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Home ›› About ›› Roles and Responsibilities ››

STI Program Representatives

Department of Energy national laboratories and other sites and facilities have designated representatives to serve as technical information officers (TIOs) and STI Managers in the Scientific and Technical Information Program (STIP).

STI Managers 

The role of STI Managers is to stay abreast of the requirements of DOEs STI Program and coordinate the implementation of STIP related requirements. They serve as the main POC for their respective site/facility and participate in various STIP activities.  Normally, one STI Manager is appointed at each contractor site.  While roles and responsibilities may vary from site to site, depending on the specific language of DOE contracts, the STI activities of STI Managers generally are the same.

Roles and Responsibilities

  • STI Managers provide oversight and coordination of contractor compliance with the CRD portion of DOE O 241.1B, Scientific and Technical Information Management (link is external)  and other applicable DOE directives with related requirements (i.e., regarding sensitivity reviews, etc.).
  • STI Managers provide oversight and coordination of contractor application of the agreed to best practices set forth on the STIP website.
  • STI Managers ensure that an appropriate sensitivity review process of STI is implemented at their respective site and that all STI is appropriately reviewed and marked before it is released outside of their jurisdiction of their site prior to release to OSTI or Web posting.
  • Related to the sensitivity reviews of STI, STI Managers should serve as the releasing official or at least coordinate designation and maintain awareness and provide official approval and notification to OSTI of the designation.
  • STI Managers ensures that STI resulting from R&D and other scientific and technical endeavors that have undergone institutional review is made available to OSTI along with appropriate announcement notice information provided through one of the several STI announcement options.
  • STI Managers ensure that OSTI is notified of any removal, replacement, or new marking or STI, per appropriate STIP channels.
  • STI Managers participate in bi-monthly STIP teleconferences, annual STIP Working Meetings, and special STIP working groups normally chaired by OSTI.
  • STI Managers provide general liaison with OSTI and the TIOs.
  • STI Managers prepare contractor responses to STI-related action items received from their respective DOE Office and OSTI.

Technical Information Officers

Technical Information Officers (TIO) serve as the principal DOE Office POC and assistant to, and liaison with, the DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI) that serves as the Departments office charged with the Scientific and Technical Information Program (STIP). The TIOs are to be familiar with the STI Programs within their DOE Office (given they have contracting financial assistance and/or acquisition activities) and for their major site/facility management contractor(s) STI Program to discern compliance with the DOE O 241.1B. They must maintain an up-to-date knowledge-base of the STI Program activities and provide timely feedback on issues as they emerge. While roles and responsibilities may differ, each major DOE element shall designate a TIO to perform STI-related activities.

Roles and Responsibilities

  • TIOs coordinate with the major site/facility management contractor(s) STI Manager(s) activities as they pertain to STI to ensure compliance with the CRD portion of DOE O 241.1B, Scientific and Technical Information Management (link is external).
  • TIOs ensure that an appropriate sensitivity review process of STI is implemented by their DOE contracting/acquisitions group and appropriate guidance is provided to DOE contractors and financial assistance recipients. In addition, they should ensure that the STI generated by their financial assistance recipients, non-major site/facility management contractors, and major site/facility management contractors is appropriately reviewed and marked before it is released outside of the jurisdiction of the sites and prior to release to OSTI or Web posting.
  • Related to the sensitivity reviews of STI generated from financial assistance and non-major site/facility management contractors, TIOs should serve as the releasing official or at least coordinate designation and maintain awareness and provide official approval and notification to OSTI of the designation.
  • TIOs are responsible for ensuring the STI generated by financial assistance recipients and non-major site/facility management contractors is submitted to OSTI according to appropriate submission processes via E-Link. TIOs ensure the DOE contracting officers and contract specialists within their organization are aware of the status and trends related to the sensitivity reviews and timely submission of STI deliverables to OSTI.
  • TIOs participate in preparing official DOE Office responses to STI-related action items relevant to their respective DOE and major site/facility management contractors.
  • TIOs serve as the DOE Office representatives and advocates to ensure that STI objectives and requirements are incorporated as appropriate into the DOE Office strategic plans, DOE management information plans, DOE contractor information architecture plans, life-cycle management plans and procedures, contractor-developed institutional plans, and contract language for new or modified contracts and grants.
  • TIOs are responsible for coordinating and communicating DOE STI goals and objectives and initiating the promotion/education of STI and STIP-related activities at the DOE Office and provide assistance as appropriate to their respective major site/facility management contractor sites. This includes the progression of timely and acceptable electronic formats of announcement records and STI.
  • TIOs represent their organizations STI objectives/perspectives by staying informed of their in-house STI activities and those of their major site/facility management contractors. Also, TIOs represent their DOE Office by participating in the various STI-related activities and meetings such as Meet-Me Calls, Annual STIP Working Meetings, and special working groups. Active participation in the STIP collaboration is vital and beneficial when contributing to the best practices for a successful STI management program.
  • TIOs participate in rewrites of directives as appropriate, provide updates to the STIP Home Page, and communicate the requirements and best practices to DOE and DOE major site/facility management contractors.
  • Through STIP, TIOs recommend the need for new or revised policies and comment on the new or revised policies put forth. They also ensure that implementation procedures for the new or revised policies are put in place by DOE and coordinate as needed with major site/facility management contractors.

STI Releasing Officials

Releasing Officials have responsibility for ensuring that STI has undergone appropriate sensitivity reviews and that subsequent recommendation to OSTI is made via established systems regarding release of STI in the public domain (i.e., unlimited announcement) or the application of DOE-approved access limitations, as well as other laws, policies, and schedules.

Contract Officers and Contract Specialist

A Contracting Officer is the DOE official authorized to execute awards on behalf of DOE and is responsible for the business management and non-program aspects of the financial assistance process. They are responsible for ensuring that the receipt of required interim and final scientific/technical reporting deliverables as identified on DOE F 4600.2, Federal Assistance Reporting Checklist, and in the contract are monitored and provided to DOE/OSTI.