September 10, 2007

The Department of Energy uses directives as its primary means to establish, communicate, and institutionalize policies, requirements, and procedures for Departmental Elements and, in some instances, our contractors.

The Department of Energy uses directives as its primary means to establish, communicate, and institutionalize policies, requirements, and procedures for Departmental Elements and, in some instances, our contractors. Directives help ensure that the Department operates in a safe, secure, efficient, and cost-effective manner. They promote operational consistency throughout the DOE complex, foster sound management, and facilitate achievement of DOE'S strategic goals.

While directives provide an effective means of promulgating requirements, they must be used judiciously to promote rather than stifle productivity, accountability, and innovation.  In developing directives, we must devote sufficient care and attention to ensure that their objectives are accomplished without being unclear, overly prescriptive, duplicative, or contradictory.