Although DOE recently developed a Strategic Plan and processes intended to integrate the Department’s missions and programs in five major areas, questions remain about DOE’s overall capacity to lead the national laboratories into new mission areas. However, laboratory managers believed that DOE headquarters and operations offices have divergent views of the laboratories and their goals, and DOE has not been able to develop a consensus with the Congress on the future of the laboratories. A More Effective Management Approach Will Promote Mission Success

Laboratory managers see DOE’s management of the multiprogram laboratories as costly and inefficient, creating tensions that impede the development of clear and coordinated missions for the laboratories and action steps that lead toward achieving these missions. DOE does Not Balance Research and Administrative Objectives

In addition to meeting their research and technology objectives, laboratory managers are responsible for satisfying a wide variety of administrative requirements in areas such as procurement; travel; human resources; and environment, safety, and health. First, it has been costly. Second, it has raised research costs and reduced the laboratories’ ability to compete with universities for research sponsored by industry and other government agencies. Experts See Future Missions as Extensions of Current Missions

Our panel of experts and other experts believe that, with proper mission focus and management direction, the multiprogram laboratories can make vital contributions in many areas important to DOE and the nation. Implementing a Commercial Technology Mission Poses Special Problems

Working with industry on a commercial technology mission at the laboratories presents special challenges for DOE and laboratory management. Indeed, if the laboratories do not begin to function more as a system, it may be necessary to consider alternatives to the present DOE-laboratory relationship.
Why GAO Did This Study

GAO reviewed the Department of Energy's nine multiprogram national laboratories, focusing on the: (1) laboratories' current and future missions; and (2) DOE approach to laboratory management.

What GAO Found

GAO found that: (1) the DOE laboratories do not have clearly defined missions and laboratory managers believe that the lack of DOE direction is compromising their ability to achieve national priorities; (2) DOE manages the laboratories on a program-by-program basis and has underutilized the laboratories' special multidisciplinary abilities to solve complex, cross-cutting scientific and technology problems; (3) although DOE has developed a strategic plan to integrate its missions and programs in five main areas, it still may not be able to effectively manage the laboratories in the future; (4) the costly and inefficient day-to-day management of the laboratories inhibits a productive working relationship between the laboratories and DOE; (5) DOE does not balance laboratory research and administrative objectives; (6) the laboratories fear that rising research costs due to costly administrative requirements will limit their ability to compete for research projects, which in turn will hamper their commercial technology mission; (7) DOE has instituted contract reforms which it believes will lead to a more productive management approach; and (8) the laboratories can make vital contributions in many important areas such as weapons systems, energy conservation, environmental cleanup, and commercialized technologies with proper mission focus and management direction.