Reports News from the GAO http://www.gao.gov/press.html 2009-07-02T15:09:48+01:00 FeedCreator 1.7.2-ppt 2009-07-02T00:00:00+01:00 2009-07-02T00:00:00+01:00 http://www.gao.gov/pdfs/GAO-09-651?source=ra

In Process

2009-06-30T00:00:00+01:00 2009-06-30T00:00:00+01:00 http://www.gao.gov/pdfs/GAO-09-577?source=ra

In 1995, the Department of Defense (DOD) began an effort to implement a standard departmentwide travel system--the Defense Travel System (DTS). GAO has made numerous recommendations aimed at improving DOD management, oversight, and implementation of DTS. GAO was asked to (1) assess the actions DOD has taken to implement GAO's prior recommendations; (2) determine the actions DOD has taken to standardize and streamline its travel rules and ...

2009-06-30T00:00:00+01:00 2009-06-30T00:00:00+01:00 http://www.gao.gov/pdfs/GAO-09-817R?source=ra

This letter responds to congressional request that GAO address additional questions arising from the May 19, 2009, hearing on federal information security held by the Subcommittee on Government Management, Organization, and Procurement. In that hearing, we discussed the current state of information security throughout the federal government and agency efforts to comply with the requirements of the Federal Information Security Management ...

2009-06-30T00:00:00+01:00 2009-06-30T00:00:00+01:00 http://www.gao.gov/pdfs/GAO-09-785R?source=ra

The Recovery Act established relatively few requirements for the design of the TIGER grant program. In addition to the requirements outlined in the opening paragraph of this report, the act requires that the department (1) award grants of no less than $20 million and no more than $300 million with no more than $300 million awarded for projects in any one state; (2) give priority to projects that are expected to be completed by February ...

2009-06-29T00:00:00+01:00 2009-06-29T00:00:00+01:00 http://www.gao.gov/pdfs/GAO-09-606?source=ra

Reverse mortgages--a type of loan against the borrower's home that is available to seniors--are growing in popularity. However, concerns have emerged about the adequacy of consumer protections for this product. Most reverse mortgages are made under the Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) program. HUD insures the mortgages, which are made by private lenders, and oversees the agencies ...

2009-06-29T00:00:00+01:00 2009-06-29T00:00:00+01:00 http://www.gao.gov/pdfs/GAO-09-812T?source=ra

Reverse mortgages--a type of loan against the borrower's home that is available to seniors--are growing in popularity. These mortgages allow seniors to convert their home equity into flexible cash advances while living in their homes. However, concerns have emerged about the adequacy of consumer protections for this product. Most reverse mortgages are made under the Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Home Equity Conversion ...

2009-06-29T00:00:00+01:00 2009-06-29T00:00:00+01:00 http://www.gao.gov/pdfs/GAO-09-657?source=ra

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated that a potential gap between future needs and current spending for wastewater infrastructure of $150 billion to $400 billion could occur over the next decade. A number of entities are involved in planning, financing, building, and operating this infrastructure. Some of these stakeholders have suggested a variety of approaches to bridge this potential gap. One such proposal is to establish ...

2009-06-29T00:00:00+01:00 2009-06-29T00:00:00+01:00 http://www.gao.gov/pdfs/GAO-09-630?source=ra

In prior work, GAO found that contractors were paid billions of dollars in award fees regardless of acquisition outcomes. In December 2007, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued guidance aimed at improving the use of award fee contracts. GAO was asked to (1) identify agencies' actions to revise or develop award fee policies and guidance to reflect OMB guidance, (2) assess the consistency of current practices with the new guidance, ...

2009-06-29T00:00:00+01:00 2009-06-29T00:00:00+01:00 http://www.gao.gov/pdfs/GAO-09-452?source=ra

Concerns over unsuitable insurance products and inappropriate sales practices directed at servicemembers have prompted legislative and regulatory changes to address these concerns. Congress asked GAO to assess oversight efforts by the Department of Defense (DOD), the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), and state insurance regulators. In this report, GAO (1) describes actions to improve oversight of life insurance sales ...

