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ExpectMore.govExpectMore.gov home pageEXPECT FEDERAL PROGRAMS TO PERFORM WELL, AND BETTER EVERY YEAR.
 
Program Assessment

Program

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Basic Energy Sciences

The program funds research in materials sciences, chemistry, geosciences, and some topics in engineering and bioscience. It also provides national user facilities for over 7,000 researchers annually that are funded by the Department of Energy, other Federal agencies, and the private sector.

Rating

What This Rating Means

PERFORMING
Effective

This is the highest rating a program can achieve. Programs rated Effective set ambitious goals, achieve results, are well-managed and improve efficiency.
  • The program is using an external assessment process to review its grants management practices and the quality, relevance, and performance of the research that it funds. The most recent review found the chemistry division to be well managed and supporting a research portfolio with very good to excellent national and international standing.
  • The program currently uses a limited amount of objective data to budget for the operation of its major user facilities. The operation of these facilities accounts for almost half of the program's total annual budget.

Improvement Plan

About Improvement Plans

We are taking the following actions to improve the performance of the program:

  • Following up on recommendations of past expert reviews, and using new reviews to assess progress toward long-term programmatic goals.
  • Improving performance reporting at its user facilities to better reflect the instrumentation and staffing issues most directly connected to scientific output.

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