EERE Monitoring Dispatch Webpage

							                                     EERE Monitoring Dispatch Webpage

Learning from Audits: Strengthening Monitoring Activities
 November 24, 2010 09:14

Past audit findings were a consideration in the development of EERE’s monitoring framework
and coordination with the risk mitigation team will continue to inform the process.

With the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act), the
Department of Energy (DOE) and the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy program (EERE)
have experienced an increase in oversight from the DOE-Office of Inspector General(OIG), the
Government Accountability Office (GAO), and independent auditing entities.

Through these audits and reviews, EERE and the Department have been able to identify and
address several reoccurring issues. Common issues identified include but are not limited to:

         Inadequate oversight of monitoring activities
         Infrequent Project Officer (PO) monitoring visits
         Incomplete monitoring schedules and plans
         Insufficient Departmental guidance to state grantees and or recipients
         Lack of resources to support the increased work load related to Recovery Act activities
         Lack of programmatic and financial internal controls
         Unidentified allowable costs


The DOE has responded by:

         Strengthening monitoring activities to include increased communications, trainings, and
          guidance
                      EERE centralized the collection and reporting of monitoring data with the
                      creation of two systems:
                           1. PAGE- the Weatherization and Intergovernmental Program’s (WIP) grant
                              performance management system
                           2. IMPACT- Research, Development, Demonstration, and Deployment
                              (RDD&D) activities’ new Internet-based monitoring central repository

         Increasing the frequency at which POs visit state grantees/recipients
         Developing new WIP monitoring plans and a formulized schedule for POs state
          grantee/recipient visits
                EERE developed two distinct monitoring plans for POs. WIP published a Monitoring
                Plan for WAP, SEP, and EECBG in August 2009 and a second version in March 2010.
                A separate monitoring plan for RDD&D activities was approved in August 2010.
                Monitoring plans are seen as a “best practice” for management oversight of
           performance monitoring by the DOE Office of the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and
           Inspector General (IG).

           WIP monitoring activities compliant with the Monitoring Plan began in October
           2009, and monitoring onsite visits accelerated from February through September
           2010.

      Continually developing and issuing guidance to state grantees/recipients, as well as,
       increasing the amount of communication between POs and state personnel on program
       requirements
      Hiring additional Federal and contractor personnel to support DOE staff in carrying out
       the requirements of the Recovery Act
      Implementing internal controls and ensuring they are being adhered to Developing
       policies and procedures and ensuring they are distributed to all budgetary staff
      Updating A-133 monitoring procedures
      Developing an internal policy to provide guidelines in the proper recording of
       contributions

Monitoring Activities to Date
In FY 2010, almost 6,000 monitoring activities have occurred, not including all 4 th quarter
activities. Twelve thousand monitoring activities are scheduled for FY 2011.