Developing a Project Management Office in the Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) is a federal statistical agency within the Department of Energy that collects, analyzes, and disseminates independent and impartial energy information to promote sound policymaking, efficient markets, and public understanding of energy and its interaction with the economy and the environment.

A major reorganization in 2010 created new teams around functions and divisions of the energy sector within EIA. The reorganization also uncovered the need for increased matrixed project coordination. EIA’s leadership considered establishing a Project Management Office (PMO) to develop, implement, and enforce a more rigorous project management governance framework to bring discipline and performance consistency to EIA projects and programs. Although this initial attempt to find the right solution did not achieve sustained success, this effort revealed that change management was also critical in developing project management maturity.