Status, Progress, and Problems in Federal Agency Accounting During Fiscal Year 1977

The head of each executive agency is responsible for establishing and maintaining accounting systems that conform to principles and standards prescribed by the Comptroller General. A tentative statement of principles and standards was issued in 1952, and GAO started granting formal approval of accounting systems that conformed to it. Approval is granted in two phases, first of principles and standards adopted by agencies, then of system designs.