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As of May 1, 2024, there are 5090 open recommendations that still need to be addressed. 415 of these are priority recommendations, those that we believe warrant priority attention. Learn more about our priority designation on our Recommendations page.

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21 - 40 of 415 Recommendations

Financial Audit: Bureau of the Fiscal Service's FY 2022 Schedules of the General Fund

GAO-23-104786
Anne Sit-Williams
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2 Open Recommendations
2 Priority
Agency Recommendation Status
Bureau of the Fiscal Service
Priority Rec.
The Commissioner of Fiscal Service should enhance the design and implementation of the oversight policy and the FAAs to effectively monitor the financial agents. (Recommendation 5)
Open

In June 2023, Fiscal Service developed a corrective action plan to address the recommendation. As of February 2024, Fiscal Service updated its corrective action plan with additional action items related to designing and implementing a monitoring process over the financial agents. Fiscal Service anticipates the corrective actions to continue through fiscal year 2024.
Bureau of the Fiscal Service
Priority Rec.
The Commissioner of Fiscal Service should design and implement policies and procedures to effectively monitor the fiscal agents. (Recommendation 6)
Open

In June 2023, Fiscal Service developed a corrective action plan to address the recommendation. As of February 2024, Fiscal Service updated its corrective action plan with additional action items related to designing and implementing a monitoring process over the fiscal agents. Fiscal Service anticipates the corrective actions to continue through fiscal year 2024.

Federal Prisons: Bureau of Prisons Should Improve Efforts to Implement its Risk and Needs Assessment System

GAO-23-105139
Gretta L. Goodwin
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5 Open Recommendations
5 Priority
Agency Recommendation Status
Bureau of Prisons
Priority Rec.
The Director of BOP should use and document the results of its ongoing monitoring of the frequency at which it conducts risk and needs assessments, and take appropriate corrective actions, as needed. (Recommendation 3)
Open

In March 2023, we reported that BOP has not confirmed if its planned monitoring efforts will measure whether risk and needs assessments are completed according to First Step Act requirements and BOP internal timeframes. As such, BOP may not have any results from its monitoring efforts that could be utilized to document and determine whether it is conducting assessments on time and taking appropriate corrective action when it is not. We recommended that BOP should use and document the results of its ongoing monitoring of the frequency at which it conducts risk and needs assessments, and take
Bureau of Prisons
Priority Rec.
The Director of BOP should ensure its plan for evaluating evidence-based recidivism reduction programs has pre-established, quantifiable goals that align with the First Step Act, and includes clear milestone dates. (Recommendation 4)
Open – Partially Addressed

In March 2023, we reported that BOP's evaluation plan for its evidence-based recidivism reduction programs did not include pre-established, quantifiable goals that align with the First Step Act or clear milestone dates for the evaluation of most of its programs. Accordingly, we recommended that BOP ensure its plan included these elements and BOP concurred. In response, in August 2023, BOP updated its evaluation plan to include milestone dates (i.e. initiation and anticipated completion dates for all of its evaluations) through fiscal year 2026 and goals and research questions for those
Bureau of Prisons
Priority Rec.
The Director of BOP should develop a mechanism to monitor, on an ongoing basis, if it is offering a sufficient amount of evidence-based recidivism reduction programs and productive activities to meet the needs of its incarcerated population. (Recommendation 6)
Open

In March 2023, we reported that BOP does not have a mechanism to monitor, on an ongoing basis, if it is offering a sufficient amount of evidence-based recidivism reduction programs and productive activities to meet the needs of the incarcerated population at each facility. To help address this issue, we recommended that BOP develop such a mechanism and BOP concurred. In September 2023, BOP officials stated they were in the process of developing a First Step Act Dashboard, which would display the level of needs and the amount of programming available to meet those needs at each facility
Bureau of Prisons
Priority Rec.
The Director of BOP should document a complete list of all the unstructured productive activities that incarcerated people are able to participate in and earn First Step Act time credits. (Recommendation 7)
Open

