The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) is implementing some changes that they say are aimed to better serve their mission of strengthening American competitiveness, improving energy security, and lowering energy costs. In a message to NASEO and other stakeholders, EERE said that in order to become a more effective, transparent organization that maximizes impact on the U.S. energy landscape and provides the highest possible return on investment for the American taxpayer, they are making the following changes:
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EERE is re-organizing their program offices around relevant energy sectors, while maintaining their strong focus on individual energy technologies, to improve their coordination and impact. As a part of this change, they will be creating a new Deputy Assistant Secretary for Transportation position which will complement the existing Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Renewable Power positions (formerly called the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Renewable Energy). Please click here for a new EERE organization chart that reflects this change.
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In order to achieve more rigorous accountability and improved project outcomes, they are implementing “ARPA-E style” active project management for all of their investments going forward. This will include regular project site visits and reviews, negotiation of more detailed project plans that include aggressive “Go/No-Go” milestones, and termination of under-performing projects.
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Finally, to simplify their organization and make it more transparent and accessible to outside stakeholders, they are flattening our organization and creating uniform job titles, roles, and responsibilities across all of their programs.
In addition, the correspondence discussed the new “Stakeholder Engagement Office,” which will offer a single, convenient first point of contact for stakeholders to easily engage with EERE and a team focused on engaging EERE’s stakeholders more proactively and productively. NASEO members are encouraged to reach out to Kerry C. Duggan, the new Stakeholder Engagement Director, at kerry.duggan@ee.doe.gov or 202-287-6740 with any questions about the changes EERE is making to its organizational structure and how you can most effectively engage with EERE moving forward.