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United States Government Accountability Office: 
GAO: 

Report to the Administrator, General Services Administration: 

December 2014: 

Mobile Devices: 

Federal Agencies' Steps to Improve Mobile Access to Government 
Information and Services: 

GAO-15-69: 

GAO Highlights: 

Highlights of GAO-15-69, a report to the Administrator, General 
Services Administration. 

Why GAO Did This Study: 

Today, millions of Americans use mobile devices like smartphones and 
tablet computers on a daily basis to communicate and obtain 
information. Further, due to recent technical advances in mobile 
technology, consumers can use these devices to carry out a broad range 
of activities that previously required a desktop or laptop computer—
including shopping, banking, and accessing government services. Given 
these trends, providing government information and services “anytime, 
anywhere, and on any device,” has become increasingly important, 
particularly as some mobile users may not have any other means of 
online access. 

GAO reviewed information on mobile users and how they access 
government information and services. This report describes (1) the 
demographics of mobile users and the factors that might be associated 
with the increased use of mobile devices, (2) the devices individuals 
are using to access government services and the challenges people 
face, and (3) the actions the federal government has taken to enhance 
access to government services via mobile devices. GAO reviewed 
pertinent federal legislation and guidance and conducted a review of 
literature; interviewed, analyzed and reviewed information from six 
randomly selected federal agencies; and interviewed officials from 
other federal agencies and consumer advocacy groups. 

What GAO Found: 

According to Pew Research Center, in 2013, some demographic groups 
relied more on cellphones to access the Internet than others. Those 
who are young, earn more income, have a graduate degree, or are 
African American had the highest rate of mobile access. In contrast, 
according to Pew, those who used cellphones to access the Internet in 
2013 at lower rates tended to be seniors, the less educated, or rural 
populations. Only 22 percent of seniors ages 65 and older accessed the 
Internet using cellphones, compared to 85 percent of young people. GAO 
also found that access to the Internet using cellphones has increased, 
primarily due to lower cost, convenience, and technical advances. 

Figure: Various Populations' Use of Cellphones to Access the Internet, 
2013: 

[Refer to PDF for image: illustrated table] 

Higher use of cellphones to access the Internet: 

Young people (18 to 29 years old): 85%; 
College education (college degree or higher): 74%; 
Above average income (over $75,000 per year): 79%; 
African American: 74%. 

Lower use of cellphones to access the Internet: 
High school education only: 53%; 
No high school diploma: 51%; 
Live in rural areas: 50%; 
Seniors (65 or older): 22%. 

Source: GAO based on Pew data. GAO-15-69. 

[End of figure] 

Although desktop and laptop computers are still the primary means of 
access, consumers are increasingly using mobile devices to access 
websites with government information and services. For example, the 
number of individual visitors using smartphones and tablets to access 
the Department of the Interior's information and services increased 
significantly from 57,428 visitors in 2011 to 1,206,959 in 2013. Even 
so, mobile Internet users reportedly face a range of challenges 
accessing government services online. For example, viewing any website 
that has not been “optimized” for mobile access-—in other words, 
redesigned for smaller screens-—can be challenging. 

Federal agencies-—which have more than 11,000 websites-—have taken a 
range of actions to enhance access to information and services via 
mobile devices. The Office of Management and Budget, in response to 
the milestones laid out in its Digital Government Strategy, created 
the Digital Services Advisory Group, which—together with the General 
Services Administration‘s Office of Citizen Services and Innovative 
Technology—has provided federal agencies with guidance, resources, and 
tools to enhance access to government services via mobile devices. In 
addition, five of the six agencies GAO interviewed have taken steps to 
improve access to their websites via mobile devices. For example, in 
2012, the Department of Transportation (DOT) redesigned its main 
website, www.dot.gov, to provide a platform for mobile access. Three 
of the other agencies GAO interviewed have also redesigned websites to 
better accommodate mobile devices and the other two agencies have 
plans to do so.

What GAO Recommends: 

GAO is not making recommendations in this report. 

View GAO-15-69. For more information, contact Mark Goldstein at (202) 
512-2834 or GoldsteinM@gao.gov. 

[End of section] 

Contents: 

Letter: 

Background: 

Internet Access Using Cellphones Is Increasing, with Some Populations 
Using Them More Than Others: 

Although More Individuals Use Mobile Devices to Access Selected 
Agencies' Information and Services, Challenges Still Exist: 

Federal Agencies Have Taken Actions to Enhance Access to Government 
Information and Services via Mobile Devices: 

Agency Comments: 

Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, and Methodology: 

Appendix II: Profiles on Selected Agencies: 

Appendix III: GAO Contact and Staff Acknowledgments: 

Tables: 

Table 1: What Respondents Like Most about Owning a Cellphone: 

Table 2: Percentage Breakdown of Devices Used to Access Selected 
Federal Agencies' Main Websites, 2013: 

Table 3: Department of the Interior: 

Table 4: Department of Transportation: 

Table 5: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): 

Table 6: National Weather Service: 

Table 7: Federal Maritime Commission: 

Table 8: National Endowment for the Arts: 

Figures: 

Figure 1: Device Ownership, 2006-2013: 

Figure 2: Percentage of Cellphone Owners Who Use Their Phones to 
Access the Internet: 

Figure 3: Various Populations' Use of Cellphones to Access the 
Internet, 2013: 

Figure 4: Trend Data on Number of Smartphones and Tablets Used to 
Access Selected Federal Agencies' Information and Services (in 
Millions): 

Figure 5: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention before and after 
Optimization for Mobile Access: 

Figure 6: Department of Transportation's Website before and after 
Optimization for Mobile Access: 

Figure 7: Screen Shots of FEMA's Website as it Appears on Full Screen 
and on a Mobile Device: 

Abbreviations: 

API: Application Programming Interface: 

CIO: Chief Information Officers (CIO): 

DOI: Department of the Interior: 

DOT: Department of Transportation: 

DSAG: Digital Services Advisory Group: 

FCC: Federal Communications Commission: 

FEMA: Federal Emergency Management Agency: 

FMC: Federal Maritime Commission: 

FMCSA: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration: 

FRA: Federal Railroad Administration: 

GPS: Global Positioning System: 

GSA: General Services Administration: 

NEA: National Endowment for the Arts: 

NHTSA: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: 

NOAA: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: 

NTIA: National Telecommunications and Information Administration: 

NWS: National Weather Service: 

OCSIT: Office of Citizen Services and Innovative Technologies: 

OMB: Office of Management and Budget: 

PDF: portable document files: 

[End of section] 

United States Government Accountability Office: 
GAO:
441 G St. N.W. 
Washington, DC 20548: 

December 22, 2014: 

The Honorable Daniel M. Tangherlini, Administrator: 
General Services Administration: 

Millions of Americans currently use mobile devices--cellphones, 
[Footnote 1] smartphones,[Footnote 2] and tablet computers--on a daily 
basis to communicate and share information. As a result, more people 
are accessing the Internet through mobile devices like smartphones and 
tablets to go online for various information and services, including 
shopping, banking, and government services.[Footnote 3] Further, 
according to 2013 data from the American Customer Satisfaction Index, 
about a third (32 percent) of respondents reported visiting a federal 
government website on a mobile device.[Footnote 4] Given these trends, 
since 2012, the federal government has been implementing initiatives 
with the ultimate goal of enabling users to access online government 
information and services "anytime, anywhere, and on any device." 
[Footnote 5] These initiatives are particularly important, in part, 
because some people may prefer to access the Internet via mobile 
devices, according to the Pew Research Center. For example, Pew cited 
that some smartphone owners view their phone as an essential utility; 
they keep it close by at all times, check it frequently, and would 
prefer using it over a desktop or laptop computer. Access to 
government sites is also important because some segments of the 
population may not have any other means of online access, such as a 
desktop computer, besides their smartphone. If government information 
and services are not easily accessible via smartphones or other mobile 
devices, some people may not have adequate access to these services 
through the Internet.

We examined the demographics of mobile device users as well as how 
consumers who use these devices are able to access government 
services. This report provides information on: 

1. available data about the demographics of mobile users and the 
factors that might be associated with the increased use of mobile 
devices;

2. the devices individuals are using to access government services and 
the challenges mobile users face when accessing these services; and: 

3. actions the federal government has taken to enhance access to 
government services via mobile devices.

