DOE’s implementation of its authority to conduct discretionary research evolved over the years. DOE’s three largest multi-program national laboratories—Lawrence Livermore in California, and Los Alamos and Sandia in New Mexico— account for nearly three-quarters of all LDRD spending. The number of categories ranged from one to five. LDRD Projects Met DOE’s Guidelines

All of the randomly selected LDRD projects we reviewed at the five laboratories we visited met DOE’s guidelines for selection. Additionally, the reports present performance information in varying formats, making it difficult to focus on the most relevant performance information. The same issue surrounds the tabulation of awards as performance indicators. Appendix I: Scope and Methodology

To determine how much the Department of Energy’s (DOE) multi-program national laboratories have spent on Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) projects since 1992 (when the LDRD program was created), we reviewed program information, including annual reports, budgets and other financial information provided by DOE and laboratory officials for the nine DOE multi-program national laboratories.
What GAO Found

The Department of Energy (DOE) created the Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) program in fiscal year 1992. This program formalized a long-standing policy of giving its multi-program national laboratories discretion to conduct self-initiated, independent research and development (R&D). Since then, DOE's multi-program national laboratories have spent more than $2 billion on LDRD projects. DOE's three largest multi-program national laboratories account for nearly three-quarters of laboratory-wide LDRD spending. All LDRD projects GAO reviewed at the five laboratories met DOE's guidelines for selection. In addition, each of the five laboratories created the internal controls necessary to reasonably ensure compliance with DOE's guidelines. Each laboratory issues annual LDRD reports that contain performance indicators, such as the numbers of patents obtained, publications, copyrights, awards, and relevance of the research to DOE's missions. The reports present performance information in various formats, making it difficult to focus on the most relevant performance information.