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Open Recommendations

Small Business Research Programs: Clearer Guidance Could Improve Award Data to More Effectively Measure Outcomes
GAO-25-107942
Sep 23, 2025
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Small Business Administration The Administrator of SBA should develop formal definitions for open and conventional topics and provide that guidance to participating agencies to encourage the consistent categorization of topic types in SBIR and STTR solicitations. (Recommendation 1)
Open
In its comments on a draft of this report, SBA's Director of the Office of Strategic Management and Enterprise Integrity reported that SBA concurs with GAO's recommendation, but did not provide additional information on plans to implement the recommendation. We will continue to monitor SBA's implementation of this recommendation.

Fishery Disaster Assistance: Process is Changing, but Challenges Remain to Improve Timeliness and Communication [Reissued with revisions on Jun. 25, 2025]
GAO-25-107076
Jun 25, 2025
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3 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
National Marine Fisheries Service The Assistant Administrator for NMFS should provide access to the tracking system to staff working on the fishery resource disaster program and use information from this system to update the program website. (Recommendation 1)
Open
NOAA agreed with this recommendation and said it would grant access to the tracking system to regional staff involved in the fisheries resource disaster program and that it would work to ensure that up to date information is available on its website. GAO will continue to monitor the actions NOAA takes in response to this recommendation.
National Marine Fisheries Service The Assistant Administrator for NMFS should provide more detailed information on NMFS' website about the fishery resource disaster process to clarify the requirements for documents submitted by requesters, such as requests for fishery resource disaster assistance and spend plans. (Recommendation 2)
Open
NOAA agreed with this recommendation and said it was working to make information more readily available on its website. GAO will continue to monitor the actions NOAA takes in response to this recommendation.
National Marine Fisheries Service The Assistant Administrator for NMFS should assess whether staffing capacity is sufficient to administer the fishery resource disaster program. (Recommendation 3)
Open
NOAA agreed with this recommendation and said it will evaluate whether the staffing capacity across the agency is sufficient to administer the the program. GAO will continue to monitor the actions NOAA takes in response to this recommendation.

Disaster Loan Program: Enhanced Procedures and Data Needed to Address Duplication of Benefits
GAO-25-107608
May 22, 2025
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2 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Small Business Administration The Administrator of SBA should ensure that the Associate Administrator for the Office of Capital Access develops documented procedures for resolving cases of duplicative benefits after a disaster loan has begun disbursement. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Small Business Administration The Administrator of SBA should ensure that the Associate Administrator for the Office of Capital Access enhances the collection and accessibility of data on cases of duplication of benefits in disaster loans and their resolution. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Indian Affairs: Additional Actions Needed to Address Long-standing Challenges with Workforce Capacity
GAO-25-106825
Nov 13, 2024
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6 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Bureau of Indian Affairs The Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs should, by March 2027, collect lessons learned regarding the use and sufficiency of funds for administrative costs associated with legislation that provides funds for Tribes outside of baseline appropriations and share these lessons with Interior and Congress. (Recommendation 1)
Open
Interior agreed with this recommendation. In May 2025, Interior stated that it will take steps to collect lessons learned by March 2027. We will continue to monitor Interior's progress and update the status, as appropriate.
Bureau of Indian Affairs The Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs should identify skills, knowledge, and competency gaps in mission-critical occupations across Indian Affairs. (Recommendation 3)
Open
Interior agreed with this recommendation. In May 2025, Interior stated that it will take steps to identify competency gaps in mission critical occupations across Indian Affairs. We will continue to monitor Interior's progress and update the status, as appropriate.
Bureau of Indian Affairs The Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs should develop consolidated written guidance that clarifies what hiring authorities, recruitment incentives, and workforce flexibilities can be leveraged for recruitment and retention purposes. (Recommendation 4)
Open
Interior agreed with this recommendation. In May 2025, Interior stated that the Office of Human Capital Management continues collaborating with the Division of Policy, Program, and Evaluation to identify and develop consolidated written guidance in the areas of hiring authorities, recruitment incentives, and workforce flexibilities to leverage recruitment and retention purposes. We will continue to monitor Interior's progress and update the status, as appropriate.
Bureau of Indian Affairs The Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs should develop a proposal that identifies capacity-building opportunities and the resources necessary to pursue them and share the proposal with Interior for consideration. (Recommendation 5)
Open
Interior agreed with this recommendation. In May 2025, Interior stated that the Office of Human Capital Management has been working to use the lessons learned gathered in response to Recommendation 1 to develop a proposal that identifies capacity-building opportunities and the resources necessary to pursue them. We will continue to monitor Interior's progress and update the status, as appropriate.
Bureau of Indian Affairs The Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs should develop a proposal that identifies legislative opportunities to build capacity and the resources necessary to pursue them and share the proposal with Congress for consideration. (Recommendation 6)
Open
Interior agreed with this recommendation. In May 2025, Interior stated that the Office of Human Capital Management is working to build metrics on the use of lessons learned gathered in response to Recommendation 1 and the Department's feedback obtained in response to Recommendation 5 to develop a proposal that identifies legislative opportunities to build capacity and the resources necessary to pursue them. We will continue to monitor Interior's progress and update the status, as appropriate.
Congress Congress should consider, when appropriating funds for Indian Affairs' administrative costs outside of baseline appropriations, the lessons learned from Indian Affairs on the agency's prior use of IRA funds and additional use of baseline appropriations for IRA administrative expenses, to help determine the amount needed for program implementation. (Matter for Consideration 1)
Open
As of February 11, 2025, Congress has not passed legislation that would implement this matter, and we were unable to identify any bills in the 119th Congress responsive to this matter.
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