To address these objectives, we reviewed pertinent federal legislation 
and guidance pertaining to mobile access to government information and 
services. These include Digital Government: Building a 21st Century 
Platform to Better Serve the American People issued by the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB); [Footnote 6] the Presidential Memorandum 
on Building a 21st Century Digital Government; and Section 508 of the 
Rehabilitation Act, which ensures that individuals with disabilities 
have access to federal government information and data that is 
comparable to that provided to members of the public without 
disabilities.[Footnote 7] To determine available data about the 
demographics of those mobile users, we reviewed studies from the Pew 
Research Center[Footnote 8] and interviewed officials from the Pew 
Research Center, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the 
National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), and 
the Census Bureau. We also conducted a review of literature and then 
selected, reviewed, and analyzed reports and studies that contained 
information on factors that might be associated with the increased use 
of mobile devices. To understand the challenges that consumers face 
when accessing government information and services using their mobile 
devices, we interviewed industry and consumer advocacy organizations 
such as CTIA--the Wireless Association,[Footnote 9] AARP, the American 
Foundation for the Blind, and Connected Nation.[Footnote 10] To better 
understand the types of devices consumers use to access government 
websites, we collected and analyzed data and conducted, summarized, 
and analyzed in-depth interviews with officials from the following six 
federal agencies: the Department of the Interior (DOI), the Department 
of Transportation (DOT), the Federal Emergency Management Agency 
(FEMA), the National Weather Service (NWS), the Federal Maritime 
Commission (FMC), and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). We 
used a stratified random sample to select these agencies. The results 
of our analysis are not generalizable to all federal agencies. To 
obtain information on actions the federal government has taken to 
enhance access to services via mobile devices, we interviewed 
officials from the six selected agencies mentioned above, as well as 
agencies with responsibility for implementing the Digital Government 
Strategy, which include the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the 
General Services Administration (GSA), the Federal Chief Information 
Officers (CIO) Council, and the Federal Web Managers Council. See 
appendix I for more detailed information on our methodology.

We conducted this performance audit from July 2013 to December 2014 in 
accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards. 
Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain 
sufficient, appropriate evidence to provide a reasonable basis for our 
findings and conclusions based on our audit objectives. We believe the 
evidence obtained provides a reasonable basis for our findings and 
conclusions based on our audit objectives.

Background: 

Advances in computing technology have increased speed and storage 
capacity for mobile devices, enhancing consumers' abilities to perform 
a wide range of online tasks, such as shopping, banking, and accessing 
government services, primarily via the following mobile broadband 
technology: 

* Smartphones: Consumers can use smartphones to run a wide variety of 
general and special-purpose software applications, including accessing 
websites on the Internet. Smartphones typically have a larger 
graphical display with greater resolution than traditional cellphones 
and have either a keyboard or touch-sensitive screen for alphanumeric 
input. Smartphones also offer expansion capabilities and other built-
in wireless communications (such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth services).

* Tablets: A tablet personal computer (tablet) is a portable personal 
computer with a touch-sensitive screen. The tablet form is typically 
smaller than a notebook computer but larger than a smartphone.

Consumers are shifting activities that have more traditionally been 
conducted on desktop or laptop computers to these mobile devices. 
According to the Pew Research Center, nearly two-thirds (63 percent) 
of cellphone owners[Footnote 11] now use their phone to access the 
Internet. In addition, more than half (56 percent) of all Americans 
own smartphones, and 93 percent of these smartphone owners use their 
phone to access the internet.

The federal government--which has more than 11,000 websites[Footnote 
12]--has established guidelines to ensure that digital content on 
federal websites is accurate, relevant, and easy-to-use, and that 
digital services are easy to use and accessible to persons with 
disabilities and those who are not proficient in English. OMB is the 
lead agency in providing support to help ensure federal websites are 
well designed and easily accessible by all types of devices, including 
mobile devices through implementation of the Digital Government 
Strategy. The Digital Government Strategy emphasized the need to 
develop a "content management system"[Footnote 13] and convened a 
Digital Services Advisory Group (DSAG) comprised of information 
technology leaders from across government. The DSAG helps federal 
agencies share information and best practices on interacting with the 
public digitally and makes recommendations to OMB leadership on 
changes to federal policies and standards on digital services.

The Digital Government Strategy also directed certain federal 
agencies, those set forth under the Chief Financial Officers Act, as 
amended, to take actions to make government websites available 
"anytime, anywhere, on any device."[Footnote 14] OMB specified that 
agencies enhance access to government information for those using 
mobile devices and required each agency to identify at least two 
online services that the public accesses and to optimize at least two 
of those identified for mobile use.[Footnote 15] Agencies report 
actions they take to meet these milestones online via digital strategy 
reports that are posted to their respective websites. OMB also uses 
these reports to track agencies' status in meeting the milestones.

The Digital Government Strategy assigned the General Services 
Administration (GSA) responsibility for assisting agencies in 
increasing access to government websites through mobile devices. GSA's 
Office of Citizen Services and Innovative Technologies (OCSIT) is 
responsible for providing the public access to data, information, and 
services offered by the federal government and assists agencies in 
identifying and applying new technologies to effective government 
operation. Officials indicated that GSA does not have authority to 
require that agencies take certain actions. Rather, GSA's role is 
primarily to provide assistance, share best practices, and act as a 
resource to help agencies improve delivery of digital services, 
information, and data to the public.

Agency officials also have other resources for accessing and sharing 
information on website design and digital services. For example, the 
Federal Chief Information Officers (CIO) Council consists of chief 
information officers and other high officials from executive branch 
agencies and shares experiences, ideas, best practices, and innovative 
approaches related to information resource management, among other 
responsibilities.[Footnote 16] Additionally, informal communities of 
practice have formed that include web content managers, data 
communities, and mobile government; members collaborate and share 
common challenges and ideas related to digital government services.

Internet Access Using Cellphones Is Increasing, with Some Populations 
Using Them More Than Others: 

Access to the Internet Using Mobile Devices Is Rising due to Lower 
Cost, Convenience, and Technological Advances, according to 
Stakeholders and Literature: 

According to the Pew Research Center, as of January 2014, 90 percent 
of American adults own a cell phone. Research indicates that the 
number of users who own a smartphone or tablet computer has increased 
since 2010. According to Pew Research Center, 56 percent of American 
adults owned a smartphone of some kind as of May 2013, compared to 35 
percent in May 2011.[Footnote 17] This increasing trend in smartphone 
ownership will likely continue with 95 percent of teens going online 
and three in four teens accessing the Internet on mobile devices like 
smartphones.[Footnote 18] The number of tablet devices also has been 
on the rise, with Pew reporting that as of May 2013, about a third (34 
percent) of individuals ages 18 and older owns a tablet device like an 
iPad, Samsung Galaxy Tab, Google Nexus, or Kindle Fire, almost twice 
as many as the 18 percent who owned a tablet in May 2012.[Footnote 19] 
Despite this increase in tablet ownership, the percentage of tablet 
owners is still less than the percentage of smartphone owners, 
according to Pew data (see figure 1).

Figure 1: Device Ownership, 2006-2013: 

[Refer to PDF for image: multiple line graph] 

Date: April, 2006; 
Desktop computer: 68%; 
Laptop computer: 30%. 

Date: December 2007; 
Desktop computer: 65%; 
Laptop computer: 37%. 

Date: April 2008; 
Desktop computer: 65%; 
Laptop computer: 39%. 

Date: April 2009; 
Desktop computer: 62%; 
Laptop computer: 55%. 

Date: September 2009; 
Desktop computer: 62%; 
Laptop computer: 47%. 

Date: May 2010; 
Desktop computer: 62%; 
Laptop computer: 55%; 
Tablet computer: 3%. 

Date: September 2010; 
Desktop computer: 59%; 
Laptop computer: 52%; 
Tablet computer: 4%. 

Date: May 2011; 
Desktop computer: 57%; 
Laptop computer: 56%; 
Smartphone: 35%; 
Tablet computer: 8%. 

Date: August 2011; 
Desktop computer: 55%; 
Laptop computer: 57%; 
Tablet computer: 10%. 

Date: January 2012; 
Tablet computer: 19%. 

Date: February 2012; 
Smartphone: 45%. 

Date: April 2012; 
Desktop computer: 58%; 
Laptop computer: 61%; 
Smartphone: 46%; 
Tablet computer: 18%. 

Date: August 2012; 
Tablet computer: 25%. 

Date: September 2012; 
Smartphone: 45%. 

Date: November 2012; 
Smartphone: 47%. 

Date: December 2012; 
Smartphone: 45%; 
Tablet computer: 29%. 

Date: January 2013; 
Tablet computer: 31%. 

Date: May 2013; 
Smartphone: 56%; 
Tablet computer: 34%. 

Date: September 2013; 
Smartphone: 55%; 
Tablet computer: 35%. 

Source: GAO based on Pew Research Center data. GAO-15-69. 

[End of figure]

Pew Research indicates access to the Internet using cellphones has 
increased steadily over the past 5 years, more than doubling between 
2009 and 2013.[Footnote 20] Nearly two-thirds (63 percent) of 
cellphone owners now use their phone to access the Internet, an 8-
point increase from the 55 percent who did so at a similar point in 
2012, and a two-fold increase over the 31 percent who did so in 2009. 
(See figure 2.)[Footnote 21]

Figure 2: Percentage of Cellphone Owners Who Use Their Phones to 
Access the Internet: 

[Refer to PDF for image: vertical bar and line graph] 

Date: April 2009; 
Email: 25%; 
Internet: 25%; 
Total cell internet use: 31%. 

