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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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Subject Term: Munitions

2 publications with a total of 12 open recommendations

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Federally Funded Research and Development Centers: Improved Oversight and Evaluation Needed for DOD's Data Access Pilot Program
GAO-20-272, Mar 6, 2020

Director: Marie A. Mak
Phone: (202) 512-4841

6 open recommendations

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Recommendation: The Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering should direct the Laboratories and Personnel Office to take steps to ensure that the details of the pilot program's data protections are incorporated into the existing agreements. (Recommendation 1)

Agency: Department of Defense: Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering
Status: Open

Comments: The Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)), Laboratories and Personnel Office (L&PO) concurred with this recommendation. In May 2020, OUSD(R&E)/L&PO stated it will require the Primary Sponsor for each applicable federally funded research and development center (FFRDC) to provide documentation that shows that the details of the pilot program's data protections have been incorporated into existing sponsoring agreements and contracts, and estimated these actions would be completed in early Fall 2020.

Recommendation: The Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering should direct the Laboratories and Personnel Office to take steps to ensure that the FFRDCs and sponsors are implementing the pilot program's protections for sensitive data. (Recommendation 2)

Agency: Department of Defense: Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering
Status: Open

Comments: The Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)), Laboratories and Personnel Office (L&PO) concurred with this recommendation. In May 2020, OUSD(R&E)/L&PO stated it will task the Primary Sponsor for each applicable federally funded research and development center (FFRDC) to provide a report detailing the FFRDC's plan for implementing the pilot program's protections for sensitive data and confirming that the FFRDC is adhering to that plan. OUSD(R&E)/L&PO estimated these actions would be completed in early Fall 2020.

Recommendation: The Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering should direct the Laboratories and Personnel Office to establish a monitoring and oversight mechanism to ensure that primary sponsors submit complete information on pilot projects, as required by DOD's guidance for the pilot program. (Recommendation 3)

Agency: Department of Defense: Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering
Status: Open

Comments: The Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)), Laboratories and Personnel Office (L&PO) concurred with this recommendation. In May 2020, OUSD(R&E)/L&PO stated it will develop a monitoring and oversight plan, and estimated it would be completed in early Fall 2020.

Recommendation: The Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering should direct the Laboratories and Personnel Office to develop a plan that outlines the methodology by which DOD will assess the pilot and how and when information collected will be analyzed to evaluate the pilot program. (Recommendation 4)

Agency: Department of Defense: Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering
Status: Open

Comments: The Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)), Laboratories and Personnel Office (L&PO) concurred with this recommendation. In May 2020, OUSD(R&E)/L&PO stated it will develop and coordinate a plan that outlines the methodology by which DOD will assess the pilot as well as the methodology for collecting and analyzing information to evaluate the pilot program. OUSD(R&E)/L&PO estimated these actions would be completed in early Fall 2020.

Recommendation: The Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering should direct the Laboratories and Personnel Office to develop a plan to identify and evaluate lessons learned from the pilot program. (Recommendation 5)

Agency: Department of Defense: Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering
Status: Open

Comments: The Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)), Laboratories and Personnel Office (L&PO) concurred with this recommendation. In May 2020, OUSD(R&E)/L&PO stated it will develop a plan to identify and evaluate lessons learned from the pilot program, and estimated the plan would be completed in early Fall 2020.

Recommendation: The Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering should direct the Laboratories and Personnel Office to develop a plan for obtaining input from stakeholders on the pilot program. (Recommendation 6)

Agency: Department of Defense: Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering
Status: Open

Comments: The Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)), Laboratories and Personnel Office (L&PO) concurred with this recommendation. In May 2020, OUSD(R&E)/L&PO stated it will develop a plan to obtain stakeholder inputs for use in evaluating the pilot program, and estimated the plan would be completed in early Fall 2020.

Defense Logistics Agreements: DOD Should Improve Oversight and Seek Payment from Foreign Partners for Thousands of Orders It Identifies as Overdue
GAO-20-309, Mar 4, 2020

Director: Jason Bair
Phone: (202) 512-6881

6 open recommendations

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Recommendation: The Secretary of Defense should ensure that written ACSA guidance includes recordkeeping procedures related to ACSA congressional notifications and signature dates to help enable the provision of complete information for Congress. (Recommendation 1)

Agency: Department of Defense: Office of the Secretary of Defense
Status: Open

Comments: DOD concurred with this recommendation in its official comment letter included as an appendix in GAO-20-309, published in March 2020. At that time, DOD provided a copy of a February 2020 memorandum issued in response to our draft recommendation that outlined procedures to capture and preserve information about ACSA establishment, including the dates of DOD's congressional notifications of intent to designate countries for ACSAs and agreement signature dates. In April 2020, DOD provided evidence confirming appropriate distribution of the memorandum. As of May 2020, we continue to work with DOD officials to secure evidence confirming its implementation.

Recommendation: The Secretary of Defense should take steps to verify the accuracy of ACSA order statuses recorded in DOD's system of record, and make corrections as appropriate. (Recommendation 3)

Agency: Department of Defense: Office of the Secretary of Defense
Status: Open

Comments: DOD concurred with this recommendation in its official comment letter included as an appendix in GAO-20-309, published in March 2020. As we confirm DOD efforts in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Recommendation: The Secretary of Defense should implement a process to reconcile data in financial systems with the data and associated documents collected and stored in DOD's ACSA system of record on a periodic basis. (Recommendation 4)

Agency: Department of Defense: Office of the Secretary of Defense
Status: Open

Comments: DOD concurred with this recommendation in its official comment letter included as an appendix in GAO-20-309, published in March 2020. As we confirm DOD efforts in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Recommendation: The Secretary of Defense should develop and implement a mechanism to record and track the extent to which it is meeting required time frames to receive reimbursement for ACSA orders. (Recommendation 5).

Agency: Department of Defense: Office of the Secretary of Defense
Status: Open

Comments: DOD concurred with this recommendation in its official comment letter included as an appendix in GAO-20-309, published in March 2020. As we confirm DOD efforts in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Recommendation: The Secretary of Defense should take steps to improve invoicing of ACSA orders, such as identifying ACSA orders recorded in DOD's system of record that have not been invoiced and sending invoices to partner countries. (Recommendation 6)

Agency: Department of Defense: Office of the Secretary of Defense
Status: Open

Comments: DOD concurred with this recommendation in its official comment letter included as an appendix in GAO-20-309, published in March 2020. As we confirm DOD efforts in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Recommendation: The Secretary of Defense should implement a process to monitor ACSA orders recorded as overdue in DOD's system of record, and take steps to resolve outstanding reimbursements, as appropriate. (Recommendation 7)

Agency: Department of Defense: Office of the Secretary of Defense
Status: Open

Comments: DOD concurred with this recommendation in its official comment letter included as an appendix in GAO-20-309, published in March 2020. As we confirm DOD efforts in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.