Legal Submission Concerning Pricing of Publications by the Superintendent of Documents (Code 947096)

GAO's Logistics and Communications Division (LCD) reviewed the Government Printing Office's (GPO) recent price increases for publications sold by the Superintendent of Documents. This review was in response to a congressional request arising from complaints about the large increases in price. The request contained two questions: (1) Do the recent price increases involve the same financial philosophy which has prevailed in the past? and (2) Do the price increases change the relationship between the current pricing structure and the Superintendent of Documents' annual appropriation as contrasted with past relationships? LCD asked what should be included as "cost" and asked about the relationship of recent price increases to the annual appropriation for the Superintendent of Documents.