In March 2023, we reported that BOP did not list the unstructured productive activities in its First Step Act Approved Programs Guide, or otherwise document a complete list of unstructured productive activities. To help address this issue, we recommended that BOP document a complete list of all the unstructured productive activities that incarcerated people are able to participate in and earn First Step Act time credits. BOP did not concur with this recommendation. In response to our report, BOP stated that it was not statutorily required to document such a list, and such action would not be
Bureau of Prisons
Priority Rec.
The Director of BOP should collect and monitor participation data for unstructured productive activities that incarcerated people are able to participate in and earn First Step Act time credits. (Recommendation 8)
Open

In March 2023, we reported that BOP did not collect or monitor participation data on unstructured productive activities that incarcerated people are able to participate in and earn First Step Act time credits. We recommended that BOP collect and monitor such data. BOP did not concur with this recommendation. In response to our report, BOP stated that it was not statutorily required to do so, nor would it be helpful, to monitor these activities. While the First Step Act and implementing regulations do not explicitly require BOP to monitor these activities, the Act and regulations do provide an

National Guard Helicopters: Additional Actions Needed to Prevent Accidents and Improve Safety

GAO-23-105219
Cary Russell
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5 Open Recommendations
5 Priority
Agency Recommendation Status
Department of the Army
Priority Rec.
The Secretary of the Army should ensure the Chief of Staff of the Army, in coordination with the Director of the Army National Guard, updates safety or operational guidance to establish a process to continuously evaluate and update operational risk management worksheets for Army National Guard helicopter units to reflect relevant safety information such as accident data, hazard reporting, and unit culture surveys. (Recommendation 2)
Open

The Army concurred with this recommendation. In a corrective action plan provided to us in February 2024, Army officials noted that they intend to update Army Regulation 385-10 "The Army Safety Program" to reflect the need for a well-defined process for continuous evaluation of operational risk management practices that is informed by relevant safety data. The Army estimates that these actions will be completed by the end of December 2024. By taking these actions, the Army will be able to ensure that risk management worksheets reflect relevant and up-to-date safety information, as GAO
Department of the Air Force
Priority Rec.
The Secretary of the Air Force, in coordination with the Chief of Staff of the Air Force and the Director of the Air National Guard, should incorporate an evaluation of unit processes for updating risk management worksheets as a component of the Air Force's unit inspection program or other means to ensure that the worksheets reflect relevant safety information such accident data, hazard reporting, and unit culture surveys. (Recommendation 3)
Open

The Air Force partially concurred with this recommendation. In a corrective action plan provided to us in February 2024, Air Force officials shared plans to update Air Force Unit Effectiveness Inspection and Continual Evaluation worksheets to include a specific item to verify Air National Guard helicopter unit's compliance with existing risk management directives. Specifically, the plans call for adding an evaluation item to the worksheet that requires safety staff to provide accident, hazard, and culture survey information to the commander for incorporation into the risk management worksheets
Department of the Army
Priority Rec.
The Secretary of the Army should ensure the Army Training and Doctrine Command's Army Aviation Center of Excellence, in coordination with the Director of the Army National Guard, develops a coordinated plan and identifies the resources necessary for conducting in-flight aviation standardization program evaluations of Army National Guard helicopter unit aircrews on a regular and recurring basis. (Recommendation 4)
Open

The Army concurred with this recommendation. In a corrective action plan provided to us in February 2024, Army officials noted that a review of the resourcing requirements to support the Directorate of Evaluations and Standardizations to start re-occurring assessments for the Army National Guard helicopter units is complete. The Army's assessment determined that conducting recurring standard evaluations for National Guard units would require the Directorate of Evaluations and Standards to increase its standard evaluation personnel levels by 15 percent and that it would cost an additional $300
Department of the Army
Priority Rec.
The Secretary of the Army should ensure that the Chief of Staff of the Army, in coordination with the Director of the Army National Guard, develops a comprehensive strategy that includes goals, priorities, and performance measures to address the challenges that hinder Army National Guard helicopter pilot training. (Recommendation 7)
Open