Date: May 2010; 
Email: 34%; 
Internet: 38%; 
Total cell internet use: 43%. 

Date: May 2011; 
Email: 38%; 
Internet: 44%; 
Total cell internet use: 47%. 

Date: April 2012; 
Email: 44%; 
Internet: 53%; 
Total cell internet use: 55%. 

Date: May 2013; 
Email: 52%; 
Internet: 60%; 
Total cell internet use: 63%. 

Source: Pew Research Center. GAO-15-69. 

[End of figure]

A number of factors may drive this trend: 

* Lower cost: The cost to connect to the Internet via mobile devices 
has decreased over time, making it more affordable for consumers to 
access the Internet. In a 2013 mobile competition report, FCC notes 
that through the widespread introduction of smartphones, wireless 
operators like Verizon have responded by competing for customers on 
price, both by offering more data for the same money or by lowering 
prices for fixed amounts of data.[Footnote 22] The FCC also noted that 
the average price per megabyte of data declined from about $0.11 in 
2009 to $0.06 in 2010 and to $0.03 in 2011 across nationwide mobile 
providers.[Footnote 23]

* Convenient access: Convenience may contribute to increased use of 
mobile devices to access the Internet. Smartphones can provide users 
access to information anytime and almost anywhere. For example, 
smartphone owners can access government services on mobile devices, 
such as weather information or automobile recalls and crash-test-
rating data. In 2012, Pew Research Center reported that cellphone 
owners like the convenience and ease of connectivity associated with 
mobile devices (see table 1).[Footnote 24]

Table 1: What Respondents Like Most about Owning a Cellphone: 

When asked to describe in their own words what they like most about 
owning a cellphone, people responded as follows: 

Convenience; 
Percentage of respondents: 17%.

Ability to call or talk to others at anytime; 
Percentage of respondents: 12%.

Obtain assistance in an emergency; 
Percentage of respondents: 11%.

Ability to use Internet, e-mail, or apps; 
Percentage of respondents: 9%.

Ability to connect with family; 
Percentage of respondents: 8%.

Source: Pew Research Center, 2012. GAO-15-69. 

[End of table] 

* Technological advances: Advances in the technological capabilities 
of mobile devices have also contributed to this trend, allowing 
consumers to carry out an ever broadening range of interactions, which 
previously required the use of a desktop or laptop computer. For 
example, smartphones can provide users with navigation tools and 
information relevant to their surroundings based on the user's current 
location determined by Global Positioning System (GPS) and other 
methods. Location-based services have proved popular with mobile 
device users; the Pew Research Center reported that three-quarters of 
smartphone users were using such services as of February 2012. 
[Footnote 25]

* Faster Internet speeds: Faster connection speeds have also 
reportedly increased Internet access using mobile devices. According 
to the FCC, four nationwide mobile wireless service providers--Verizon 
Wireless, AT&T, Sprint Nextel, and T-Mobile--as well as other mobile 
operators, continue to upgrade and expand their networks and according 
to the FCC, all of the major providers have either begun to deploy, or 
announced plans to migrate to Long Term Evolution technology.[Footnote 
26]

Young, Above-Average-Income, College-Educated, and African-American 
Populations Use Smartphones to Access the Internet More Than Other 
Demographic Groups: 

Pew reported that in 2013,[Footnote 27] those who are young (18-29 
years old), earn over $75,000, have a college degree or higher, or are 
African American[Footnote 28] have the highest rates of accessing the 
Internet with cellphones[Footnote 29] (see figure 3). Hispanics (68 
percent) and whites (59 percent) used their cellphones to access the 
Internet slightly less than African Americans (74 percent), according 
to Pew.[Footnote 30] Further, young, above-average income, college 
educated, and African-American populations all increased their rate of 
access using cellphones between 2012 and 2013 by 10 percentage points 
or more.[Footnote 31]

Figure 3: Various Populations' Use of Cellphones to Access the 
Internet, 2013: 

[Refer to PDF for image: illustrated table] 

Higher use of cellphones to access the Internet: 

Young people (18 to 29 years old): 85%; 
College education (college degree or higher): 74%; 
Above average income (over $75,000 per year): 79%; 
African American: 74%. 

Lower use of cellphones to access the Internet: 
High school education only: 53%; 
No high school diploma: 51%; 
Live in rural areas: 50%; 
Seniors (65 or older): 22%. 

Source: GAO based on Pew data. GAO-15-69. 

Note: In its Cell Internet Use 2013 report, Pew uses the term "cell 
Internet users" to refer to individuals who use their cellphones to 
access the Internet. These cellphones could also include smartphones. 
The margin of error for results based on cellphone owners is plus or 
minus 2.4 percentage points. 

[End of figure] 

Use of cellphones to access the Internet is lower among senior, less 
educated, or rural populations, compared to other demographic groups. 
Those who access the Internet at lower rates using cellphones[Footnote 
32] include: people ages 65 and older (22 percent)[Footnote 33]; 
people who received a high school diploma or no diploma (53 and 51 
percent, respectively); and people who live in rural areas (50 
percent).[Footnote 34] Furthermore, between 2012 and 2013, the 
increase in Internet access among those who have no diploma or a high 
school diploma only and those in rural areas was not significant; 
seniors increased their Internet access by 6 percentage points.

Although More Individuals Use Mobile Devices to Access Selected 
Agencies' Information and Services, Challenges Still Exist: 

Although Individuals Still Primarily Use Desktop Computers to Access 
Selected Government Websites, Access by Mobile Users Is Increasing: 

Individuals accessing the selected agencies' websites primarily used 
desktops and laptops to do so.[Footnote 35] For example, in 2013, 
Google Analytics data[Footnote 36] provided by DOT showed that 92 
percent of users who accessed DOT's website, [hyperlink, 
http://www.dot.gov], used a desktop computer, compared to 6 percent 
who used a smartphone and 3 percent who used a tablet (see table 2). 
[Footnote 37] Similarly, 85 percent of users who accessed the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) website, [hyperlink, 
http://www.fema.gov], used a desktop computer, compared to 9 percent 
who used a smartphone and 6 percent who used a tablet.

Table 2: Percentage Breakdown of Devices Used to Access Selected 
Federal Agencies' Main Websites, 2013: 

Selected federal agencies: Federal Emergency Management Agency; 
Accessed using desktop or laptop computer[A]: 85%; 
Accessed using smartphone: 9%; 
Accessed using tablet: 6%.

Selected federal agencies: Federal Maritime Commission; 
Accessed using desktop or laptop computer[A]: 94%; 
Accessed using smartphone: 4%; 
Accessed using tablet: 2%.

Selected federal agencies: Department of the Interior[B]; 
Accessed using desktop or laptop computer[A]: 82%; 
Accessed using smartphone: 12%; 
Accessed using tablet: 7%.

Selected federal agencies: National Endowment for the Arts; 
Accessed using desktop or laptop computer[A]: 83%; 
Accessed using smartphone: 11%; 
Accessed using tablet: 6%.

Selected federal agencies: Department of Transportation; 
Accessed using desktop or laptop computer[A]: 92%; 
Accessed using smartphone: 6%; 
Accessed using tablet: 3%.

Source: GAO based on agency data. GAO-15-69. 

Note: We excluded National Weather Service from this table because, 
according to officials, the National Weather Service deployed Google 
Analytics for its website, [hyperlink, http://www.weather.gov], 
beginning in calendar 2014. As of June 2014, 74 percent of those 
accessing the National Weather Service did so using a desktop or 
laptop, 18 percent used a smartphone, and 8 percent used a tablet.

[A] Google Analytics does not distinguish between desktop and laptop 
computers.

[B] Percentages add up to more than 100 percent due to rounding. 

[End of table] 

Although individuals still primarily use desktop computers to access 
services at the six selected agencies, use of smartphones and tablets 
to access information and services at these agencies is increasing. 
For example, the number of visitors using smartphones and tablets to 
access NEA information and services--such as applying for grants and 
tracking grant applications--increased from 3,376 in 2010 to 287,932 
in 2013 (see figure 4). Similarly, individuals using smartphones and 
tablets to access DOI's information increased from 57,428 in 2011 to 
1,206,959 in 2013. Among the selected agencies, FEMA had the highest 
number of visitors who accessed its services using a smartphone and 
tablet (3.1 million visitors in 2013) followed by DOI, which received 
approximately 1.2 million visitors who accessed its main website via a 
smartphone or tablet. One FEMA official told us that access to FEMA 
services via mobile devices is very important because after disasters, 
survivors may have limited access to the Internet because of 
infrastructure damage in their community or from being displaced from 
their homes.

