Priority Open Recommendations: General Services Administration
Fast Facts
Each year, we make more than 1,000 recommendations to help the federal government save money, address issues on our High Risk List, and significantly improve government operations.
This letter to the General Services Administration outlines 5 open recommendations that it should prioritize. For example, GSA should develop a plan to address its deferred maintenance and repair backlog. The plan should identify the funding and time frames needed to reduce the backlog.
GSA implemented 2 recommendations we identified as a priority last year.
We regularly update priority recommendations here.
Highlights
What GAO Found
In May 2023, GAO identified six priority recommendations for the General Services Administration (GSA). Since then, GSA has implemented two of those recommendations by taking actions to (1) update a guide on cybersecurity risk and (2) increase agencies' use of excess personal property.
In May 2024, GAO identified one additional priority recommendation for GSA, bringing the total number to five. These recommendations involve the federal real property management area. For example, GSA should develop a plan to address its deferred maintenance and repair backlog that identifies the funding and time frames needed to reduce the backlog. Another recommendation directs GSA to coordinate with agencies to ensure that public data on street addresses for federal real property are accurate and complete.
GSA's continued attention to these issues could lead to significant improvements in government operations.
Why GAO Did This Study
Priority open recommendations are the GAO recommendations that warrant priority attention from heads of key departments or agencies because their implementation could save large amounts of money; improve congressional and/or executive branch decision-making on major issues; eliminate mismanagement, fraud, and abuse; or ensure that programs comply with laws and funds are legally spent, among other benefits. Since 2015 GAO has sent letters to selected agencies to highlight the importance of implementing such recommendations.
For more information, contact Heather Krause at (202) 512-2834 or krauseh@gao.gov.