The Army concurred with this recommendation. In a corrective action plan provided to us in February 2024, Army National Guard officials recommended the Army establish a working group to identify challenges and develop a strategy with the Army Aviation Enterprise and the Combat Readiness Center to meet the challenges which are currently hindering pilot training and determine the trends and solutions which will address pilot training friction points in the future. The Army estimates that establishing the working group and developing recommendations will take until the end of April 2024. By
Department of the Air Force
Priority Rec.
The Secretary of the Air Force should ensure that the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, in coordination with the Director of the Air National Guard, develops a comprehensive strategy that includes goals, priorities, and performance measures to address the challenges that hinder Air National Guard helicopter pilot training. (Recommendation 8)
Open

The Air Force concurred with this recommendation. In a corrective action plan provided to us in February 2024, Air Force officials shared plans to develop an actionable and comprehensive strategy to update its Ready Aircrew Flying Hour Program goals to reflect the information in our report. Additionally, the Air National Guard will require an initial and midyear comparative review of personnel funding and the flying hour program for each unit to ensure units are adequately resourced to achieve the goals set by the Ready Aircrew Program. Further, Air Force Unit Effectiveness Inspection and

Capitol Attack: Federal Agencies Identified Some Threats, but Did Not Fully Process and Share Information Prior to January 6, 2021 [Reissued with revisions on Jul. 21, 2023]

GAO-23-106625
Triana McNeil
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2 Open Recommendations
2 Priority
Agency Recommendation Status
Office of Intelligence and Analysis
Priority Rec.
The DHS I&A Under Secretary should assess the extent to which its internal controls ensure personnel follow existing and updated policies for processing open source threat information. (Recommendation 3)
Open

In February 2023, we reported that DHS I&A did not process all relevant open source threat-related information related to the events of January 6. To help address this issue, we recommended that DHS I&A assess the extent to which personnel did not process information. As of March 2024, DHS I&A offices are partnering to collaborate efforts to close out the assessments and report the findings of the I&A Secretary's 90-day review of I&A's open source intelligence program. I&A expects this review to include a deep-dive examination into the program's objectives, policies, procedures, and safeguards
Office of Intelligence and Analysis
Priority Rec.
The DHS I&A Under Secretary should assess the extent to which its internal controls ensure personnel consistently follow the policies for sharing threat-related information with relevant agencies such as Capitol Police. (Recommendation 5)
Open

In February 2023, we reported that DHS I&A did not share threat-related information with relevant agencies, such as Capitol Police. To help address this issue, we recommended that DHS I&A assess the extent to which personnel did not share information. As of March 2024, DHS I&A offices are partnering to collaborate efforts to close out the assessments and report the findings of the I&A Secretary's 90-day review of I&A's open source intelligence program. I&A expects this review to include a deep-dive examination into the program's objectives, policies, procedures, and safeguards along with the

Federal Workforce: OPM Advances Efforts to Close Government-wide Skills Gaps but Needs a Plan to Improve Its Own Capacity

GAO-23-105528
Alissa H. Czyz
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1 Open Recommendations
1 Priority
Agency Recommendation Status
Office of Personnel Management
Priority Rec.
The Director of OPM should establish an action plan to address OPM's skills gaps identified in the workforce assessment, either as an update to its HCOP or a separate effort. (Recommendation 1)
Open

OPM agreed with the recommendation. In March 2024, OPM reported it had taken several actions to address its skills gaps, including targeting early career talent through an internship program and providing employees with on-demand training through an e-learning content library. To fully implement this recommendation, OPM needs to develop an action plan that includes key information, such as a list of its mission-critical occupations, which occupations have skills gaps, and how it will measure progress toward closing skills gaps within its own workforce. Doing so will help OPM improve its

Department of Education: Additional Data Collection Would Help Assess the Performance of a Program Supporting College Students with Disabilities

GAO-23-105551
Elizabeth Curda
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1 Open Recommendations
1 Priority
Agency Recommendation Status
Department of Education
Priority Rec.
Education's Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education should collect data from SSS grantees on each participant's disability status and use this information to report on program performance for participants with disabilities. (Recommendation 1)
Open

