Audit finds excessive bonuses at Idaho National Laboratory (INL)

DOE inspection cites lab’s contractor; other officials defend subjective nature of awarding fees

The contractor running the Idaho National Laboratory has received more than $2 million in overly liberal bonus money, an audit has found.

The audit by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Inspector General found that Battelle Energy Alliance received the money in reward fees since February 2005 when it took over operations at INL, the 890-square-mile federal nuclear research area in eastern Idaho.

The audit, released in August, also found that goals set by the department were months late, and on some occasions came after the work was done.

Officials at the department acknowledged that due dates had been missed, but said deciding whether reward fees were reasonable was subjective.

Full Story: http://www.idahostatesman.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060920/NEWS02/609200328/1029/NEWS02

Meet Idaho National Laboratory!, 10/23-24, Idaho Falls, ID http://www.matr.net/article-20620.html