Conferences play an important role in advancing the Department of Energy's (DOE) priorities by providing opportunities for collaboration with academia, the scientific community, and other stakeholders on our national security, environment, energy, and science missions. While conferences serve a valuable purpose, DOE continues to manage conference activity in a cost-effective manner that demonstrates responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars.
To ensure costs were appropriately controlled when sponsoring and approving participation in a conference, DOE confirmed that all conference-related costs were authorized. Conference planners, Agency sponsors, and attendees all understood their responsibility to conserve funds. DOE invoked widely accepted cost control measures for each conference. Key measures included ensuring conference attendance was necessary, encouraging the use of Federal Facilities, consolidation of conferences, and placing limitations on provision of food and beverage as a direct cost to the Government. Also, conference planners were encouraged to initiate early planning and explore the feasibility of conducting virtual and hybrid conferences. All traveling DOE conference participants made arrangements consistent with government travel restrictions.
In Fiscal Year (FY) 2023, eleven (11) Program Offices within DOE conducted a total of fifteen (15) Agency-Sponsored reportable conferences. The conference themes supported their respective disciplines within DOE’s multi-faceted energy, science, and security mission. Each conference was planned to promote engagement and collaboration with Department subject matter experts, industry, academia, and US, Tribal and international communities of interest.