Nutrition Monitoring: Mismanagement of Nutrition Survey Has Resulted in Questionable Data
RCED-91-117
Published: Jul 26, 1991. Publicly Released: Sep 11, 1991.
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Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO examined the Human Nutrition Information Service's (HNIS) 1987-88 Nationwide Food Consumption Survey (NFCS), focusing on the: (1) methodological soundness of the 1987-88 survey; and (2) effectiveness of the Department of Agriculture's management of the contractor hired to conduct the survey.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Agriculture | To address problems with the quality of the 1987-88 NFCS data, the Secretary of Agriculture should direct HNIS to disclose in all NFCS technical reports limitations that the expert panel finds in the NFCS basic sample data. |
Closed – Implemented
HNIS has incorporated a statement regarding the data quality problems to all federal agencies and researchers who have received NFCS data.
|
| Department of Agriculture | To address problems with the quality of the 1987-88 NFCS data, the Secretary of Agriculture should direct HNIS to assess whether the data for the low-income sample were biased or otherwise poor in quality and, if so, disclose those limitations in all relevant technical reports. |
Closed – Implemented
The Department is cautioning users of NFCS data on its limitations through speeches, presentations, and written and data tape notices.
|
| Department of Agriculture | To minimize problems in future surveys, the Secretary of Agriculture, before requesting funds for another NFCS, should submit to Congress a report demonstrating that HNIS has developed efficient survey instruments and procedures that reduce the burden on respondents, increase households' motivation to participate in NFCS, and meet essential data needs. |
Closed – Implemented
HNIS has initiated steps to improve response rates on future surveys through various actions, including workshops, joint working groups, interagency agreements, and coordination activities with other agencies.
|
| Department of Agriculture | To minimize problems in future surveys, the Secretary of Agriculture, before requesting funds for another NFCS, should submit to Congress a report describing a plan to ensure that the survey's data will be representative of the U.S. population. |
Closed – Implemented
Although HNIS has begun and plans numerous actions to ensure the reliability of future NFCS data, its submission of a report to Congress has not been included as recommended. The agency informed GAO that it is reluctant to agree to submitting a separate report to Congress. The agency has until 1996 to finalize its decision.
|
| Department of Agriculture | To minimize problems in future surveys, the Secretary of Agriculture, before requesting funds for another NFCS, should submit to Congress a report stating the steps to be taken and quality controls to be followed so that future surveys do not repeat the mistakes of the past. |
Closed – Implemented
Although HNIS has begun and plans numerous actions to ensure the reliability of future NFCS data, its submission of a report to Congress has not been included as recommended. The agency informed GAO that it is reluctant to agree to submitting a separate report to Congress. The agency has until 1996 to finalize its decision.
|
| Department of Agriculture | The Secretary of Agriculture should direct the Food and Nutrition Service and HNIS, in contracts for future surveys, to ensure that existing contracting procedures are followed and people are held accountable for carrying out their responsibilities. Particular attention should be given to contract planning, contract writing, compliance with the contracts' terms, and contract administration and monitoring by contracting officer's representatives and contracting officers. |
Closed – Implemented
The Department has provided training for contract officials, developed minimal experience criteria for contract specialists, reorganized the monitoring division, and established special teams to ensure survey accountability.
|
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Topics
Contract administrationContract performanceContracting officersContractor violationsData collectionData integrityInternal controlsMonitoringNutrition surveysStatistical methods