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Open Recommendations

DOE Loan Programs: Actions Needed to Address Authority and Improve Application Reviews
GAO-25-106631
May 08, 2025
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5 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Congress Congress should consider making changes to the authority for LPO's five loan programs or reducing appropriations to reflect what LPO is likely to use before the authority expires. (Matter 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Energy The Secretary of Energy should ensure that the Director of LPO directs staff to undertake an annual comprehensive review to identify and correct errors in application review guidance. (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 The Secretary of Energy should ensure that the Director of LPO directs staff to undertake an annual comprehensive review to assess the completeness and accuracy of its application review documentation, including evaluating any deficiencies in the documents, determining appropriate corrective actions, and evaluating the effectiveness of implemented remedies. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Energy The Secretary of Energy should ensure that the Director of LPO directs staff to undertake an annual comprehensive review to identify application review training needs and to evaluate the extent to which training addressed deficiencies. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Energy The Secretary of Energy should ensure that the Director of LPO updates application review guidance for Section 1703 loans to include an evaluation of whether a project qualifies as innovative at the time the term sheet is issued. (Recommendation 4)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Offshore Wind Energy: Actions Needed to Address Gaps in Interior's Oversight of Development
GAO-25-106998
Apr 14, 2025
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6 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Congress Congress should consider amending language in legislation to address limitations in BOEM's authority to enable it to provide adequate support for capacity building for Tribes and tribal organizations that provide Indigenous expertise to the offshore wind leasing process. (Matter for Consideration 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Interior The BOEM Director should take steps to address gaps in its approach to tribal consultation, including clearly demonstrating and routinely reporting on its progress. This should include ensuring that annual tribal consultation reports clearly document decisions regarding tribal implications and preparing and submitting to Tribes a record of consultation that describes input and how it was addressed, as well as the reasoning for any instances in which input was not incorporated. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Interior The BOEM Director should take steps to ensure that it adequately demonstrates and publicly reports its consideration of fishing industry input. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Interior The BOEM and BSEE Directors should establish guidance for lessees with respect to lessees' communication and engagement plans, clearly define the agencies' respective roles and responsibilities, and develop a plan to monitor implementation of these plans. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Interior The BOEM and BSEE Directors should take steps to ensure that they have sufficient resources in place to oversee offshore wind energy development, including by establishing a physical office to oversee development in the North Atlantic region. (Recommendation 4)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Interior The BOEM Director should develop guidance and specific requirements for lessees' data collection and sharing across offshore wind energy projects. (Recommendation 5)
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.
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