Reports & Testimonies

  1. Share with Facebook 
  2. Share with Twitter 
  3. Share with LinkedIn 
  4. Share with mail 

Recommendations Database

GAO’s recommendations database contains report recommendations that still need to be addressed. GAO’s priority recommendations are those that we believe warrant priority attention. We sent letters to the heads of key departments and agencies, urging them to continue focusing on these issues. Below you can search only priority recommendations, or search all recommendations.

Our recommendations help congressional and agency leaders prepare for appropriations and oversight activities, as well as help improve government operations. Moreover, when implemented, some of our priority recommendations can save large amounts of money, help Congress make decisions on major issues, and substantially improve or transform major government programs or agencies, among other benefits.

As of October 25, 2020, there are 4812 open recommendations, of which 473 are priority recommendations. Recommendations remain open until they are designated as Closed-implemented or Closed-not implemented.

Browse or Search Open Recommendations

Search


Have a Question about a Recommendation?

  • For questions about a specific recommendation, contact the person or office listed with the recommendation.
  • For general information about recommendations, contact GAO's Audit Policy and Quality Assurance office at (202) 512-6100 or apqa@gao.gov.

« Back to Results List Sort by   

Results:

Subject Term: "Price inflation"

4 publications with a total of 9 open recommendations including 1 priority recommendation
Download these results in CSV format or XLSX format.
Retirement Security: BLS Should Explore Ways to Improve the Accuracy, Timeliness, and Relevance of Its Cost-of-Living Measurements
GAO-20-422, Jun 16, 2020
Director: Charles A. Jeszeck
Phone: (202) 512-7215

2 open recommendations
Display
Recommendation: The Secretary of Labor should ensure that BLS explores cost-efficient ways to evaluate the data sources currently used to produce subpopulation indexes, such as by engaging more directly with other stakeholders or seeking input from its advisory groups and other knowledgeable entities about approaches to expand data collection in a cost-efficient manner. (Recommendation 1)

Agency: Department of Labor
Status: Open

Comments: The Department of Labor agreed with this recommendation and stated that it would continue to investigate improvements to subpopulation indexes.
Recommendation: The Secretary of Labor should ensure that BLS explores the use of already collected National Accounts data to produce more accurate, timely, and relevant CPIs. (Recommendation 2)

Agency: Department of Labor
Status: Open

Comments: The Department of Labor (DOL) disagreed with this recommendation, stating that the National Accounts data are not a replacement for Consumer Expenditure Survey data. We agree that the National Accounts data are not a wholesale replacement for the Consumer Expenditure Survey data, but it would still be useful to examine National Accounts data as an augmenting, alternative source of data to supplement or enrich the Consumer Expenditure Survey. Such an effort could potentially lead to more accurate, timely, and relevant CPIs. Although DOL noted that the Consumer Expenditure Survey is a continuous survey and that data are received quarterly, most CPIs still rely on expenditure weights based on Consumer Expenditure Survey data that are up to 4 years out-of-date. In addition, the Consumer Expenditure Survey faces increasing costs and declining response rates. DOL said it is exploring ways to accelerate the data collection and processing time and that it periodically investigates the frequency of updating expenditure weights. This is a laudable effort that we believe warrants further action to explore additional opportunities for improvement, such as researching the extent to which there are instances or categories for which the National Accounts data could be used to produce more up-to-date expenditure weights than the Consumer Expenditure Survey.
Federal Leasing: Quality Information and Metrics Would Allow GSA to Better Assess the Value of Its Broker Program
GAO-20-361, Mar 31, 2020
Director: Lori Rectanus
Phone: (202) 512-2834

2 open recommendations
including 1 priority recommendation
Display
Recommendation: GSA should assess and address the reliability of the information used to calculate reported cost savings for the broker program. (Recommendation 1)

Agency: General Services Administration
Status: Open
Priority recommendation

Comments: In June 2020, GSA said the agency would validate system data through regional and broker outreach and fully utilize validated system data to manage the broker program. The agency also said it will develop a quality control plan and follow-up on outcomes. We will continue to monitor GSA's progress with implementing this recommendation.
Recommendation: GSA should develop outcome-based metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of using brokers to supplement the GSA's leasing workforce. (Recommendation 2)

Agency: General Services Administration
Status: Open

Comments: Although GSA initially did not concur with this recommendation, the agency stated in June 2020 that it agrees with the recommendation and will take steps to implement it. Specifically, GSA plans to revise the broker performance standards and document broker effectiveness through lease cost avoidance, timely lease replacement, and earned commission credits. We will continue to monitor GSA's progress with implementing this recommendation.
Naval Shipyards: Key Actions Remain to Improve Infrastructure to Better Support Navy Operations
GAO-20-64, Nov 25, 2019
Director: Diana Maurer
Phone: (202) 512-9627

4 open recommendations
Display
Recommendation: The Secretary of the Navy should ensure that the shipyard optimization program office (PMS 555) include all costs—such as costs for program office activities, utilities, roads, environmental remediation, historical preservation, and alternative workspace—when developing its second, more detailed, cost estimate. (Recommendation 1)

Agency: Department of Defense: Department of the Navy
Status: Open

Comments: When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Recommendation: The Secretary of the Navy should ensure that the shipyard optimization program office (PMS 555) use cost estimating best practices—as outlined in the GAO Cost Estimating and Assessment Guide—in developing its second cost estimate, including a program baseline, work breakdown structure, a description of the methodology and key assumptions, inflation, fully addressing risk and uncertainty, and a sensitivity analysis. (Recommendation 2)

Agency: Department of Defense: Department of the Navy
Status: Open

Comments: When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Recommendation: The Secretary of the Navy should ensure that the shipyard optimization program office (PMS 555) obtain an independent cost estimate of the Naval Shipyards program prior to the start of its project prioritization effort. (Recommendation 3)

Agency: Department of Defense: Department of the Navy
Status: Open

Comments: When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Recommendation: The Secretary of the Navy should ensure that the shipyard optimization program office (PMS 555), in coordination with relevant stakeholders, establish clear roles and responsibilities for the shipyards involved in the Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Plan. (Recommendation 4)

Agency: Department of Defense: Department of the Navy
Status: Open

Comments: When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Civil Penalties: Certain Federal Agencies Need to Improve Inflation Adjustment Reporting
GAO-18-519, Jul 18, 2018
Director: Paula M. Rascona
Phone: (202) 512-9816

1 open recommendations
Display
Recommendation: The Secretary of the Treasury should include in Treasury's fiscal year 2018 AFR information about all civil monetary penalties within its jurisdiction, including the inflation adjustment of the civil monetary penalties. (Recommendation 5)

Agency: Department of the Treasury
Status: Open

Comments: In November 2018, Treasury issued its fiscal year 2018 agency financial report and included information about all civil monetary penalties within its jurisdiction. However, it did not adjust two civil monetary penalty amounts for inflation and indicated that it planned to complete the regulations to adjust these two amounts for inflation by the end of 2018. In November 2019, Treasury issued its fiscal year 2019 agency financial report and included information about all civil monetary penalties within its jurisdiction. However, it did not adjust one of the two civil monetary penalty amounts for inflation in our finding. As of June 2020, Treasury has not taken the necessary corrective actions to completely address this recommendation.