The Department of Energy inspector general has substantiated allegations of improprieties with contract and project management in the development of DoE’s Integrated Resource and Information System.
The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy is developing IRIS and has spent about $7 million on the system so far.
The IG affirmed that officials managing the project had ignored the department’s structured capital planning and investment control process for IT investments and failed to follow procurement and contracting guidelines and requirements.
It also said the project lacked effective oversight controls to enable managers to monitor progress against baseline costs, schedules, performance and expected benefits, which resulted in significant cost overruns and implementation delays without producing any results.
The IG also found problems with the work environment and poor morale within EERE that may have adversely impacted program operations, and it said individuals indicated they had been pressured or feared retaliation by senior management if they cooperated with the IG.