2009-06-26T00:00:00+01:00 2009-06-26T00:00:00+01:00 http://www.gao.gov/pdfs/GAO-09-562?source=ra

The Department of Defense (DOD) and other executive agencies increasingly deploy civilians in support of contingency operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Prior GAO reports show that the use of deployed civilians has raised questions about the potential for differences in policies on compensation and medical benefits. GAO was asked to compare agency policies and to identify any issues in policy or implementation regarding (1) compensation, ...

2009-06-26T00:00:00+01:00 2009-06-26T00:00:00+01:00 http://www.gao.gov/pdfs/GAO-09-654R?source=ra

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, damaging critical infrastructure, such as oil platforms, pipelines, and refineries; water mains; electric power lines; and cellular phone towers. The infrastructure damage and resulting chaos disrupted government and business functions alike, producing cascading effects far beyond the physical location of the storm. Threats against critical infrastructure are not limited to natural disasters. ...

2009-06-26T00:00:00+01:00 2009-06-26T00:00:00+01:00 http://www.gao.gov/pdfs/GAO-09-659?source=ra

In 2008, GAO reported that 1,088 oil industry mergers occurred between 2000 and 2007. Given the potential for price effects, GAO recommended that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the agency with the authority to maintain petroleum industry competition, undertake more regular retrospective reviews of past petroleum industry mergers, and FTC said it would consider this recommendation. GAO was asked to conduct such a review of its own to ...

2009-06-25T00:00:00+01:00 2009-06-25T00:00:00+01:00 http://www.gao.gov/pdfs/GAO-09-804T?source=ra

The Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO) is responsible for addressing the threat of nuclear smuggling. Radiation detection portal monitors are key elements in the nation's defenses against such threats. DHS has sponsored testing to develop new monitors, known as advanced spectroscopic portal (ASP) monitors, to replace radiation detection equipment being used at ports of entry. DNDO expects that ...

2009-06-25T00:00:00+01:00 2009-06-25T00:00:00+01:00 http://www.gao.gov/pdfs/GAO-09-636T?source=ra

Recent cases of corporate fraud and mismanagement heighten the Department of Justice's (DOJ) need to appropriately punish and deter corporate crime. Recently, DOJ has made more use of deferred prosecution and non-prosecution agreements (DPAs and NPAs), in which prosecutors may require company reform, among other things, in exchange for deferring prosecution, and may also require companies to hire an independent monitor to oversee compliance. ...

2009-06-25T00:00:00+01:00 2009-06-25T00:00:00+01:00 http://www.gao.gov/pdfs/GAO-09-835T?source=ra

Federal laws and policy have assigned important roles and responsibilities to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for securing computer networks and systems. DHS is charged with coordinating the protection of computer-reliant critical infrastructure--much of which is owned by the private sector--and securing its own computer systems, while NIST is responsible for developing ...

2009-06-25T00:00:00+01:00 2009-06-25T00:00:00+01:00 http://www.gao.gov/pdfs/GAO-09-735R?source=ra

The purpose of this letter is to respond to Congressional request for information regarding the test and evaluation process conducted by the Department of Defense (DOD) of a specific synthetic lubricant called MILITEC-1 that is produced by Militec, Inc., and the assignment and cancellation of national stock numbers2 (NSN) associated with that product. Militec, Inc., has challenged DOD decisions not to include MILITEC-1 in the federal supply ...

2009-06-25T00:00:00+01:00 2009-06-25T00:00:00+01:00 http://www.gao.gov/pdfs/GAO-09-845T?source=ra

The Highway Account within the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) is the principal means for funding federal highway programs. Administered by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) within the Department of Transportation (DOT), it channels about $33 billion in highway user excise taxes annually to states for highway and related spending. Estimated outlays from the Highway Account under the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation ...