Figure 4: Trend Data on Number of Smartphones and Tablets Used to 
Access Selected Federal Agencies' Information and Services (in 
Millions): 

[Refer to PDF for image: multiple line graph] 

Smart phones and tablets: in millions: 

Year: 2009; 
Federal Maritime Commission: 0.000204; 

Year: 2010; 
Department of the Interior: 0.012087; 
Department of Transportation: 0.001581; 
Federal Maritime Commission: 0.003376. 

Year: 2011; 
Department of the Interior: 0.057428; 
0.082291; 
Federal Maritime Commission: 0.003577; 
National Endowment for the Arts: 0.047929. 

Year: 2012; 
Department of the Interior: 0.154956; 
Department of Transportation: 0.190657; 
Federal Emergency Management Administration: 1.86048; FEMA started 
tracking the number of smartphones and tablets used to access its main 
website in 2012; 
Federal Maritime Commission: 0.008433; 
National Endowment for the Arts: 0.163486. 

Year: 2013; 
Department of the Interior: 1.20696; 
Department of Transportation: 0.359382; 
Federal Emergency Management Administration: 3.11737; 
Federal Maritime Commission: 0.017822; 
National Endowment for the Arts: 0.287932. 

Source: GAO based on agency data. GAO-15-69. 

Note: We excluded National Weather Service from this figure because, 
according to officials, the National Weather Service deployed Google 
Analytics for its website, [hyperlink, http://www.weather.gov], 
beginning in calendar 2014. 

[End of figure] 

Mobile Internet Users May Face Challenges in Navigating Some 
Government Websites: 

The smaller screens of smartphones and, to a lesser extent, tablets 
provide users portability and mobility compared to desktop computers. 
However, small screens can also make it more difficult to read the 
content of websites. Responsive web design is a method of designing 
content so that it can be resized to fit on various screen sizes 
(e.g., designing a service to work well on both a laptop screen and a 
smartphone, without the need to develop and maintain separate 
"standard" and "mobile" sites). As we will discuss in more detail 
later in the report, some agencies we selected have modified, or 
optimized, their websites, or have plans to do so, to help mobile 
users access their information and services more easily. Websites that 
have not been optimized can be more difficult to view using mobile 
devices (see figure 5). When a website does not incorporate responsive 
design, consumers using mobile devices may experience challenges 
efficiently accessing content.

Figure 5: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention before and after 
Optimization for Mobile Access: 

[Refer to PDF for image: 2 website illustrations] 

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (FEMA). GAO-15-69. 

[End of figure]

Further, excess information on government websites that have not been 
optimized can make it challenging for mobile internet users. 
Government websites in particular are not always streamlined with the 
end user in mind, according to several consumer advocacy and agency 
officials. GAO previously reported, for example, that the Internal 
Revenue Service's website could do a better job meeting the needs of 
taxpayers by providing taxpayers interactive personal account access. 
[Footnote 38] Government websites may include unnecessary content, 
making it difficult for mobile users to find the information they are 
looking for. Officials from FEMA and two consumer advocacy 
organizations told us that occupying valuable website space with 
unnecessary information or "clutter" can be a major impediment and can 
make finding desired content more difficult for seniors and 
individuals with vision impairment. Also, unnecessary screens and 
functions prevent consumers from finding the information or service 
they need within three clicks.[Footnote 39] Thus government websites 
with too much unnecessary information can require individuals to 
"drill down" several layers to get to the information they need, 
violating the "three-click rule." 

Navigating across different screens can also be difficult for mobile 
users. Someone browsing the Internet using a desktop computer can view 
content on multiple screens or tabs; however, doing so on a smartphone 
(e.g., getting back to the home page) can be challenging. For example, 
a mobile Internet user who finds a government form on a web page may 
have difficulty going back to a previous page to find the instructions 
on how to fill out the form. According to one FEMA official, disaster 
survivors may find it inconvenient to access some of FEMA's emergency 
management services on a mobile device due to navigational challenges, 
small screens, and the need to input significant amounts of data. 
Officials from the NEA and a consumer advocacy organization also added 
that navigating or toggling between multiple screens on a government 
website, especially when dealing with forms or applications, is more 
challenging on a smartphone than on a desktop or laptop computer.

Finally, mobile users sometimes face challenges accessing certain 
websites as well as data-intensive portable document files (PDF) 
files--which can be slow to download on government web sites. 
Officials from OMB noted that some websites take a long time to 
download using a mobile phone. Similarly, officials from DOT, DOI, and 
FEMA noted that PDFs are difficult to download on a mobile device, in 
part because of the large amount of data they contain. Some of these 
agencies are trying to reduce the number of data-intensive PDF files 
on their websites, but a number of these data-intensive PDFs are still 
present. Further, according to agency and consumer-advocacy officials, 
downloading government information using mobile devices can be cost-
prohibitive, depending on the data plan used, especially for certain 
segments of the population, such as low-income individuals and 
seniors. Many mobile consumers subscribe to data plans that may only 
provide as little as 500 megabytes a month before they are assessed 
additional data fees. Officials from a consumer advocacy organization 
for low-income populations told us that low income consumers sometimes 
face high mobile-phone bills that make it cost-prohibitive to access 
government websites using their mobile phones.

Federal Agencies Have Taken Actions to Enhance Access to Government 
Information and Services via Mobile Devices: 

OMB's 2012 Digital Government Strategy Has Resulted in Actions to 
Enhance Access to Government Services for Those Using Mobile Devices: 

In response to the milestones specified in the Digital Government 
Strategy, OMB created the Digital Services Advisory Group, which, 
along with the Federal CIO Council and the Federal Web Managers 
Council, created digital governance guidelines for all federal 
agencies to use.

Additionally, as part of its assessment of all digital services, OMB 
assesses agency efforts to enhance access to services for mobile 
devices as part of its PortfolioStat initiative, which focuses on 
eliminating duplication, reducing "commodity information technology 
(IT)" spending,[Footnote 40] migrating to shared services, and better 
aligning agencies' IT spending with their missions.[Footnote 41] OMB 
tracks executive branch agencies' digital analytics programs,[Footnote 
42] which collect common baseline performance metrics that agencies 
should collect for their websites to assist them in measuring 
different elements of performance. Then, for each agency's five most 
trafficked websites, OMB tracks the percentage of users accessing 
these sites via mobile devices and measures the extent to which people 
are able to access their websites using mobile devices. If agencies 
have not optimized these websites, OMB then asks agencies to consider 
optimizing them for mobile access based on factors such as the number 
of visits and the amount of key services provided through the website.

GSA's Office of Citizen Services and Innovative Technology (OCSIT) has 
also taken the following actions to enhance access to government 
services via mobile devices in response to the Digital Government 
Strategy:[Footnote 43]

* Established the DigitalGov.gov[Footnote 44] website to help federal 
agencies build the capacity to implement effective and innovative 
digital services. DigitalGov.gov provides guidance to help agencies 
improve and integrate their digital content and services. Its intent 
is to accelerate adoption of technologies, reduce duplication, and 
increase efficiency by consolidating tools and resources and giving 
agencies an opportunity to collaborate on shared solutions to common 
challenges.

* Established the Federal Mobile Apps Registry,[Footnote 45] which 
allows agencies to register their native apps[Footnote 46] and mobile 
websites that the public and others can use to identify and download 
government mobile apps, such as the SaferCar app that the National 
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) developed for people to 
use when purchasing cars and child safety seats (described in more 
detail later). Consumers can find mobile apps and mobile sites by 
agency, topic, or platform.[Footnote 47]

* Provided guidance and on-line training and shared best practices and 
other resources to assist agencies seeking to enhance their websites 
for mobile technologies.

* Provided access to the Federal Crowdsource Mobile Testing Program at 
no cost to federal agencies to allow them to evaluate their mobile 
websites.

* Provided federal executive branch agencies access to the Digital 
Analytics Program at no cost so agencies can obtain a variety of 
information on their websites' performance, including the ability to 
identify how users access and use their websites.

GSA officials use a variety of means to inform agencies how they can 
assist them in enhancing digital services, including those services 
people access with mobile devices. GSA's communication efforts include 
"listservs"[Footnote 48] with agencies' Chief Information Officers and 
Web Managers, outreach to agencies' White House liaisons, GSA's 
digital subscriptions,[Footnote 49] social media, and training programs.

Officials from three of the six federal agencies we spoke with--DOT, 
FEMA, and NWS--told us that OMB's and GSA's actions have helped their 
efforts to enhance their digital services. The officials noted that 
both OMB's Digital Government Strategy and GSA's efforts have provided 
the leverage agencies' Information Technology officials needed to 
convince their respective managers to approve enhancements that make 
their websites more accessible to mobile users.

