scientific basis for establishing fusion as a commercially viable energy supply for the United States and the world. HTPD has been held for 40 years biennially - traditionally in the "east coast" region then two years later in the "west coast" region. Although this is an international conference, the HTPD is typically hosted by DOE Labs. | June 1 - 5, 2014 | Atlanta, GA | 51 | $112,035 |
| 13th Annual DOE Small Business Forum & Expo | The Secretary of Energy has issued a policy in support of small business that directs all departmental elements to examine and expand their contract opportunities with small businesses, including small disadvantaged, 8(a), woman-owned, service-disabled veteran-owned, historically underutilized business zones (HUBZones) businesses, as well as the Department's mentor-protege program. Additionally, the Secretary has directed the Department's Facility Management Contractors (FMCs) to raise the bar and expand the diversity of subcontracts to small businesses. The 13th Annual DOE Small Business Forum & Expo is held in direct support of this mission. The event features plenaries, educational workshops, and an exhibit hall with over 200 exhibits/supporters, as well as business matchmaking sessions. Attendees will represent all levels of Federal, state, and local government agencies, the small business community, large prime contractors, and many more. | June 10 -12, 2014 | Tampa, FL | 82 | $333,899 |
| Mo-99 Topical Meeting | The main objective of the 2014 Mo-99 Topical Meeting is to present and review project progress toward efforts to convert current medical isotope production from highly enriched uranium (HEU) targets to low enriched uranium (LEU) targets and to accelerate existing commercial projects in the United States to produce molybdenum-99 (Mo-99) without the use of HEU. This meeting is intended to serve as a workshop where international and domestic policy and technical experts can gather to present and discuss progress toward achieving the production of Mo-99 without the use of HEU in support of nonproliferation objectives and global reliability of supply. Also, this meeting provides a public workshop to present updates on the GTRI Mo-99 Program Plan, consistent with and as required by Section 3173(a)(4)(A) of the American Medical Isotopes Production Act of 2012. | June 24 - 27, 2014 | Washington, DC | 49 | $122,641 |
| 2014 EIA Energy Conference | The EIA Annual Energy Conference brings together approximately 950 thought leaders from industry, government, academia, media, and the general public to discuss current and future challenges facing energy markets and policymakers. Communication between EIA and our customers and stakeholders must be a two-way street if we are to successfully accomplish DOE’s mission to lead the national conversation on energy and EIA’s mission to promote sound policymaking, efficient markets, and public understanding of energy and its interaction with the economy and the environment. This collaborative environment also allows EIA to respond to President Obama’s call for a Federal government that is more open, accessible, and customer-oriented. | July 14 - 15, 2014 | Washington, DC | 223 | $218,670 |
| Joint DOE Contractor Internal Audit Directors (CIAD) Audit Conference | The meeting is designed for professionals in the DOE Contractor Internal Audit Directors (CIAD) community, the Office of Inspector General and DOE financial areas needing to maintain or enhance skills for performing, overseeing or coordinating audits and inspections in support of the Department of Energy’s mission. The session extends over a 2½ day period and covers relevant learning objectives in topics including cyber security, fraud, ethics, enterprise risk and internal controls in a federal government environment. | July 22 - 24, 2014 | Lemont, IL | 151 | $128,295 |
| Biomass 2014 | Biomass 2014 is the seventh annual conference sponsored by the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO). The purpose of the conference is to promote BETO and its goals, strategies, and accomplishments to achieve national goals set for biofuels; provide a forum for stakeholder input on technical, scientific, market, and policy measures that will help advance the efficiency, adoption, distribution, and utilization of biofuels; facilitate connections between investors and technology providers, both large and small; and to facilitate a robust dialogue on the future opportunities and challenges for the advanced bioenergy industry by bringing together non-profit organizations, government decision-makers, private sector leaders, academic experts, and other stakeholders along the bioenergy supply chain. | July 29 - 30, 2014 | Washington, DC | 77 | $144,888 |
| Analytical Services Program (ASP) 2014 Workshop | This workshop supports the Department's ASP which advances DOE's mission/interest by ensuring (a) the validity, reliability, and defensibility of environmental data services as provided by external off-site commercial analytical environmental laboratories, and (b) that regulated waste are properly managed (i.e., accounted for, treated and disposed) by commercial off-site waste vendor contractors. | September 15 - 18, 2014 | Albuquerque, NM | 57 | $104,434 |
| DOE National Lab Day on Capitol Hill | The DOE National Lab Day on Capitol Hill is a DOE-sponsored event intended to raise awareness of the important role that the DOE National Laboratory System (NLS) plays by conducting innovative research that promotes and underpins the economic and national security interests of the United States. The Secretary has asked that DOE host an NLS science and engineering exhibition for members and staff to provide them with an opportunity to personally review, assess and inquire with regard to the integral role that the DOE NLS plays in scientific discovery and innovation as well as helping the country meet its national security needs. The DOE National Lab Day on Capitol Hill was held on September 16, 2014, in the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, DC. The purpose of this event is to make available factual information and demonstrations relating to the current work of the NLS in the context of how these activities contribute to the understanding and resolution of current scientific and security issues. The event is structured around five theme areas: 1) Scientific Discovery; 2) High-Performance Computing; 3) Energy and Environment; 4) Manufacturing; and 5) National Security. Approximately 14 demonstrations and exhibits organized around these themes will be featured to provide an opportunity for members of Congress and their staff to ask questions and expand their knowledge of the role and expertise of the NLS. | September 16, 2014 | Washington, DC | 89 | $145,490 |
Secretarial Waiver for the DOE-sponsored conference for this reporting period in which the net conference expenses were in excess of $500,000.
Fiscal Year 2013 DOE Conference Activity.