2009-06-25T00:00:00+01:00 2009-06-25T00:00:00+01:00 http://www.gao.gov/pdfs/GAO-09-840?source=ra

DOD is in the process of implementing this human capital system, and according to DOD, about 212,000 civilian employees are currently under the system. On February 11, 2009, however, the House Armed Services Committee and its Subcommittee on Readiness asked DOD to halt conversions of any additional employees to NSPS until the administration and Congress could properly address the future of DOD's personnel management system. On March 16, ...

2009-06-25T00:00:00+01:00 2009-06-25T00:00:00+01:00 http://www.gao.gov/pdfs/GAO-09-514?source=ra

In its role as the nation's tax collector, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has a demanding responsibility to annually collect trillions of dollars in taxes, process hundreds of millions of tax and information returns, and enforce the nation's tax laws. Since its first audit of IRS's financial statements in fiscal year 1992, GAO has identified a number of weaknesses in IRS's financial management operations. In related reports, GAO has ...

2009-06-24T00:00:00+01:00 2009-06-24T00:00:00+01:00 http://www.gao.gov/pdfs/GAO-09-614?source=ra

The air cargo industry contributed over $37 billion to the U.S. economy in 2008 and provides government, businesses, and individuals with quick delivery of goods. Although part of an aviation system with an extraordinary safety record, there have been over 400 air cargo accidents and over 900 incidents since 1997, raising concerns about cargo safety. GAO's congressionally requested study addresses (1) recent trends in air cargo safety, ...

2009-06-24T00:00:00+01:00 2009-06-24T00:00:00+01:00 http://www.gao.gov/pdfs/GAO-09-530R?source=ra

The U.S. Coast Guard is currently undertaking a major effort to update its command structure, support systems, and business practices. This effort, referred to as the modernization program, is intended to better position the service to fulfill not only traditional missions--such as ensuring the safety and security of commercial shipping, safeguarding U.S. fisheries, interdicting the smuggling of illicit drugs, and conducting search and ...

2009-06-24T00:00:00+01:00 2009-06-24T00:00:00+01:00 http://www.gao.gov/pdfs/GAO-09-579?source=ra

Federal agencies have used time-and-materials (T&M) contracts to purchase billions of dollars in services. These contracts are risky because the government bears the risk of cost overruns. Effective February 2007, the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) was revised, pursuant to a statutory change, to allow T&M contracts to be used to acquire commercial services under FAR Part 12, which uses a streamlined procurement process. Certain safeguards ...

2009-06-24T00:00:00+01:00 2009-06-24T00:00:00+01:00 http://www.gao.gov/pdfs/GAO-09-693R?source=ra

The Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) was enacted in 1946 and permits individuals injured by the wrongful or negligent acts or omissions of federal employees, including medical malpractice, to seek and receive compensation from the federal government through an administrative process and, ultimately, through the federal courts. The FTCA, with few exceptions, provides the exclusive means by which individuals can seek compensation when injured ...

2009-06-24T00:00:00+01:00 2009-06-24T00:00:00+01:00 http://www.gao.gov/pdfs/GAO-09-513R?source=ra

In November 2008, we issued our report on the results of our audit of the Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) financial statements as of, and for the fiscal years ending, September 30, 2008, and 2007, and on the effectiveness of its internal controls as of September 30, 2008. We also reported our conclusions on IRS's compliance with significant provisions of selected laws and regulations and on whether IRS's financial management systems substantially ...

2009-06-24T00:00:00+01:00 2009-06-24T00:00:00+01:00 http://www.gao.gov/pdfs/GAO-09-819T?source=ra

Millions of individuals receive prescription drugs through federal programs. The increasing cost of prescription drugs has put pressure to control drug spending on federal programs such as the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP), Medicare Part D, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the Department of Defense (DOD), and Medicaid. Prescription drug spending within the FEHBP in particular, which provides health and drug coverage ...