# Presentation: 347933

## EXTERNAL REVIEWOF EIA PROGRAM

- “Challenges, Choices and Changes for the US Energy Information Program”
- FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2005
- For ASA Committee on Energy Statistics

## EIA Support Team for External Study:

- Colleen Blessing
- Kathy Cavanaugh
- John Paul Deley
- Doug Hale
- Nancy Kirkendall
- Janice Poling
- Erik Rasmussen
- Barry Yaffe

## Purpose of Study

- Address OMB requirements
- Assist EIA Senior Managers in determining agency priorities
- Tool for Strategic Planning
- Tool for Future Budgeting
- Opportunity to improve service to citizens

## PRINCIPAL STUDY QUESTION:

- “Given tightening EIA budgets and other external drivers, is EIA doing the ‘right’ things?  What are the ‘right’ things EIA should do in the next five years?”

## EXTERNAL STUDYTEAM LEADER

- Dr. A. Denny Ellerman,
- Director, MIT Energy and Environment Policy Studies Center

## REVIEW PLAN OVERVIEW:

- Identify additional team members (by EIA and Team Leader - 5/15)
- Contract with team members (honorarium)
- EIA background material assembled and provided to team
- Study Questions
- Reference Documents and Web Links
- Final Report to EIA (January 2006)

## External Review Work Commitment:

- Most of study performed from off-site locations.
- One meeting at EIA DC office June/July.
- One meeting at EIA September.
- Estimated 100 hours of work (125 for team leader) over eight months
- Position document from each reviewer incorporated into Final “consensus” report

## Focus of Questions:

- “Doing the Right Things”
- (Products and services provided to customers)
**NOT**
- “Doing Things Right”
- (How EIA conducts internal business processes)

## QUESTION #1:

- What will be the major energy issues facing the United States in the next five years?
- How will EIA’s current activities produce useful information related to those issues?
- What better information should EIA provide on upcoming issues?

## QUESTION #2:

- What kinds of questions should EIA prepare itself to answer in the next five years?

## QUESTION #3:

- To what extent is EIA fulfilling its legislative mandate to maintain a comprehensive energy information system?

## QUESTION #4:

- Overall, is EIA adequately covering key energy subjects and current issues?  What subject areas should be given more or less attention in the future?

## QUESTION #5:

- What should be the proper balance between data, analysis, forecasting, education and documentation in the future?

## QUESTION #6:

- Are there data series and/or analysis and forecasting efforts that should be changed or discontinued?

## QUESTION #7

- What level and type of analytical work should EIA do to maintain the quality and relevance of its data, and what alternatives could EIA pursue?

## QUESTION #8:

- Are EIA’s dissemination methods comprehensive and accessible enough for our primary users?  What, if any, changes do you recommend?

## QUESTION #9:

- To what degree are the quality attributes of our products adequate to meet our customers’ needs?

## ASA ENERGY COMMITTEE SUGGESTIONS:

- These nine questions apply to EIA products and services: data, analyses, forecasts, educational, documentation and products that are a combination of these.
- DISCUSSION: HELP US MAKE THIS A SUCCESSFUL STUDY

## SOLICITING IDEAS FROM ASA ENERGY COMMITTEE MEMBERS #1

- What sorts of background material should be provided by EIA to assist external reviewers more completely and productively answer the study questions?

## SOLICITING IDEAS FROM ASA ENERGY COMMITTEE MEMBERS #2

- What experiences have you had
- conducting / participating
- in external reviews that might assist EIA prepare for a successful study?

## SOLICITING IDEAS FROM ASA ENERGY COMMITTEE MEMBERS #3

- Are there any concerns you can share relating to the use / misuse of review recommendations that should be considered in the project plan?

## Three Discussion Questions:

- What kind of background materials will best assist reviewers?
- Your experiences with external reviews
- Your concerns for use / misuse of review recommendations

## THANK YOU!