Education agreed with this recommendation. The agency plans to collect data from SSS grantees on participants' disability status and use this information to report on the TRIO program's performance for participants with disabilities. In March 2024, the agency reported that it is awaiting OMB's approval to collect information on SSS participants' disability status. To fully implement this recommendation, Education must collect information from SSS grantees on each participant's disability status, analyze this information, and use it to report on program performance. Education expects to

Drones: FAA Should Improve Its Approach to Integrating Drones into the National Airspace System

GAO-23-105189
Heather Krause
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1 Open Recommendations
1 Priority
Agency Recommendation Status
Federal Aviation Administration
Priority Rec.
The Administrator of FAA should develop a drone integration strategy that includes all seven elements of a comprehensive strategy. (Recommendation 1)
Open

DOT agreed with this recommendation. In February 2024, FAA reported to us that it is developing a drone integration strategy and that it is on track with issuing this strategy by June 30, 2024. FAA previously stated that the drone integration strategy will include all seven elements of a comprehensive strategy and that the agency is coordinating and collect input from different FAA offices to develop the drone integration strategy. We will review the drone integration strategy when it is completed.

Climate Change: Options to Enhance the Resilience of Agricultural Producers and Reduce Federal Fiscal Exposure

GAO-23-104557
Steve Morris
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1 Open Recommendations
1 Priority
Agency Recommendation Status
Department of Agriculture
Priority Rec.
The Secretary of Agriculture should ensure that the Climate Change Program Office, located within the Office of the Chief Economist, analyzes the options to enhance the climate resilience of agricultural producers that were identified in this report and integrates them, as appropriate, into USDA's future climate resilience prioritization and planning efforts. Such analysis should include an explanation of USDA's decision to prioritize or not prioritize the options identified in this report and the identification of any additional authority and resources that USDA would need to implement the options. (Recommendation 1)
Open

USDA agreed with the recommendation. As of March 2024, USDA plans to address GAO's recommendation in the next cycle of Department-level climate adaptation planning. USDA received instructions to develop a 2024-2027 Climate Adaptation Plan from the White House Council on Environmental Quality at the end of September 2023 and is developing a new plan for release later in 2024. The new plan will include a detailed discussion of how USDA's programs and policies, decision-making, and funding processes are working to consider the effects of climate change on farmers, forest landowners, and rural

Nuclear Weapons: NNSA Does Not Have a Comprehensive Schedule or Cost Estimate for Pit Production Capability

GAO-23-104661
Allison Bawden
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1 Open Recommendations
1 Priority
Agency Recommendation Status
National Nuclear Security Administration
Priority Rec.
The NNSA Administrator should ensure the head of the Plutonium Modernization program develops a life cycle cost estimate for establishing NNSA's pit production capability that aligns with GAO cost estimating best practices. (Recommendation 1)
Open

NNSA concurred with our recommendation. In March 2023, NNSA officials stated they will develop an initial life cycle cost estimate in April 2024 and a baseline life cycle cost estimate in September 2025, following the establishment of baseline cost and schedule estimates for the Savannah River Plutonium Processing Facility and the Los Alamos Plutonium Pit Production Project. As of March 2024, NNSA indicated that they remain on this timeline, though budget documents indicate that some underlying project schedules have experienced delays. We noted in our response to agency comments that

Emergency Rental Assistance: Treasury's Oversight is Limited by Incomplete Data and Risk Assessment

GAO-23-105410
Dan Garcia-Diaz
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1 Open Recommendations
1 Priority
Agency Recommendation Status
Department of the Treasury
Priority Rec.
The Chief of the Office of Recovery Programs should expediently collect complete and accurate data, including quarterly payment data and performance measures required by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021. (Recommendation 1)
Open

As of April 16, 2024, Treasury had not taken sufficient action to address this recommendation.
Note: the list of open recommendations for the last report may continue on the next page.

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