Chief Information Officer Open Recommendations: Internal Revenue Service

What GAO Found

In August 2025, GAO identified 36 open recommendations under the purview of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Chief Information Officer (CIO), including 22 that are sensitive, from previously issued work. Each of these recommendations relates to a GAO High-Risk area: (1) Ensuring the Cybersecurity of the Nation or (2) Improving IT Acquisitions and Management. In addition, GAO has designated two of the 36 as priority recommendations.

For example, GAO previously recommended that the IRS maintain a comprehensive inventory of its systems that process or store taxpayer information. Further, GAO recommended that the IRS fully address the key Office of Management and Budget requirement regarding conducting regular evaluations of customer experiences and user needs.

GAO also previously recommended that the agency includes programs' cost and schedule history and fiscal year and overall goals in its quarterly reports to Congress. The CIO's continued attention to these recommendations will help ensure the secure and effective use of IT at the agency.

Why GAO Did This Study

CIO open recommendations are outstanding GAO recommendations that warrant the attention of agency CIOs because their implementation could significantly improve government IT operations by securing IT systems, identifying cost savings, improving major government programs, eliminating mismanagement of IT programs and processes, or ensuring that IT programs comply with laws, among others.

For more information, contact Nick Marinos at marinosn@gao.gov.