The other three agencies did not use GSA's services to the same extent 
or at all. DOI and NEA officials said they did not require outside 
assistance. However, FMC--with just over 100 employees--noted that, 
with limited resources, its focus has been primarily on other issues. 
FMC receives information from one of GSA's listservs and uses GSA as a 
point of contact for wireless access. FMC officials have found this 
assistance helpful but have had little interaction with OMB.

Agencies Have Taken Steps to Meet Digital Government Strategy 
Requirements for Mobile Use: 

All 24 agencies required to comply with provisions of the Digital 
Government Strategy have made efforts to improve their digital 
services for those who use mobile devices.[Footnote 50] According to 
agencies' digital strategy reports, all have identified two or more 
services to be optimized for mobile use, as required under the Digital 
Government Strategy. Additionally, 21 of these agencies have optimized 
two or more prioritized services. According to OMB officials, they 
work with agencies facing challenges meeting the milestones, such as 
providing guidance through the U.S. Digital Services Playbook, which 
identifies 13 goals, or "plays" for agencies to consider as part of 
their efforts to improve their digital services. Two of these "plays" 
consider consumers' needs and the type of devices they use, both of 
which touch on the use of mobile devices.[Footnote 51]

Of the six agencies we selected, all but FMC have taken steps to 
enhance access to their websites via mobile devices; FMC has plans to 
enhance access to its website in 2015: 

Employing Responsive Design: 

As previously mentioned, responsive design adjusts the website to the 
size of a device's screen by streamlining the content that appears, 
making the website easier to read and navigate. Four of the six 
selected agencies have incorporated responsive design as part of an 
overall effort to migrate their digital services to a content 
management system. Officials indicated that having a content 
management system will allow them to make subsequent changes to 
websites, including transitioning to responsive design, more 
efficiently: [Footnote 52]

* DOI incorporated responsive design to optimize its main website, 
[hyperlink, http://www.doi.gov], in 2013. According to a DOI official, 
DOI has incorporated responsiveness into its upcoming redesign, which 
is coordinated with DOI's effort to transition its website to a new 
content management system, which will help its bureaus take advantage 
of economies of scale while improving their websites. The initial 
process to incorporate responsive design took two months to complete 
but followed months of pre-development conversation. DOI expects to 
complete the transition to the new content management system in March 
2015. DOI was unable to report on the specific cost to create the 
responsive design because none of the development has been completed 
as part of rebuilding its overall website. Officials expect 
transitioning all of DOI's websites to responsive design may take 
years but did not have specific timeframes for completing the 
transition.

* DOT also used responsive design when redesigning its main website, 
[hyperlink, http://www.dot.gov], as part of its effort to transition 
its website to a content management system. The redesigned website 
went live in September 2012 and reflects a more streamlined website 
for mobile access in comparison to DOT's previous website. (See figure 
6 for screen shots of DOT's old web site and the redesigned website.) 
DOT officials estimate that optimizing the site using responsive 
design cost about $54,000.[Footnote 53] DOT's modal administrations 
are also transitioning to responsive design; three have already 
incorporated responsive design into some of their websites.[Footnote 54]

Figure 6: Department of Transportation's Website before and after 
Optimization for Mobile Access: 

[Refer to PDF for image: 2 website illustrations] 

Source: DOT. GAO-15-69. 

[End of figure]

* NEA, a smaller, independent agency, has also optimized its website 
[hyperlink, http://www.arts.gov] using responsive design as part of 
launching a redesigned website using a content management system. The 
costs to incorporate responsive design could not be isolated because 
they were included in the migration to the content management system. 
NEA launched the redesigned website in September 2013, according to 
officials, and rebuilding it took about 11 months.

* FEMA incorporated responsive design--as part of its migration to a 
content management system--in one of its three public websites--
DisasterAssistance.gov[Footnote 55]--to FEMA launched responsive 
design in January 2013 at a cost of about $520,000, according to FEMA 
officials. DisasterAssistance.gov consolidates all disaster assistance 
benefits for which survivors are eligible and provides applications 
for assistance. FEMA officials stated that having ready access to this 
information and the applications on a mobile device is crucial for 
those affected by a disaster, especially in the event of extensive 
power outages. FEMA plans to incorporate responsive design into its 
other two public websites--FEMA.gov and Ready.gov--as part of an 
effort to improve its content management system but does not yet have 
a time frame for completing that effort. Until that effort is 
completed, FEMA has a mobile website that consumers can access using 
their mobile devices.

Figure 7: Screen Shots of FEMA's Website as it Appears on Full Screen 
and on a Mobile Device: 

[Refer to PDF for image: 2 website illustrations] 

Source: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). GAO-15-69. 

[End of figure]

Other agencies plan to transition to responsive design but have not 
yet done so. For example, NWS has developed a separate website for 
mobile users so that desktop and laptop users access one website while 
mobile users access another. Mobile users see the same content as 
those using a desktop or laptop computer, but the text is much smaller 
because they are seeing it on the smaller screen. However, mobile 
users can still access the agencies' information and services. NWS 
recognized that its website was outdated and recently developed a 
separate website for mobile devices. NWS plans to eventually enhance 
its main website with responsive design and is revising its 
requirements for doing so but does not have an estimate for when it 
will complete the transition. FMC officials noted that its customers 
adopt technology at a slower pace than other industries; many FMC 
customers in the shipping industry have not yet transitioned to mobile 
technology. Nevertheless, FMC plans to incorporate responsive design 
in its next website upgrade, scheduled for fiscal year 2015.

Developing Native Apps: 

Three agencies within DOT have developed their own "native apps:" 

* NHTSA's SaferCar app allows individuals to check for vehicle ratings 
and vehicle safety defects, as well as locate child car-seat 
inspection stations when shopping for cars and car seats. SaferCar has 
been available since March 2013 for Apple devices and since February 
2014 for Android devices. NHTSA began developing SaferCar in mid-2012. 
NHTSA data from January through April 2014 indicated that about 36 
percent of the visits were in fact through mobile devices. A NHTSA 
official estimates that the cost to develop the app exceeds $350,000 
and noted that apps are very costly because they must be updated for 
each type and version of a device, resulting in additional costs over 
time.

* The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) developed 
two apps: 

- The SaferBus app allows consumers to search bus safety performance 
records and bus company safety results. According to FMCSA officials, 
they began developing SaferBus in 2011, which became available for 
Apple devices in March 2012 and for Android devices in February 2013. 
The funding used to develop it covered a number of other projects; 
officials estimate that FMCSA spent $150,000 to develop the initial 
Apple version and $300,000 to develop the Android version. They 
encountered challenges in managing expectations for SaferBus but 
explained that this is typical when developing apps. Specifically, 
some stakeholders wanted FMCSA to develop a rating system, similar to 
NHTSA's rating system used in SaferCar. However, according to the 
officials, that type of rating system is outside of FMCSA's legal 
authority.[Footnote 56]

- The QC Mobile app retrieves FMCSA's safety compliance and 
enforcement data on commercial vehicle carriers. FMCSA has not yet 
released QC Mobile; officials expect to release the app in fall 2014 
for both Apple and Android devices. The app cost $98,000 to develop 
and will be available for federal and state safety law enforcement 
officials' use as well as the general public.

* The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) developed an app that 
provides consumers publicly available safety data on railroad 
crossings and also allows users to report inaccuracies with FRA data 
or contact the operating railroad in the event of an emergency. FRA 
released the app in June 2013 for Apple devices and released an 
Android version in August 2014. According to FRA officials, developing 
the app cost less than $20,000. Similar to FMCSA, one of the 
challenges FRA encountered was in managing stakeholders' expectations 
on requirements for the appendix FRA also noted that predicting demand 
for an app for a particular device is difficult and that this was a 
challenge in deciding whether to develop the Android version.

FEMA also has a smartphone app available for Apple and Android as well 
as Blackberry devices. This app links to DisasterAssistance.gov as 
well as other information on FEMA's websites. FEMA's intent is to 
provide disaster survivors more ways to access information, 
particularly after a disaster when there may be no power or Internet 
connection. According to a FEMA official, a mobile app--when 
downloaded to a smartphone--allows someone to access information, such 
as an emergency-meeting location or what to do in the event of a 
disaster, if no Internet access is available.

Some agencies have decided, in general, not to develop native apps. 
For example, the NWS works closely with private entities, such as news 
organizations, that develop apps using NWS data. As a result, NWS 
officials hesitate to develop federal government apps that would 
compete with those developed by the private sector.[Footnote 57] 
Another agency, DOI, prefers to let the market determine what apps the 
public wants, and allow the private sector to develop them; agency 
officials believe this is a more efficient use of agency resources. 
Private sector organizations have developed apps for DOI, such as the 
Bureau of Land Management's "Yonder" app, which enables outdoor 
enthusiasts to find and share information about hiking, biking, 
skiing, and mountain climbing. Nevertheless, a DOI official noted 
that, in some instances, DOI has developed apps. For example, the 
National Park Service developed an app for the National Mall and 
Memorial Sites, which provides tourists with information about 
historical and cultural sites in Washington, D.C.

