Director of National Intelligence: Status of Open GAO Recommendations
Fast Facts
When federal agencies implement our recommendations, it leads to billions of dollars in savings annually and thousands of other improvements across government.
Among the 139 recommendations we made to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence from FY 2011 to 2026, 57 have yet to be fully implemented. These recommendations are intended to address issues with workforce management, intelligence enterprise management, personnel vetting, and infrastructure and facilities.
In July 2026, we identified 6 of these as recommendations that ODNI should prioritize.
Seal of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence
Highlights
What GAO Found
GAO has made 139 recommendations to the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) from July 2011 through September 15, 2026. These recommendations address issues with intelligence enterprise management, infrastructure and facilities, workforce management, and personnel vetting.
As of September 15, 2026, the Office of the DNI (ODNI) has implemented 76 recommendations, or 55 percent. GAO closed six additional recommendations for various other reasons, such as a program having terminated or changed. By fully implementing the 57 remaining open recommendations, ODNI could improve the efficiency and effectiveness of its intelligence management and oversight. In July 2026, GAO identified six of these 57 as recommendations that ODNI should prioritize to improve intelligence operations and address high-risk issues.
Why GAO Did This Study
The James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 includes a provision for the Comptroller General to submit a list to the Congressional Intelligence Committees and to the DNI of all GAO recommendations made to the DNI as of September 30, 2023, that had not been fully implemented, and annually thereafter through 2028. This letter and its enclosures is GAO’s fourth submission, which formally transmits and communicates the results of its work.
For more information, contact Alissa Czyz at czyza@gao.gov.