The Berkeley Lab Engineering Division is home to the Project Controls Engineering Department (PCED), which provides specialized project controls expertise that enables high-quality project management in alignment with DOE’s Earned Value Management (EVM) standards.
Working closely with the Lab’s Project Management Office (PMO), PCED staff are embedded in project teams throughout the Lab to implement a systematic project management approach that effectively manages cost, schedule, and technical performance, and ensures that the associated data is accurate and reliable.
The PCED plays a pivotal role in implementing Berkeley Lab’s Earned Value Management System (LBNL-EVMS) and maintaining LBNL-EVMS Certification, which ensures Berkeley Lab’s eligibility to lead large-scale DOE research projects >$50M.
EVM Surveillance is an annual review process required to maintain LBNL-EVMS Certification. Surveillance is mandated by DOE’s Office of Science (SC) and Office of Project Assessment (OPA) per defined federal guidelines such as DOE Order 413.3B and the American National Standards Institute’s (ANSI) EIA-748 Guidelines. Throughout this process, DOE ensures that funded projects maintain transparency, accountability, and regulatory compliance, all of which contribute to successful project outcomes.
“Efficient project management is crucial for the success of every endeavor, particularly in complex projects across various industries and institutions,” said Deepa Rasalkar, Deputy Head of the PCED and the Lab’s EVMS Surveillance Officer. “As an integral part of Lab operations, strict adherence to the DOE framework and the maintenance of our own EVMS certification are paramount.”
In January 2006, Berkeley Lab became the first DOE Office of Science national laboratory to obtain EVMS certification. At the time, Berkeley Lab had only one project of sufficient size to meet the criteria for needing a certified EVMS – the Molecular Foundry – and so that project was used for external surveillance and subsequent certification.
Since that first surveillance process was completed, LBNL has continued to maintain its EVMS certification through internal and external surveillance reviews of the EVMS and its implementation on subsets of DOE 413.3B projects at Berkeley Lab. As part of this ongoing certification process, two projects underwent an external surveillance review in 2022. The Advanced Light Source Upgrade (ALS-U) and the Gamma-Ray Energy Tracking Array (GRETA) projects were reviewed by the OPA to ensure the correct implementation and utilization of LBNL-EVMS and its procedures. In October 2023, external experts were brought in for an internal surveillance to reaffirm the successful implementation and execution of the Lab’s processes. These annual reviews demonstrate the effectiveness of Berkeley Lab’s project management teams and the proactive approach of the PCED staff towards EVMS.
Berkeley Lab’s project management excellence is further evidenced by the honors received. In October 2021, Berkeley Lab’s DESI project team received DOE’s prestigious Project Management Excellence Award, and the Integrative Genomics Building received a Project Management Achievement Award. These awards highlight the high standards and successful outcomes achieved through the application of robust project management practices.
The LBNL-EVMS is currently being implemented across all DOE 413.3B projects spanning Lab operations and scientific research. According to Dianna Jacobs, Head of the PCED, “PCED is proud to support these project teams and their successful implementation and utilization of the Lab’s Earned Value Management System.”