Agency Comments: 

We provided copies of the draft report to OMB, GSA, FCC, Department of 
Commerce, DOI, Department of Homeland Security, DOT, FMC, and NEA. We 
also provided Pew Research Center the segment of the draft that 
discusses Pew's survey data.

OMB, GSA, FCC, the Department of Commerce, DOI, Department of Homeland 
Security, and DOT all provided technical comments, which we 
incorporated as appropriate.

The FMC, NEA, and Pew Research Center had no comments on the draft.

We are sending copies of this report to OMB, FCC, Department of 
Commerce, DOI, Department of Homeland Security, DOT, FMC, NEA, and 
appropriate congressional committees. In addition, the report will be 
available at no charge on the GAO website at [hyperlink, 
http://www.gao.gov].

If you or your staff have any questions about this report, please 
contact me at (202) 512-2834 or goldsteinm@gao.gov. Contact points for 
our Offices of Congressional Relations and Public Affairs may be found 
on the last page of this report. GAO staff who made key contributions 
to this report are listed in appendix III.

Sincerely yours, 

Signed by: 

Mark Goldstein, Director: 
Physical Infrastructure: 

[End of section] 

Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, and Methodology: 

This report addresses the demographics of mobile device users, 
including those who use cellphones, smartphones, and tablet computers, 
as well as how consumers who use these devices are able to access 
government services. Specifically, we addressed 1) available data 
about the demographics of mobile users and the factors that might be 
associated with the increased use of mobile devices; 2) what devices 
consumers use to access government services and the challenges 
consumers face when accessing these services via mobile devices; and 
3) what actions the federal government has taken to enhance access to 
government services via mobile devices.

To determine what is known about the demographics of mobile device 
users, we reviewed reports from the U.S. Census Bureau and the 
National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) 
within the Department of Commerce, the Federal Communications 
Commission, and the Pew Research Center.[Footnote 58] To determine the 
factors that might be associated with the increased use of mobile 
devices, we conducted a review of literature and then selected, 
reviewed, and analyzed reports and studies that contained information 
on factors that might be associated with the increased use of mobile 
devices. We identified studies for our review through a search of 
bibliographic databases (including Academic OneFile, PolicyFile, 
ProQuest, and Social SciSearch) as well as trade publications, 
industry stakeholder groups, and the Internet. From this search, we 
screened and identified studies for relevance to our report and 
selected studies that identified factors that might be associated with 
the increased use of mobile devices. We also interviewed officials 
with the Census Bureau and NTIA as well as the Federal Communications 
Commission (FCC), Pew Research Center, CTIA--the Wireless Association 
(CTIA),[Footnote 59] and Connected Nation,[Footnote 60] as well as 
other advocacy organizations such as AARP, American Foundation for the 
Blind, Living Cities, Older Adults Technology Centers, and Consumer 
Policy Solutions.

To obtain information on the mobile devices consumers use to access 
government services, we selected six federal agencies using a 
stratified random sample to select two departmental-level agencies, 
two agencies within departments, and two independent agencies. The 
agencies selected were the Department of the Interior (DOI), 
Department of Transportation (DOT), Federal Emergency Management 
Agency (FEMA) within the Department of Homeland Security, National 
Weather Service (NWS) within the Department of Commerce, Federal 
Maritime Commission (FMC), and National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). 
We requested 5 years of online visitor data through Google Analytics 
from each agency (from 2009 through 2013) on the type of device 
(smartphone, tablet, or desktop computer[Footnote 61]) consumers used 
to access the agencies' main website. The results of this analysis are 
not generalizable to all federal agencies. To obtain information about 
the challenges consumers might face when accessing government services 
using their mobile devices, we interviewed officials from the six 
agencies mentioned above and the General Services Administration 
(GSA), as well as officials from consumer and various other advocacy 
organizations.

To determine actions the federal government has taken to enhance 
access to government services via mobile devices, we reviewed 
pertinent federal legislation and guidance pertaining to mobile access 
to government information and services including: Digital Government: 
Building a 21st Century Platform to Better Serve the American People 
which the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued in response to 
the Presidential Memorandum on Building a 21st Century Digital 
Government[Footnote 62] and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, 
which ensures that individuals with disabilities have access to 
federal government information and data that are comparable to that 
provided to the public who are not individuals with disabilities. 
[Footnote 63] We reviewed reports on activities federal agencies have 
conducted to comply with milestones included in the Digital Government 
Strategy. We also interviewed officials from GSA, OMB, the Federal Web 
Managers Council, and the Federal Chief Information Officers (CIO) 
Council as well as officials from the six selected federal agencies.

We conducted this performance audit from August 2013 to December 2014 
in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards. 
Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain 
sufficient, appropriate evidence to provide a reasonable basis for our 
findings and conclusions based on our audit objectives. We believe the 
evidence obtained provides a reasonable basis for our findings and 
conclusions based on our audit objectives. 

[End of section] 

Appendix II: Profiles on Selected Agencies: 

Table 3: Department of the Interior: 

Federal agency name: U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI). 

Website address; [hyperlink, http://www.doi.gov].

Mission; The U.S. Department of the Interior protects America's 
natural resources and heritage, honors our cultures and tribal 
communities, and "supplies the energy to power our future." 

Size; DOI employs approximately 70,000 people across 10 bureaus and 
several offices. Almost 280,000 volunteers contribute time to support 
bureau and office missions. 

Breakdown by type of device used to access [hyperlink, 
http://www.doi.gov] in 2013: 
Number of desktop users: 5,495,619 visits; 
Number of smartphone users: 768,882 visits; 
Number of tablet users: 438,077 visits. 

Relevant mobile initiatives and improvements related to mobile access: 
* Employed responsive design to optimize its main website, [hyperlink, 
http://www.doi.gov]; 
* Plans to employ responsive design to DOI bureaus' websites but does 
not have a timeframe for completing this effort.

Source: GAO based on agency information. GAO-15-69. 

[End of table] 

Table 4: Department of Transportation: 

Federal agency name: U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). 

Website address; [hyperlink, http://www.dot.gov].

Mission; DOT's mission is to serve the United States by ensuring a 
fast, safe, efficient, accessible and convenient transportation system 
that meets vital national interest and enhances the quality of life of 
the American people, today and into the future. 

Size; DOT employs almost 55,000 people in the Office of the Secretary 
and through 12 operating administrations and bureaus, each with its 
own management and organizational structure. 

Breakdown by type of device used to access [hyperlink, 
http://www.dot.gov] in 2013: 
Number of desktop users: 3,957,311 visits; 
Number of smartphone users: 241,964 visits; 
Number of tablet users: 117,418 visits.

Relevant mobile initiatives and improvements related to mobile access: 
* Employed responsive design to optimize its main website, [hyperlink, 
http://www.dot.gov]; 
* Developed four "native apps"[A]: 
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) SaferCar, 
which allows individuals to check for vehicle safety ratings and 
vehicle safety defects, as well as locate child car-seat inspection 
stations when shopping for cars and car seats; 
- Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) SaferBus, 
which allows consumers to search bus-safety performance records and 
bus company safety results; 
- FMCSA's QC Mobile, which retrieves safety compliance and enforcement 
data on commercial motors' drivers, vehicles, and carriers; 
- Federal Railroad Administration's (FRA) grade crossing app, which 
provides consumers publicly available safety data on railroad 
crossings and also allows users to report inaccuracies with FRA data 
or contact the operating railroad in the event of an emergency. 

Source: GAO based on agency information. GAO-15-69. 

[A] "Native apps" are a method of delivering digital services. The 
"app" is downloaded to a mobile device and runs directly on the mobile 
device's operating system. 

[End of table] 

Table 5: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): 

Federal agency name: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), an 
agency within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. 

Website address; [hyperlink, http://www.fema.gov].

Mission; FEMA's mission is to support citizens and first responders to 
ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and 
improve the nation's capability to prepare for, protect against, 
respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards. 

Size; FEMA has 14,844 employees across the country at headquarters, 10 
regional offices, the National Emergency Training Center, Center for 
Domestic Preparedness/Noble Training Center and other facilities. 

Breakdown by type of device used to access [hyperlink, 
http://www.fema.gov] in 2013: 
Number of desktop users: 18,187,673 visits;
Number of smartphone users: 1,879,972 visits;
Number of tablet users: 1,237,394 visits. 

Relevant mobile initiatives and improvements related to mobile access: 
* Migrated to a new content management system in July 2012 and 
launched responsive design on the Disasterassistance.gov website in 
January 2013; 
* Plans to fully implement responsive design to the rest of FEMA.gov 
but does not currently have time frames for completing this effort; 
* Developed a separate website for mobile; 
* Supports a smartphone app that links to disasterassistance.gov so 
disaster survivors can access information in the event of power 
outages and loss of internet connection; 
* Implemented a SMS text message, which alerts disaster assistance 
survivors of the status of their application and lets them know when 
to return to the website. 

