DOE Departmental Directives Program
Types of Directives 
Policies establish high level expectations in the conduct of the Department's mission impacting two or more Departmental elements. Policies do not contain requirements.  However, Orders and Notices that flow from Policies must be consistent with them.
Orders establish management objectives and requirements and assign responsibilities for DOE Federal employees consistent with policy and regulations. Requirements must be unique to DOE and must avoid duplicating information from other directives or any existing legal source. Responsibilities must impact at least two Departmental elements. The requirements identify the results needed in the performance of a job or a subject matter area.  Details on how to fulfill requirements can be appended or attached as appropriate. Orders may also establish intended requirements for contractors in the form of contractor requirements documents (CRDs).  
Notices have the same effect as Orders but are issued in response to Departmental matters requiring prompt action to establish short-term management objectives.  A Notice of this nature must be converted to or incorporated into an Order within 1 year of the effective date. An extension may be granted through issuance of another Notice provided that work on converting the Notice to an Order is in progress or the Notice is being converted to a rule. A Notice may also establish intended requirements for contractors by attaching a CRD.  Additionally, a Notice can be used to communicate general information throughout the Department and may reference requirements from an existing directive. Notices of this nature are issued for immediate or short term use and also expire no later than 1 year from issuance.
Manuals supplement other directives, laws, and regulations, or other requirements by providing more instructions or details on how the provisions of these directives or laws must be carried out throughout DOE. Manuals identify procedural requirements in more detail than Orders for DOE Federal employees and intended requirements for contractors, which must be in the form of the CRD attached to the Manual.
Note: Manuals will remain in effect until revised according to DOE O 251.1C and will be phased out over time as a result of this Order.  When scheduled for renewal, they will be converted into appendices within Orders.
Guides provide acceptable, but not mandatory, means for complying with requirements of an Order or rule. Guides must not impose requirements but may quote requirements if the sources are adequately cited. Alternate methods may be used if it can be demonstrated that they provide equivalent or better level of performance.
 https://www.directives.doe.gov/directives/types-of-directives

