New Independent Project Review Process Shows Success in Pilot Phase

clock April 22, 2011 09:02 by author Bulletin Board
“Trust, but verify,” goes an old adage. EERE is applying this advice through the implementation of an external review process to evaluate how well we are carrying out the important role of monitoring the performance of Recovery Act-funded projects. This new Independent Project Review (IPR) process is designed to bring in outside firms to independently analyze and assess the status of EERE’s project monitoring activities. The significance of this process was underscored in the recent testimony of DOE CFO Steve Isakowitz before the House Energy and Commerce’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations in hearings on DOE’s Recovery Act spending. He pointed to the fact DOE oversight activities are becoming government-wide “best practices.” [More]
Categories: Monitoring | Independent Project Reviews | Permalink
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Communication in the Monitoring Process

clock April 18, 2011 09:59 by author Bulletin Board
One Solar America Cities project proves that you don’t have to live in a sunny state like California, Nevada, or Arizona to save on fuel costs by harvesting energy from the sun. The challenges its planners had to overcome hold valuable lessons for managers of similar projects elsewhere.

Funded by the Recovery Act, a Midwestern city has worked with EERE to install and demonstrate a solar thermal district heating system that will serve as a model for using solar energy in regions not exactly known for their sunny skies, such as the Northwest, the Midwest, and much of the East Coast. [More]
Categories: Field Offices | Monitoring | Permalink
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Integrating Project Results to Save Time and Money

clock April 8, 2011 17:01 by author Bulletin Board
Sometimes, a program selects a particularly reliable company for multiple awards due to its unique capabilities. One such recipient is a solar research, development, and manufacturing company that received five separate awards. While each of its five awards is stand-alone in nature, technology development efforts can complement and overlap. The complexity created by so many employees with different roles and overseeing different processes can require additional review to identify when and where these overlapped efforts can occur. [More]
Categories: Field Offices | Headquarters | Monitoring | Permalink
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Recovery Act: Saving and Creating American Jobs in Solar Research

clock April 3, 2011 21:26 by author Bulletin Board
The fast pace and dynamic nature of both business and technology present a host of challenges for project officers working in EERE’s financial assistance portfolio. Often, these challenges require project officers to dive in and apply their creativity, technical expertise, and knowledge of federal regulations to keep projects on track. [More]
Categories: Field Offices | Monitoring | Permalink
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