Improving Project Management in the Department of Energy

The U.S. Department of Energy has been at the center of many of the greatest achievements in science and engineering in this century. DOE spends billions of dollars funding projects-and plans to keep on spending at this rate. But, documentation shows that DOE's construction and environmental remediation projects take much longer and cost 50% more than comparable projects undertaken by other federal agencies, calling into question DOE's procedures and project management. What are the root causes for these problems? Table of Contents Front Matter Executive Summary 1 Department of Energy Projects 2 Project Management 3 Use of Project Reviews to Improve Execution 4 Acquisition and Contracting 5 Organizing for Excellence in Project Management Appendix A Evidence of Problems With DOE Project Performance Appendix B Communication of Project Costs and Durations Appendix C Characteristics of Successful Megaprojects or Systems Acquisitions Appendix D Biographies of Committee Members Appendix E Committee Meetings and Activities Glossary Acronyms