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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.

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Results:

Subject Term: "Written communication"

2 publications with a total of 4 open recommendations including 3 priority recommendations
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Energy Employees Compensation: Labor Could Better Assist Claimants through Clearer Communication
GAO-19-90, Nov 7, 2018
Director: Chelsa Gurkin
Phone: (202) 512-7215

1 open recommendations
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Recommendation: The Secretary of Labor, in conducting any assessment of its staff training designed to improve clarity of communication with claimants, should ensure that the assessment considers claimants' challenges with understanding DOL's written communications on the evidence needed to successfully reopen or otherwise support a claim.

Agency: Department of Labor
Status: Open

Comments: DOL neither agreed nor disagreed with this recommendation. However, DOL acknowledged that it plans to focus its staff training efforts on a variety of needed training topics, including improving the quality of written communications. DOL further noted that its recently hired training analyst will be responsible for, among other things, designing assessment measures to gauge the quality of training and the effect it has improving the overall quality of claim outcomes. We encourage DOL to continue designing its assessment so that it considers claimants' challenges in understanding the evidence needed. As of July 2019, DOL said it will soon contract with a training vendor to help update training materials and expects training to be rolled out in fiscal year 2020. In addition, DOL said it has conducted hands-on staff training that includes providing claimants with a clear understanding as to why a claim is accepted or denied. We will consider closing this recommendation pending implementation of the updated training and efforts to assess it.
IRS Correspondence Audits: Better Management Could Improve Tax Compliance and Reduce Taxpayer Burden
GAO-14-479, Jun 5, 2014
Director: Mctigue Jr, James R
Phone: (202) 512-7968

3 open recommendations
including 3 priority recommendations
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Recommendation: To clarify the desired results of the correspondence audit program and its linkages to IRS-wide activities, the Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service should establish formal program objectives.

Agency: Department of the Treasury: Internal Revenue Service
Status: Open
Priority recommendation

Comments: IRS correspondence audit program officials planned a working group to develop formal program objectives. In November 2016, IRS officials provided documents intended to define the program objectives, but the objectives were unclear. As of December 2019, IRS officials provided draft program objectives to GAO for discussion and are responding to comments from GAO. We will update the status when IRS provides any further supporting documentation, as we requested in March 2020.
Recommendation: To clarify the desired results of the correspondence audit program and its linkages to IRS-wide activities, the Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service should ensure that the program measures reflect those objectives.

Agency: Department of the Treasury: Internal Revenue Service
Status: Open
Priority recommendation

Comments: IRS officials said that, among other actions, they plan to review and update program documentation and guidance as warranted to ensure a clear link between correspondence audit program objectives and related measures. IRS officials provided documentation in November 2016, but program measures could not be clearly linked to objectives because the objectives were not clear. As of December 2019, IRS officials provided draft measures for their draft program objectives to GAO and are responding to comments from GAO. We will update the status when IRS provides any further supporting documentation, as we requested in March 2020.
Recommendation: To clarify the desired results of the correspondence audit program and its linkages to IRS-wide activities, the Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service should clearly link those measures with strategic IRS-wide goals on ensuring compliance in a cost-effective way while minimizing taxpayer burden.

Agency: Department of the Treasury: Internal Revenue Service
Status: Open
Priority recommendation

Comments: IRS officials said that, among other actions, they plan to review and update program documentation and guidance as warranted to ensure that program measures clearly link to IRS strategic goals. IRS officials provided documentation in November 2016,but measures for the program could not be clearly linked to either the program objectives or IRS goals because the objectives were not clear. As of December 2019, IRS officials provided GAO with draft linkages to IRS's strategic goals for the draft measures and program objectives and are responding to comments from GAO on those linkages. We will update the status when IRS provides any further supporting documentation, as we requested in March 2020.