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The Department of Energy (DOE) Environmental Management (EM) Program is an exciting and rewarding organization that possesses the challenge of awarding contracts in an ever-changing technical, regulatory, and fiscal environment. Over 90 percent of the EM Program work in risk reduction and the completion of cleanup is accomplished through the use of contracts. Currently, EM activities are being conducted through more than 40 prime contracts having a total value of greater than $90 billion and annual expenditures of nearly $5 billion. These prime contracts generally consist of teams of individual companies that in turn procure equipment and services from numerous subcontractors. The suite of contractors consists of both large and small businesses. With reference to small business, EM has distinguished itself as a leader within the DOE in identifying and awarding small business set-aside contracts. EM has provided more than $600 million directly to small businesses in FY 2007 and FY 2008, accounting for nearly 25 percent of the Department’s total small business prime contractor funding.
One of the major focuses of the EM Federal workforce is to carry out an effective and efficient process for acquiring services for construction, deactivation and decommissioning, waste management, and environmental cleanup. EM created the Environmental Management Acquisition Center (EMAC) to provide a centralized focus on the major procurements that are required for EM to fulfill its mission of cleaning up the radiological and hazardous wastes that have been retained as the nation’s legacy of the Cold War. In addition, EM must ensure contracts and project work scope are delivered to specifications within the negotiated costs and schedules. This mission is being accomplished through a standardized process with a clear delineation of roles and responsibilities more focused contracting resources and expertise, clear expectations, and uniform guidance throughout the EM Program. EM continues to focus on reducing the time required to conduct major procurements through improved planning, integration, communication, tracking, and by having the necessary resources and expertise available when required.
A major objective of establishing the EMAC was to implement a standardized acquisition planning process that will enable future cleanup acquisitions and contract transitions to execute rapidly and efficiently. To this end, the EMAC establishes and maintains:
- A cadre of skilled, experienced acquisition personnel to support operations and field managers, on a recurring basis, for major EM acquisition planning and source selection activities;
- A central repository of DOE and EM-specific acquisition procedures, policies, templates, and other information that promotes common practices and workflows and ensures that “best in class” processes are used for planning and executing EM acquisitions;
- A well-defined system of governance, with clearly defined roles and responsibilities throughout the acquisition process and with strong ethics and clear communication channels;
- Support for Performance-Based Acquisition (PBA) awareness and implementation;
- Collaborative acquisition and contract launch strategies to define requirements and mitigate risks by involving key stakeholders during initial kick-off and transition processes that take place from the time the contract is awarded, to the time when the contract administration processes begin;
- A post-award performance monitoring system that assesses relative risk and measures results
- A performance monitoring system that assesses relative risk and measures results; and specific tools suggested in the Partnership for Public Service Private Sector Council Acquisition Innovation Pilot Handbook (November 2006).
The EMAC has evolved into an integrated business system that supports operations and field
offices in the planning, procurement and managing of major EM acquisitions. The EMAC
along with representatives from the sites, develop and implement site and project
specific acquisition and contract strategies, including award of major contracts. This is
achieved with collaboration with the DOE Office of Procurement and Assistance Management  .
Upon award, contracts are administered by the operations and site offices. For smaller sites,
contracts are administered by the EM Consolidated Business Center . To provide organizational
continuity, Headquarters elements of the EMAC monitor post award performance and provide a conduit
for post award communications with Headquarters Senior Management.
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