GAO

Duplication & Cost Savings
A 2017 Overview
HIGHLIGHTS FROM GAO-17-491SP


Graphic: illustration of connected icons: agencies, money, services,
citizens, and process
IMPROVING GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS IS IMPORTANT.
Since 2011, GAO's annual reports have identified 724 opportunities to
improve federal programs or activities. 

The government has already addressed over half of the opportunities we
identified in our first 6 reports--
resulting in $136 billion in financial benefits. 
We estimate that billions more dollars could be saved by fully
implementing our unaddressed actions.
Graphic: illustration of stacks of money


DUPLICATION

Graphic: multiple agencies --> same services --> same beneficiaries
Duplication occurs when two or more agencies/programs are working on the
same activities or providing the same services to the same
beneficiaries.

REDUCING DUPLICATIVE FEDERAL SPENDING ON TRANSIT PROJECTS COULD SAVE
MONEY
Example: The Federal Transit Administration gave $3.6 billion in funding
to 40 projects in 2014 to help transit systems withstand future
disasters in the areas affected by Hurricane Sandy. However, if FTA
considers potential duplicate funding by other agencies for similar
projects, it may find that spending money on some projects is not
necessary.
Graphic: illustration of a subway


OVERLAP

Graphic: multiple agencies --> similar services --> similar
beneficiaries
Overlap occurs when multiple agencies/programs have similar goals or are
providing similar services.

IMPROVING COORDINATION OF FEDERAL GRANTS COULD REDUCE OVERLAPPING
FUNDING.
Example: Some agencies, like the National Institutes of Health, have a
formal process in place to review their grant applications for overlap
in funding. But others, like the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), do not--which could result in a grantee getting
multiple CDC grants for the same research program.
Graphic: illustration of a soldier at a virtual dashboard


FRAGMENTATION

Graphic: multiple agencies --> related services --> related
beneficiaries
Fragmentation is when more than one federal agency (or multiple
organizations within the same agency) are working on different parts of
the same goal. Working more efficiently would help them reach that goal
faster.

BETTER MANAGING VIRTUAL COMBAT TRAINING COULD SAVE TENS OF MILLIONS OF
DOLLARS.
Example: The Army and Air Force could better integrate virtual devices
into their training programs to maximize available resources. For
example, the Army acquired 18 of one type of virtual driver training
device for $12 million, but only used them for 435 hours of training in
fiscal year 2015-- although they were available for 33,222 hours of
training.
Graphic: illustration of a commisary


COST SAVINGS

Graphic: illustration of financial statements 
These are opportunities for the government to cut costs or better target
resources.

MORE EFFICIENTLY MANAGING DOD's COMMISSARIES COULD SAVE BILLIONS OF
DOLLARS.
Example: If the Department of Defense operated its supermarkets
(commissaries)  using the more cost-effective business practices that
commercial grocery stores use, it could save up to $2 billion.  
Graphic: illustration of a commisary


REVENUE ENHANCEMENT

Graphic: illustration of a hand holding money
Revenue enhancement includes ways for the government to collect
additional revenue by taking actions to encourage payment.

ENSURING COMPLIANCE WITH THE INLAND WATERWAYS FUEL TAX COULD RAISE
REVENUE.
Example: If the Internal Revenue Service accessed the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers' proprietary data, it could better assess whether commercial
vehicles are paying the appropriate amount of inland waterways fuel tax. 
Graphic: illustration of a tugboat 


Graphic: Duplication & Cost Savings medallion
FIND OUT MORE IN THE DUPLICATION & COST SAVINGS SECTION OF GAO.GOV. 


LOOKING FOR MORE INFORMATION? 
Visit GAO.GOV. Read the full report: GAO-17-491SP.
This work has been released into the public domain.

GAO