A Summary of GAO Reports for the week of September 16, 2024
A Summary of GAO Reports for the week of September 16, 2024
GAO REPORTS:
Military Construction: Better Information Sharing Would Improve DOD's Oversight
The GAO report on military construction highlights that the Department of Defense (DOD) does not fully monitor its military construction projects, particularly due to limited information collection, which hampers its ability to identify systemic issues and prevent delays. This lack of detailed oversight creates opportunities for federal contractors, especially in offering project management solutions, improving quality control, and enhancing information-sharing systems to support DOD in managing its vast construction program efficiently. https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-24-106499
VA Disability Exams: Improvements Needed to Strengthen Oversight of Contractors' Corrective Actions
The GAO report on VA disability exams finds that while the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has established several oversight mechanisms to ensure the quality of contracted disability exams, the VA lacks clear procedures for verifying contractors' corrective actions and measuring their impact on exam quality. This gap in oversight poses challenges for federal contractors, who may face increased scrutiny and tighter quality control requirements, as the VA works to improve exam accuracy and reduce delays in veterans' benefits processing. https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-24-107730
Older Americans Act: Agencies Should Take Steps to Better Manage Fraud Risks
The GAO report on the Older Americans Act highlights that the Administration for Community Living (ACL) and the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) have not designated specific entities to lead fraud risk management activities or conducted formal fraud risk assessments for their programs. This presents implications for federal contractors who may be involved in providing fraud risk management solutions, as these agencies may require external support to develop and implement comprehensive fraud risk frameworks and improve oversight mechanisms to safeguard program funds. https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-24-107391
Elections: Preliminary Observations on State Laws and Perspectives on Holding Special Elections to Fill House Vacancies
The GAO report on special elections to fill House vacancies finds that many states face challenges complying with federal requirements, such as holding an election within 49 days, due to state-specific laws on candidate selection, ballot printing, and absentee voting. The implications for federal contractors include opportunities to provide logistical support, develop efficient ballot printing solutions, and offer services that assist states in meeting the stringent time frames and compliance needs for these elections. https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-24-107789
COVID-19: HHS Needs to Identify Duplicative Pandemic IT Systems and Implement Key Privacy Requirements
The GAO report on the Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) pandemic data systems highlights that HHS failed to identify and reduce duplication and overlap across its pandemic public health systems, which could lead to inefficiencies and risks in managing personal data. For federal contractors, this presents opportunities to assist HHS in improving data management, eliminating redundancies, and implementing stronger privacy safeguards, especially in the handling of personally identifiable information (PII) during pandemic responses. https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-24-106638
The GAO report on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers finds that the Corps has not consistently reported or tracked the status of environmental mitigation for construction projects as required by law, primarily due to a lack of documented policies, uniform methodologies, and delayed annual reports. The implications for federal contractors include potential opportunities in providing support for data management and reporting systems, as well as offering solutions to improve the Corps' ability to track and report mitigation activities more effectively and in a timely manner. https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-24-106929
Vietnam Veterans Memorial: Process and Considerations for Adding Names to the Wall
The GAO report on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial highlights that the Department of Defense (DOD) uses specific criteria, such as combat zone location and the nature of a service member’s death, to determine whether names can be added to the Wall. Despite requests to add names of 74 sailors from the USS Frank E. Evans, DOD has consistently ruled that their deaths do not meet the established criteria. For federal contractors, this report underscores the importance of understanding DOD's strict adherence to historical and regulatory frameworks when handling memorials and other service-related projects.https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-24-107080
Tax Administration: IRS Needs to Take Additional Actions to Prepare for New Information Reporting Requirements
The GAO report on tax administration highlights that the IRS has taken steps to implement new information reporting requirements, such as the lowered Form 1099-K threshold and digital asset reporting. However, the IRS has not consistently documented risks or applied lessons learned from previous reporting changes, which may hinder its preparedness for these updates. For federal contractors, this presents opportunities to assist the IRS in improving documentation processes, enhancing communication strategies, and supporting the agency in managing compliance risks associated with the new reporting requirements. https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-24-107028
Rural Development: Actions Needed to Improve Assistance to Southwest Border Communities Known as Colonias
The GAO report on rural development in Southwest border communities, known as colonias, finds that these areas face significant economic, infrastructure, and environmental challenges, such as higher poverty rates, inadequate water and wastewater systems, and substandard housing. The report emphasizes that federal programs, especially from the USDA and HUD, lack sufficient data reliability and processes to effectively target assistance to these communities. For federal contractors, this suggests opportunities to assist in improving data collection systems, infrastructure development, and targeted community support to address these challenges.https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-24-106732
Next Generation 911: Some Federal Agencies Have Begun Planning, but Few Have Upgraded Their Call Centers
The GAO report on Next Generation 911 (NG911) finds that while some federal agencies have begun planning for the upgrade, few have fully implemented NG911 due to challenges such as funding priorities, maintaining interoperability with state and local systems, and cybersecurity concerns. For federal contractors, this presents opportunities to assist in overcoming these challenges, particularly by offering solutions in cybersecurity, data management, and interoperability support as the federal government continues to transition to NG911 systems.https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-24-106783
Federal Domestic Violence Assistance: HHS Should Assess Accessibility-Related Technical Assistance for Local Centers
The GAO report on federal domestic violence assistance finds that people with disabilities experience domestic violence at a rate five times higher than those without disabilities. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has not fully assessed whether the technical assistance provided to local centers is meeting the needs of people with disabilities, which suggests opportunities for federal contractors to offer improved technical assistance, training, and accessibility-related solutions to support these centers in providing better services.https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-24-106366
Coast Guard: Actions Needed to Address Persistent Challenges Hindering Efforts to Counter Illicit Maritime Drug Smuggling
The GAO report on the Coast Guard’s efforts to counter illicit maritime drug smuggling highlights persistent challenges, including asset readiness issues, acquisition delays for vital cutters, and significant workforce shortages. These challenges hinder the Coast Guard's ability to meet its drug interdiction goals, creating opportunities for federal contractors to provide solutions in areas such as fleet modernization, workforce development, and enhanced operational support systems(gao-24-107785). https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-24-107785
K-12 Education: Nationally, Black Girls Receive More Frequent and More Severe Discipline in School Than Other Girls
The GAO report on K-12 education highlights that Black girls face significantly higher rates of exclusionary discipline (such as suspensions and expulsions) compared to their peers, even for similar infractions. The findings indicate that racial and gender biases contribute to these disparities, which suggests that federal contractors working in educational policy or school administration could play a role in developing programs that address these inequities and foster fairer disciplinary practices.https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-24-106787
Cloud Computing: Agencies Need to Address Key OMB Procurement Requirements
The GAO report on cloud computing procurement highlights that federal agencies had mixed results in implementing key Office of Management and Budget (OMB) procurement requirements, particularly around cloud service level agreements (SLAs) and high-value asset (HVA) visibility. Most agencies lacked guidance on standardizing cloud SLAs and ensuring continuous visibility of HVAs, indicating that federal contractors may find opportunities in helping agencies develop standardized contracts, improve security measures, and enhance the management of cloud services.https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-24-106137
IT Portfolio Management: Preliminary Results of Federal Efforts to Address Statutory Requirements
The GAO report on IT portfolio management finds that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has not fully complied with key statutory requirements of the Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA), particularly in conducting high-risk IT investment reviews and annual portfolio assessments. For federal contractors, this indicates potential opportunities in supporting agencies to improve IT portfolio management, streamline high-risk IT investment processes, and develop comprehensive metrics and reporting mechanisms to meet statutory requirements.https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-24-107665