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Open Recommendations (97 total)

Coast Guard: Actions Needed to Ensure Investments in Key Data System Meet Mission and User Needs

GAO-20-562
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
United States Coast Guard The Commandant of the Coast Guard should ensure that the Deputy Commandant for Mission Support and the Deputy Commandant for Operations use the processes outlined in the SELC to identify needed enhancements across the MISLE system by developing an updated mission needs statement. (Recommendation 3)
Open
The Department of Homeland Security concurred with this recommendation and determined in May 2020 that MISLE needs to be replaced. In January 2021, the Coast Guard said that it had established an integrated product team to analyze and document the capability gaps, mission needs, and operational requirements for a case management system to replace MISLE. Coast Guard officials stated that, in January 2023, the Coast Guard completed a capability analysis report and developed an integrated project team to draft the mission needs statement for the MISLE replacement. These actions followed from the Coast Guard's March 2021 development of a capability-based assessment, which was designed to assess the processes and resources needed to effectively manage and conduct cases in most Coast Guard offices. According to Coast Guard officials in June 2023, the agency expected to complete a mission needs statement and submit it for departmental review in summer 2023. We are monitoring Coast Guard's progress and plan to follow up in the second quarter of fiscal year 2024 for an update on the status and results of the mission needs statement for the new system.

Coast Guard: Actions Needed to Enhance IT Program Implementation

GAO-22-105092
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
United States Coast Guard The Commandant of the United States Coast Guard should direct the Deputy Commandant for Mission Support to send its list of cloud services that do not meet FedRAMP requirements to the appropriate agency head for submission to the Federal CIO. (Recommendation 7)
Open
In November 2023, the Coast Guard stated that its Cloud Implementation Integrated Project Team developed Department of Defense (DOD) Security Requirements Group (SRG) compliant contract language, which requires each cloud service to meet the minimum requirements for DOD cloud service providers. The agency added that during IT acquisition reviews, if a cloud service is requested, the review team ensures that the proposed contract language is included, or the acquisition request will be denied until the appropriate contract language is added. As of February 2024, the Coast Guard plans to submit a list of cloud services that do not meet FedRAMP requirements to the agency head by December 31, 2024.

Merchant Mariner Credentialing: Coast Guard Performance Measures Could Better Address Mariners' Needs

GAO-23-106629
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
United States Coast Guard The Commandant of the Coast Guard should, after establishing an overall processing time performance measure, use it to regularly assess and report on the performance of the merchant mariner credentialing program. (Recommendation 2)
Open
DHS concurred with this recommendation. However, according to DHS's written comments on the report, the Coast Guard does not anticipate developing a process to regularly assess its performance against an overall processing time measure until March 30, 2029. As described in DHS's written comments, the Coast Guard is developing a replacement for its credentialing database that will transform the way the agency processes applications, and its efforts to address our recommendations are tied to that effort. The recommendation implementation timeframe, however, does not address mariners' current needs, and the Coast Guard's acquisitions plans could be delayed, extending implementation efforts even more. When we confirm what actions the Coast Guard has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Coast Guard: Workforce Planning Actions Needed to Address Growing Cyberspace Mission Demands

GAO-22-105208
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
United States Coast Guard The Commandant of the Coast Guard should set and quantify retention goals and objectives for its cyberspace workforce. (Recommendation 5)
Open
DHS concurred with this recommendation. In March 2023, the Coast Guard reported that it was working to finalize the Cyber Mission Specialist rating. Once implemented, the Coast Guard plans to gather and analyze workforce data and consider retention incentives. Coast Guard's estimated completion date for this effort is September 30, 2026. We will continue to monitor the Coast Guard's efforts to implement this recommendation.

Coast Guard: Aircraft Fleet and Aviation Workforce Assessments Needed

GAO-24-106374
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
United States Coast Guard The Commandant of the Coast Guard should assess the type of helicopters the Coast Guard requires to meet its mission demands, as part of an analysis of alternatives. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Commercial Fishing Vessels: More Information Needed to Improve Classification Implementation

GAO-18-16
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
United States Coast Guard The Coast Guard should issue regulations or guidance to clarify and implement the alternative-to-class approach. (Recommendation 4)
Open
The Department of Homeland Security concurred with our recommendation that the Coast Guard issue regulations or guidance to clarify and implement the alternative-to-class approach. The Coast Guard stated they had a comprehensive discussion with commercial fishing industry members in November 2018, clarifying the alternative-to-class approach as it relates to commercial fishing vessels including discussion topics such as understanding the language of 46 USC 4503 and State Licensed Naval Architect and Marine Engineers' scope of responsibilities when incorporating standards equivalent to those prescribed by a classification society. As of June 2021, Coast Guard officials stated they are studying the adequacy of the alternative-to-class approach and will consider additional guidance when the study concludes in 2026. As of February 2023, the study is ongoing and GAO will continue to monitor.

