Priority Open Recommendations: Office of Management and Budget
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 Office of Management and Budget outlines 37 open recommendations that it should prioritize. For example, we recommended that OMB take a more strategic approach to buying products and services to better leverage federal buying power. This could save billions of dollars if implemented.
OMB implemented 4 recommendations we identified as a priority last year. We regularly update priority recommendations here.
This page was updated on August 19, 2024 to correct the number of open recommendations.
Highlights
What GAO Found
In May 2023, GAO identified 40 priority recommendations for the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Since then, OMB has implemented 4 of those recommendations by (1) issuing timely single audit guidance that reflected improved collaboration with the audit community; (2) developing a process for identifying and securing high-value IT assets; (3) adopting a government-wide workforce plan related to the cybersecurity workforce; and (4) launching its Federal Program Inventory website.
GAO also removed the priority status from 3 other recommendations related to acquisition management. These included 1 recommendation regarding the need to provide guidance on reverse auctions since there is a proposed rule that is in the final stages before adoption. GAO also removed the priority status on 2 recommendations related to standardizing a definition for bridge contracts since a definition has been established for bridge contracts used by the Department of Defense.
In August 2024, GAO identified 4 additional priority recommendations for OMB, bringing the total number to 37. These recommendations involve the following 9 areas:
- Fully developing a federal program inventory,
- Improving government performance,
- Increasing availability and transparency of government data,
- Improving acquisition management and reducing costs,
- Reducing government-wide improper payments and fraud,
- Strengthening cybersecurity,
- Establishing controls for disaster relief,
- Improving federal real property asset management, and
- Improving information management.
OMB's continued attention to these issues could yield significant cost savings and other 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 Michelle Sager at 202-512-6806 or SagerM@gao.gov.