Source: GAO based on agency information. GAO-15-69. 

[End of table] 

Table 6: National Weather Service: 

Federal agency's name: The National Weather Service, a component of 
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). NOAA is an 
operating unit of the U.S. Department of Commerce. 

Website address; [hyperlink, http://www.weather.gov].

Mission; The National Weather Service provides weather, water, and 
climate data, forecasts, and warnings for the protection of life and 
property and enhancement of the national economy. Each year, NWS 
collects some 76 billion observations and issues approximately 1.5 
million forecasts and 50,000 warnings. 

Size; The National Weather Service has approximately 5,000 employees 
in 122 weather forecast offices, 13 river forecast centers, 9 national 
centers, and other support offices around the country. 

Breakdown by type of device used to access [hyperlink, 
http://www.weather.gov] in 2013: 
Not applicable--The National Weather Service began collecting data on 
smartphone and tablet users in 2014.

Relevant mobile initiatives and improvements related to mobile access: 
* Recently developed a separate website for mobile devices; 
* Plans to incorporate responsive design into main website but does 
not currently have timeframes for completing this effort; 
* Works closely with private entities, such as news organizations, 
that develop apps using National Weather Service data; 
* Dispatches local weather wireless emergency alerts to mobile devices 
without the need to download an app or subscribe to a text message 
service. 

Source: GAO based on agency information. GAO-15-69. 

[End of table] 

Table 7: Federal Maritime Commission: 

Federal agency name: Federal Maritime Commission: 

Website address; [hyperlink, http://www.fmc.gov].

Mission; The Federal Maritime Commission is the independent federal 
agency responsible for regulating the U.S. international ocean 
transportation system for the benefit of U.S. exporters, importers, 
and the U.S. consumer. 

Size; The Federal Maritime Commission has 122 employees. 

Breakdown by type of device used to access [hyperlink, 
http://www.fmc.gov] in 2013: 
Number of desktop users: 265,960 visits; 
Number of smartphone users: 11,498 visits; 
Number of tablet users: 6,324 visits.

Relevant mobile initiatives and improvements related to mobile access: 
* Plans to employ responsive design in fiscal year 2015.

Source: GAO based on agency information. GAO-15-69. 

[End of table] 

Table 8: National Endowment for the Arts: 

Federal agency's name: National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). 

Website address; [hyperlink, http://www.arts.gov].

Mission; The National Endowment for the Arts was established by 
Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. 
To date, the NEA has awarded more than $4 billion to support artistic 
excellence, creativity, and innovation for the benefit of individuals 
and communities. The NEA extends its work through partnerships with 
state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the 
philanthropic sector. 

Size; The National Endowment for the Arts has 151 employees. 

Breakdown by type of device used to access [hyperlink, 
http://www.arts.gov] in 2013: 
Number of desktop users: 1,408,835 visits; 
Number of smartphone users: 190,329 visits; 
Number of tablet users: 97,603 visits.

Relevant mobile initiatives and improvements related to mobile access: 
* Has optimized [hyperlink, http://www.arts.gov] using responsive 
design; 
* Supports grant applicants by providing them mobile access to 
information on grants, including guidelines and available grants, as 
well as on their grant status; 
* Updated website to include podcasts and blogging capabilities so 
that mobile devices can access podcasts and blogs. 

Source: GAO based on agency information. GAO-15-69. 

[End of table] 

[End of section] 

Appendix III: GAO Contact and Staff Acknowledgments: 

GAO Contact: 

Mark L. Goldstein, (202) 512-2834 or goldsteinm@gao.gov: 

Staff Acknowledgments: 

In addition to the contact named above, Raymond Sendejas (Assistant 
Director), Pedro Almoguera, Leia Dickerson, Lynn Filla-Clark, Cody 
Goebel, David Hooper, Sarah Kaczmarek, Joshua H. Ormond, Tina Paek, 
Amy Rosewarne, Michael Silver, James R. Sweetman, Jr., Larry Thomas, 
and Hai Tran made key contributions to this report.

[End of section] 

Footnotes: 

[1] A cellphone is a device that can make and receive telephone calls 
over a cellular radio network while moving around a wide geographic 
area. 

[2] This report focuses on mobile devices that can access the Internet 
through mobile broadband such as smartphones and tablets. Next 
generation mobile technologies offer consumers an expanded range of 
mobile communications options and provide handheld access to richer 
data services such as websites, multimedia, video conferencing, and 
location-based applications. A range of different mobile devices 
having wireless connectivity include smartphones, tablet, e-readers, 
and netbook and laptop computers. 

[3] Pew Research Center, Cell Internet Use 2013 (September 2013).

[4] The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) is a national 
economic indicator of customer evaluations of the quality of products 
and services available to household consumers in the United States. 
The ACSI uses data from interviews of roughly 70,000 customers 
annually as inputs to an econometric model for measuring satisfaction 
with more than 230 companies in 47 industries and 10 economic sectors, 
as well as over 100 services, programs and websites of federal 
government agencies. Results from the ACSI E-Government Satisfaction 
Index are released on a monthly basis. ACSI, Measuring Mobile: The New 
Frontier in Customer Satisfaction (April, 23, 2013).

[5] Office of Management and Budget, Digital Government: Building: 
Building a 21st Century Platform to Better Serve the American People 
(May 2012). 

[6] Office of Management and Budget, Digital Government: Building a 
21st Century Platform to Better Serve the American People (May 2012). 
This document is commonly referred to as the "Digital Government 
Strategy;" we refer to it as the Digital Government Strategy 
throughout this report.

[7] Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C. §794d), as 
amended by the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (Pub. L. No. 105-220, 
112 Stat.936. 1203 (1998).

[8] We determined that Pew Research Center had the best available data 
for our purposes, based on a review of Census Bureau and Pew Research 
Center data as well as interviews with the Census Bureau and the 
Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

[9] CTIA-The Wireless Association is an international nonprofit 
membership organization that has represented the wireless 
communications industry since 1984. Membership in the association 
includes wireless carriers and their suppliers, as well as providers 
and manufacturers of wireless data and products.

[10] Connected Nation is a national non-profit 501(c)(3) organization 
that expands access to and use of broadband Internet and the related 
technologies. Connected Nation works in multiple states to engage 
community stakeholders, state leaders, and technology providers to 
develop and implement technology expansion programs.

[11] In its Cell Internet Use 2013 report, Pew uses the term "cell 
internet users" to refer to individuals who use their cellphone to 
access the Internet. These cellphones could also include smartphones. 

[12] .govReform Task Force, State of the Federal Web Report (Dec. 2011).

[13] A content management system is a computer application that allows 
publishing, editing and modifying, organizing, and deleting content as 
well as maintenance from a central interface. Such systems of content 
management provide procedures to manage workflow in a collaborative 
environment.

[14] The Chief Financial Officers Act agencies are the 24 executive 
branch agencies listed at 31 U.S.C. § 901(b). The Digital Government 
Strategy did not apply to other smaller, independent federal agencies. 
Of our six selected agencies, four fall under the requirements of the 
CFO Act. These are DOI, DOT, NWS (within the Department of Commerce) 
and FEMA (within the Department of Homeland Security). The other two 
agencies--FMC and NEA--do not.

[15] Optimizing a website for mobile use involves making the website 
accessible for those on mobile devices, so that all the content and 
functions of the website can be accessed seamlessly on a mobile device. 

[16] The E-Government Act of 2002 designated the Chief Information 
Officers Council as the principal interagency forum for improving 
agency practices related to the design, acquisition, development, 
modernization, use, operation, sharing, and performance of federal 
government information resources. See Pub. L. No. 107-347, § 101, 116 
Stat. 2899, 2901 (2002).

[17] Margin of error is plus or minus 2.3 percentage points based on 
all adults (n=2,252). Pew Research Center, Smartphone Ownership 2013 - 
Update (June 2013).

[18] Margin of error is plus or minus plus or minus 4.5 percentage 
points. Pew Research Center, Teens and Technology 2013 (March 2013).

[19] Margin of error is plus or minus plus or minus 2.3 percentage 
points. Pew Research Center, Tablet Ownership 2013 (June 2013). 

[20] As mentioned previously, Pew's Cell Internet Use 2013 report uses 
the term "cell internet users" to refer to individuals who use their 
cellphone to access the Internet. These cellphones could also include 
smartphones. In the same report, Pew states that one third (34 
percent) of cell Internet users say that they mostly use their 
cellphone rather than some other device such as a desktop or laptop 
computer (referred to as "cell mostly internet users"). Pew Research 
Center, Cell Internet Use 2013 (September 2013).

