Summary

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the discretionary research and development (R&D) activities of three Department of Energy (DOE) laboratories and the DOE need for, uses of, and management controls over those activities.

GAO found that: (1) DOE had specific authority to approve laboratories' reasonable use of funds for discretionary R&D activities; (2) DOE had statutory authority to use laboratory operating funds to conduct R&D projects at the discretion of the laboratory directors; (3) the DOE order regarding the use of exploratory R&D funds was not clear enough to ensure that laboratories used funds appropriately; (4) DOE did not evaluate laboratories' discretionary R&D activities to determine the extent to which results benefited DOE programs; and (5) DOE lacked effective controls over laboratories' administration and use of discretionary funds.