Priority Open Recommendations: Small Business Administration

What GAO Found

In May 2025, GAO identified 17 priority recommendations for the Small Business Administration (SBA). Since then, SBA has implemented three of those recommendations, bringing the total to 14.

GAO is highlighting the following two areas that warrant timely and focused attention:

• Improving oversight of COVID-19 pandemic programs
• Addressing cybersecurity and IT management challenges

Addressing GAO's recommendations in these areas would help SBA more strategically manage program fraud risks and respond to cybersecurity and IT management risks. Taking action to implement all of GAO's open priority recommendations would help enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of operations across SBA.

Why GAO Did This Study

Priority open recommendations are the GAO recommendations that warrant priority attention from heads of key departments or agencies because their implementation could save large amounts of money; improve congressional or executive branch decision-making on major issues; eliminate mismanagement, fraud, and abuse; or make progress toward addressing a high risk or duplication issue, among other benefits. Since 2015, GAO has sent letters to selected agencies to highlight the importance of implementing such recommendations.

For more information, contact Daniel Garcia-Diaz at GarciadiazD@gao.gov.