[21] Margin of error is plus or minus 2.4 percentage points. Pew 
Research Center, Cell Internet Use 2013 (September 2013).

[22] See Federal Communications Commission, 16TH Mobile Wireless 
Competition Report, 28 FCC Rcd 3700, 3800. n. 450 and, generally, 3796-
3802 (2013) ; see also Roger Entner, "What is the Price of a Megabyte 
of Wireless Data?" FierceWireless, Apr.13, 2011.

[23] Federal Communications Commission, 16th Mobile Wireless 
Competition Report, 28 FCC Rcd 3700, 3800 (2013).

[24] Pew Research Center, The Best (and Worst) of Mobile Connectivity 
(November 2012).

[25] Kathryn Zickuhr, Three-Quarters of Smartphone Owners Use Location-
Based Services, a report for Pew Research Center (Washington, D.C.: 
May 11, 2012). 

[26] Long Term Evolution is a commercial data standard for wireless 
technologies that uses cellular radio links for consumers to access 
the Internet using their smart phones, tablets, and other portable 
devices. Federal Communications Commission, 16th Mobile Wireless 
Competition Report (March 2013).

[27] Pew Research Center, Cell Internet Use 2013 (September 2013).

[28] In the report, Pew used the category Black (non-Hispanic) on its 
collection instrument. However, Pew uses Black (non-Hispanic) and 
African American interchangeably through their report. Census combines 
terms like Black and African American [hyperlink, 
http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/briefs/c2010br-06.pdf]. 

[29] As mentioned previously, Pew's Cell Internet Use 2013 report uses 
the term "cell internet users" to refer to individuals who use their 
cellphone to access the Internet. In the same report, Pew states that 
one third (34 percent) of cell internet users say that they mostly use 
their cellphone rather than some other device such as a desktop or 
laptop computer (referred to as "cell mostly internet users"). Pew 
further cites that "cell mostly internet users" tended to be younger 
(18-29 years old); less educated (high school diploma or less); either 
Hispanic or African American; and earn less than $30,000 per year. Pew 
Research Center, Cell Internet Use 2013 (September 2013). Similarly, 
the Census Bureau has also reported that certain demographic groups 
rely on handheld devices such as smartphones more than others. In some 
cases, this pattern is similar to that of overall computer ownership, 
with young households reporting higher rates of having only handheld 
computers than older households. However, in other instances, this 
pattern is directly opposite that of overall computer ownership. Black 
and Hispanic households, for example, were more likely than White or 
Asian households to report owning only a handheld device. Census 
reported that this pattern appears by income, with low-income 
households reporting handheld ownership alone at a much higher rate 
than more affluent households. Thom File and Camille Ryan, Computer 
and Internet Use in the United States: 2013, American Community Survey 
Reports, ACS-28, U.S. Census Bureau (Washington, D.C.: Nov. 2014).

[30] Margin of error is plus or minus plus or minus 2.4 percentage 
points. Pew Research Center, Cell Internet Use 2013 (September 2013).

[31] These populations are not mutually exclusive; some people could 
be in more than one population. Pew Research Center designed its 
survey to obtain reliable estimates for individual demographic 
variables (e.g., age) but not for each combination of all variables 
(e.g., all combinations of age, education, etc.).

[32] We were unable to identify or find and meaningful data on 
demographics of those who only use tablets to access the Internet. 

[33] A 2014 study by Pew on older adults cited that many seniors have 
physical conditions or health issues that make it difficult to use new 
technologies like using smartphones. Further, a significant majority 
of seniors say they need assistance when it comes to using new digital 
devices. 

[34] Margin of error is plus or minus plus or minus 2.4 percentage 
points, Pew Research Center, Cell Internet Use 2013 (September 2013).

[35] Data from selected agencies are not generalizable to other 
federal agencies. 

[36] All six of the selected agencies provided data on the devices 
used to access their main websites through Google Analytics, a service 
offered by Google that generates detailed statistics about a website's 
traffic and traffic sources. GSA delivers Google Analytics data 
through its Digital Analytics Program. 

[37] Percentages add up to more than 100 percent due to rounding.

[38] GAO, IRS Website: Long-Term Strategy Needed to Improve 
Interactive Services, [hyperlink, 
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-13-435] (Washington, D.C.: Apr. 16, 
2013).

[39] The "three-click rule" is an unofficial rule in web design that 
states when users arrive at a website, they should find the 
information they are seeking within three clicks of the mouse. The 
underlying concept of the three-click rule is that users will start to 
become frustrated and leave a site if they have to click through 
several pages to find information.

[40] "Commodity IT" includes services such as IT infrastructure (data 
centers, networks, desktops and mobile devices), enterprise IT systems 
(e-mail, collaboration tools, identity and access management, 
security, and web infrastructure), and business systems (finance, 
human resources, and other administrative functions). 

[41] GAO, Information Technology: Additional OMB and Agency Actions 
Are Needed to Achieve Portfolio Savings, [hyperlink, 
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-14-65] (Washington, D.C., Nov. 5, 2013).

[42] GSA offers its Digital Analytics Program to agencies at no 
charge. Agencies and OMB use this data to evaluate how consumers use 
their websites.

[43] In addition, GSA began helping agencies plan, develop, test, and 
launch mobile applications and website before OMB issued the Digital 
Government Strategy by establishing the MobileGov Community of Practice.

[44] The DigitalGov.gov website replaced the HowTo.gov website, Howto 
and MobileGov Blogs, as well as the MobileGov wiki.

[45] The Federal Mobile Apps Registry was originally the USA.gov Apps 
Gallery. The registry is also available via a data application 
programming interface (API) so that this information can be easily 
distributed to other federal sites and private sector applications.

[46] "Native apps" are a method of delivering digital services. The 
"app" is downloaded to a mobile device and runs directly on the mobile 
device's operating system.

[47] Platform is a general descriptor for the type of device and the 
device's operating system, such as an Android phone or Windows tablet.

[48] A "listserv" is a method of communicating with a group of people 
via email. One email message is sent to a "reflector" email address, 
and software sends the email out to all of the group's subscribers.

[49] A digital subscription is a subscription to a publication that is 
distributed electronically.

[50] As mentioned previously, the CFO agencies are the 24 executive 
branch agencies listed at 31 U.S.C. §901(b). 

[51] U.S. Digital Services Playbook, [hyperlink, 
https://playbook.cio.gov].

[52] As discussed previously a content management system allows 
publishing, editing, modifying, organizing, and deleting content as 
well as maintenance from a central interface. 

[53] DOT conducted the redesign as part of an existing contract.

[54] Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) [hyperlink, 
http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov] and the St. Lawrence Seaway Development 
Corporation [hyperlink, http://www.seaway.dot.gov] have also 
transitioned to responsive design. Additionally, Volpe [hyperlink, 
http://www.volpe.dot], which conducts research and analysis for DOT, 
has also transitioned to responsive design.

[55] FEMA manages DisasterAssistance.gov, but it is not actually a 
"FEMA" website. Rather, it was part of an E-Government initiative, and 
17 partners were involved in contributing content. FEMA is the 
managing partner.

[56] This app uses data in FMCSA's Statistical Measurement System 
(SMS). FMCSA includes a disclaimer with the publicly-released SMS 
scores stating that the data are intended for agency and law 
enforcement purposes, and readers should not draw safety conclusions 
about a carrier's safety condition based on the SMS score, but rather 
the carrier's official safety rating. See GAO, Federal Motor Carrier 
Safety: Modifying the Compliance, Safety, Accountability Program Would 
Improve the Ability to Identify High Risk Carriers, [hyperlink, 
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-14-114] (Washington, D.C.: Feb 3, 2014).

[57] NWS has, however, begun to develop APIs to ensure the validity of 
and access to data used by private sector apps.

[58] We determined that Pew Research Center had the best available 
data for our purposes, based on a review of Census Bureau and Pew 
Research Center data as well as interviews with the Census Bureau, 
National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and 
the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

[59] CTIA-The Wireless Association is an international nonprofit 
membership organization that has represented the wireless 
communications industry since 1984, Membership in the association 
includes wireless carriers and their suppliers, as well as providers 
and manufacturers of wireless data and products.

[60] Connected Nation is a national non-profit 501(c)(3) organization 
that expands access to and use of broadband Internet and the related 
technologies. Connected Nation works in multiple states to engage 
community stakeholders, state leaders, and technology providers to 
develop and implement technology expansion programs.

[61] Data related to desktop computers also include individuals using 
laptop computers as Google Analytics does not distinguish between 
desktops and laptops.

[62] Office of Management and Budget, Digital Government: Building A 
21st Century Platform to Better Serve the American People (May 23, 
2012, Washington, D.C.).

[63] Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C. § 794d), as 
amended by the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (Pub. L. No. 105-220) 
(1998).

[End of section] 

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