Despite producing an updated plan that makes substantive progress towards meeting the OGD requirements, Version 1.1 of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Open Government Plan still ranked among the weakest plans. However, between the time we evaluated Version 1.1 and published this report, DOE shared an updated plan, Version 1.2, with the evaluators.  Version 1.2, shows substantial progress in almost all areas of weakness identified in the evaluation of version 1.1. For example, the latest version of the plan describes public feedback mechanisms for the agency’s flagship initiatives, addresses how the initiatives will impact agency operations, and identifies a structure for measuring the value of the initiatives. Version 1.2 also lists DOE’s key stakeholders and their information needs, although this section could include greater detail about their specific data needs—information DOE could gather by reaching out to the stakeholders to ask them about information needs. The most recent plan also includes a strategy for identifying changes to administrative policy and current practices to increase participation and collaboration. Version 1.2 of the plan is strong enough to put rank the agency well within the middle ground.

View the original evaluation here.

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