Coast Guard: Enhancements Needed to Strengthen Marine Inspection Workforce Planning Efforts

GAO-22-104465
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
United States Coast Guard The Deputy Commandant for Operations should update time frames and milestones for the marine inspection workforce pyramid initiative through full implementation. (Recommendation 3)
Open
In July 2022 the Coast Guard reported that activities for the marine inspection workforce pyramid were folded into the project proposal to study and model all Prevention workforce pyramids discussed in recommendation 1. The Coast Guard reported in April 2023 that the Research and Development Center initiated the project 'Persistent Simulation for the Coast Guard Workforce' in October 2022 and that Coast Guard identified a key off-the-shelf modeling/simulation application. As of December 2023, the project remains on track for completion by summer 2025, according to Coast Guard officials. We will continue to monitor the Coast Guard's efforts to update its marine inspection workforce pyramids.

Coast Guard: Opportunities Exist to Strengthen Foreign Port Security Assessment Program

GAO-23-105385
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
United States Coast Guard The Commandant of the Coast Guard should ensure the International Port Security Program incorporates performance measures that fully address the program's two key objectives of meeting its triennial assessment mandate and assessing risk to maritime security by assessing security at all visited ports. (Recommendation 6)
Open
The Coast Guard concurred with the recommendation and stated that it will develop appropriate internal performance measures. The Coast Guard stated that it will develop performance measures as it implements a new information system to collect information on the program. In September 2023, officials stated the Coast Guard expected to implement the new system and develop new performance measures by July 2024.

Coast Guard: Actions Needed to Ensure Investments in Key Data System Meet Mission and User Needs

GAO-20-562
Show
1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
United States Coast Guard The Commandant of the Coast Guard should ensure that the Deputy Commandant for Mission Support and the Deputy Commandant for Operations use the processes outlined in the SELC to identify and analyze alternatives, and objectively select the preferred solution for MISLE to meet approved mission needs. (Recommendation 4)
Open
The Coast Guard concurred with this recommendation and determined in May 2020 that MISLE needs to be replaced. In January 2021, the Coast Guard said that it had established an integrated product team to analyze and document the capability gaps, mission needs, and operational requirements for a case management system to replace MISLE. In July 2022, the Coast Guard reported that it completed the initial step in the process in March 2021 by developing a capability-based assessment. This assessment was designed to understand the processes and resources needed to effectively manage and conduct cases in most Coast Guard offices. Coast Guard officials also stated that the agency had completed an initial draft of a mission needs statement for the system and expected to finalize the statement by summer 2023. Officials also stated in June 2023 that they had drafted a preliminary concept of operations for the system in March 2023, with a targeted completion date of May or June 2024. Finally, the Coast Guard received $20 million in funds for fiscal year 2022 for the development of the new system. However, Coast Guard officials stated that it is still too early in the development process to determine when the agency will be ready to identify and analyze these alternatives for development. We continue to monitor Coast Guard's progress on the development of the concept of operations and requirements documents.

Coast Guard: Actions Needed to Enhance IT Program Implementation

GAO-22-105092
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
United States Coast Guard The Commandant of the United States Coast Guard should direct the Deputy Commandant for Mission Support to update the service's cloud strategy and other relevant documentation to include a cross-walk of new and old skills and occupational categories, and to conduct a skills gap analysis. (Recommendation 8)
Open
In January 2024, the Coast Guard stated that it has established various activities to identify cloud capabilities and engage with stakeholders to address cloud skills requirements in the workforce. The Coast Guard also described how cloud training will be tailored to specific agency needs and roles. The agency added that cloud support and staffing is primarily being delivered through contract staffing services. Therefore, the agency stated that it did not see a need to modify the Coast Guard's Cloud Strategy to address identified cloud workforce skill gaps. However, as we reported in July 2022, federal policy and guidance states that agencies should establish a strategy for workforce development, to include a cross-walk of new and old skills and occupational categories, and to conduct cloud-based skills gap analyses for future skill and position requirements. We will continue to monitor the Coast Guard's actions to address this recommendation.
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