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Open Recommendations

National Nuclear Security Administration: Fully Incorporating Leading Practices for Agency Reform Would Benefit Enhanced Mission Delivery Initiative
GAO-25-106675
Feb 06, 2025
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8 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
National Nuclear Security Administration The Office of NNSA's Associate Principal Deputy Administrator should define how it will govern continuing activities on EMDI reforms and future continuous improvement activities, including how it will monitor and report on the status of those activities. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
National Nuclear Security Administration The NNSA Associate Principal Deputy Administrator should ensure that goals and associated outcomes are established and documented for all implemented and ongoing reforms. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
National Nuclear Security Administration The NNSA Associate Principal Deputy Administrator should ensure that EMDI reform goals remain aligned with outcomes as reform efforts change for all implemented and ongoing reforms. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
National Nuclear Security Administration The Office of the NNSA Associate Principal Deputy Administrator should document a strategy for continuous two-way communication on reforms with key stakeholders and employees, which should be part of governing ongoing and future continuous improvement efforts. (Recommendation 4)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
National Nuclear Security Administration The NNSA Associate Principal Deputy Administrator should monitor the effects of EMDI and future reforms on high-risk areas to ensure relevant reform efforts do not perpetuate long-standing challenges or increase risks of fraud, waste, and abuse. (Recommendation 5)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
National Nuclear Security Administration The NNSA Associate Principal Deputy Administrator, in developing ongoing and future reforms, should ensure that reform teams develop and use a portfolio of high-quality, credible data and evidence, such as root cause analysis or program evaluations. (Recommendation 6)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Fusion Energy: Additional Planning Would Strengthen DOE's Efforts to Facilitate Commercialization
GAO-25-107037
Jan 10, 2025
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Office of Science The Director of the Office of Science should finalize and implement ongoing fusion energy planning efforts, including by specifying roles and responsibilities, responding to identified risks, and detailing metrics and timelines for its initiatives. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Department of Energy Contracting: Actions Needed to Strengthen Certain Acquisition Planning Processes
GAO-25-106207
Nov 21, 2024
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12 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Energy The Director for DOE's Office of Acquisition Management should ensure that for non-M&O acquisitions, the Acquisition Guide clearly specifies what information should be included in the contract file to support how acquisition officials considered prior lessons learned during acquisition planning. (Recommendation 1)
Open
DOE agreed with the recommendation and said that its Office of Acquisition Management will revise the department's guidance to strengthen language regarding contract file documentation and how acquisition officials considered prior lessons learning. DOE expects to complete this update in 2025. We will follow up with DOE after it has taken action.
Department of Energy The Director for DOE's Office of Acquisition Management should develop a policy to ensure that DOE acquisition offices consistently document potential lessons learned identified during acquisition planning. (Recommendation 2)
Open
DOE agreed with the recommendation and said that its Office of Acquisition Management will revise the department's guidance on reviewing lessons learned during the acquisition planning process. DOE expects to complete this update in 2025. We will follow up with DOE after it has taken action.
National Nuclear Security Administration The Associate Administrator for NNSA's Office of Partnership and Acquisition Services should develop a policy to ensure that NNSA acquisition offices consistently document potential lessons learned identified during acquisition planning. (Recommendation 3)
Open
NNSA agreed with the recommendation and said that its Office of Partnership and Acquisition Services will coordinate with DOE to update its internal guidance as appropriate. NNSA expects to complete this update in 2025. We will follow up with NNSA after it has taken action.
Department of Energy The Director for DOE's Office of Acquisition Management should revise the source evaluation board lessons learned process described in the Acquisition Guide to ensure that it incorporates all leading practices. (Recommendation 4)
Open
DOE agreed with the recommendation and said that its Office of Acquisition Management will revise the department's guidance to incorporate leading lessons learned practices as appropriate. DOE expects to complete this update in 2025. We will follow up with DOE after it has taken action.
Department of Energy The Director of DOE's Office of Acquisition Management should develop guidance to ensure the accurate tracking of information on canceled solicitations in agency procurement systems. (Recommendation 5)
Open
DOE agreed with the recommendation and said that its Office of Acquisition Management will implement a reporting mechanism to track information on canceled solicitations. DOE expects to complete this update in 2025. We will follow up with DOE after it has taken action.
Department of Energy The Senior Advisor for the Office of Environmental Management should implement procedures to consistently record information on canceled solicitations so that the information is reliable and comprehensive. (Recommendation 6)
Open
DOE's Office of Environmental Management agreed with the recommendation and said it will follow guidance that DOE's Office of Acquisition Management plans to issue. EM expects to complete this action in 2025. We will follow up with EM after it has taken action.

Nuclear Waste Cleanup: DOE Should Use Available Information to Measure the Effectiveness of Its Groundwater Efforts
GAO-25-106938
Nov 19, 2024
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3 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Office of Environmental Management The Senior Advisor for the Office of Environmental Management should ensure that EM headquarters collects and uses comprehensive information on groundwater cleanup scope, cost, and schedule for all EM sites to enhance technical and policy support provided to sites and inform resource allocation decisions. (Recommendation 1)
Open
As of September 2024, DOE indicated that they are coordinating with sites to make groundwater-specific scope, cost, and schedule information available to headquarters and expect to implement the recommendation by September 30, 2025.
Office of Environmental Management The Senior Advisor for the Office of Environmental Management should establish groundwater cleanup strategic objectives and near-term performance goals for groundwater cleanup that cover all sites and more specifically guide sites' progress in meeting the groundwater cleanup requirements. (Recommendation 2)
Open
As of September 2024, DOE indicated that implementation actions were ongoing with an expected completion of September 30, 2026.
Office of Environmental Management The Senior Advisor for the Office of Environmental Management should develop and use performance metrics to regularly inform groundwater cleanup decisions and document progress toward cleanup goals. (Recommendation 3)
Open
As of September 2024, DOE indicated that implementation actions were ongoing with an expected completion date of April 30, 2027. Additionally, DOE will use the Tracking Restoration and Closure system as a tool to aid in the documentation of progress towards cleanup. According to officials, this tool is in the final stages of development.
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