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Federal Employees Health Benefits Program: Enrollee Cost Sharing for Selected Specialty Prescription Drugs
Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Recent increases in prescription drug costs have been fueled in part by the high and rising cost of specialty prescription drugs. Specialty prescription drugs are typically used to treat chronic or life-threatening conditions, such as multiple sclerosis and cancer, for which few other treatment options exist. The drugs typically have few competitors or generic alternatives and may require frequent dosage adjustment, special storage, patient education, or special methods of administration, such as by injection. Costs for specialty prescription drugs are usually high, typically ranging from $1,200 to $40,000 for a 30-day supply. Health plans--including those participating in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP), which covers nearly 8 million federal employees, dependents, and retirees-- provide coverage for many specialty drugs. Enrollees may be required to pay a portion of specialty drug costs through a copayment--a flat dollar amount--or coinsurance--a percentage share of the drug's actual costs. To manage the high and rising costs of these drugs, some health plans have begun to require enrollees to contribute a greater share of their costs, such as by increasing the use of coinsurance. Congress asked us to examine the costs that …
Date:
April 30, 2009
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Text
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Black Lung Benefits Program: Administrative and Structural Changes Could Improve Miners' Ability to Pursue Claims
A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Labor (DOL) Black Lung Benefits Program provides medical and income assistance to coal miners who suffer total disability or death due to lung disease caused by coal dust. To provide insight into DOL's administration of the Black Lung Benefits Program, GAO is reporting on (1) how long it takes to process and resolve black lung benefits claims; (2) at what rate and for what reasons black lung claims and appeals are denied by DOL; and (3) what barriers, if any, confront miners or their survivors in pursuing their claims. GAO collected and analyzed black lung claims and appeals data and interviewed officials at relevant federal agencies, national organizations, and selected local organizations at two sites."
Date:
October 30, 2009
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Elderly Voters: Information on Promising Practices Could Strengthen the Integrity of the Voting Process in Long-term Care Facilities
A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Voting is fundamental to the U.S. democratic system and federal law provides broad protections for people with disabilities, including older voters. Many long-term care facility residents, who often have physical or cognitive impairments, vote by absentee or early ballot. Concerns have been raised about the extent to which states and localities are helping the increasing number of facility residents exercise their right to vote, especially those requiring voting assistance, who may be subject to undue influence or unauthorized completion of their ballot by facility staff or relatives. Given these concerns, GAO was asked to identify the actions taken to facilitate and protect voting for long-term care facility residents at (1) the state level and (2) the local level. To address these objectives, GAO interviewed federal officials, national organizations, and researchers; reviewed Election Assistance Commission (EAC) guidance on voting in long-term care facilities; surveyed state and local election officials; and visited seven localities in the weeks prior to the November 2008 federal election to observe the voting process in long-term care facilities."
Date:
November 30, 2009
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Issues Involving the Use of the Futures Markets to Invest in Commodity Indexes
Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Until mid-2008, prices for a broad range of physical commodities, from crude oil to crops such as wheat, had increased dramatically for several years--raising concerns and leading to a debate over the possible causes. Some market participants and observers have attributed the price increases to fundamental economic factors related to supply and demand. Others have suggested that the price increases resulted from speculation in the futures contracts by hedge funds and investors in commodity indexes. Like stock indexes, commodity indexes track the composite price of a basket of long futures positions in physical commodities. The indexes' investment strategy is passive, remaining the same regardless of whether prices are falling, rising, or flat. Two commonly referenced commodity indexes are the Standard & Poor's Goldman Sachs Commodity Index (S&P GSCI) and Dow Jones-American International Group Commodity Index (DJ-AIGCI), which are based on a broad range of physical commodities, including energy products, agricultural products, and metals. Since around the mid-2000s, pension plans, endowments, and other institutional investors increasingly have used investments in commodity indexes to obtain exposure to commodity prices as an asset class, typically to diversify their portfolios or hedge …
Date:
January 30, 2009
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Text
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Defense Acquisitions: Assessments of Selected Weapon Programs
A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "This is GAO's seventh annual assessment of selected Department of Defense (DOD) weapon programs. The report examines how well DOD is planning and executing its weapon acquisition programs, an area that has been on GAO's high-risk list since 1990. This year's report is in response to the mandate in the joint explanatory statement to the Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009. The report includes (1) an analysis of the overall performance of DOD's 2008 portfolio of 96 major defense acquisition programs and a comparison to the portfolio performance at two other points in time--5 years ago and 1 year ago; (2) an analysis of current cost and schedule outcomes and knowledge attained by key junctures in the acquisition process for a subset of 47 weapon programs--primarily in development--from the 2008 portfolio; (3) data on other factors that could impact program stability; and (4) an update on changes in DOD's acquisition policies. To conduct our assessment, GAO analyzed cost, schedule, and quantity data from DOD's Selected Acquisition Reports for the programs in DOD's 2003, 2007, and 2008 portfolios. GAO also collected data from program …
Date:
March 30, 2009
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Meal Counting and Claiming by Food Service Management Companies in the School Meal Programs
Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The federal government spends about $10 billion each year to provide meals to over 30 million students through the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs. However, a 2007 study estimated that of this amount, $860 million (8.6 percent) in school year 2005-2006 was paid improperly because of errors in the number of meals counted and claimed for reimbursement. These programs are administered by the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) through state agencies that, in turn, oversee local school food authorities (SFA). SFAs that participate in the lunch and breakfast programs receive federal cash reimbursements through the state agency for each meal served, and in the lunch program they also receive USDA commodity donations based on the number of meals served. In return, SFAs must serve meals that meet federal nutrition requirements and offer meals free or at a reduced price to students whose family's income falls below certain thresholds. While most of the roughly 13,700 SFAs in traditional public school districts in the United States manage their own programs, about 13 percent choose to contract with private companies known as food service …
Date:
January 30, 2009
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Text
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Medicaid: State and Federal Actions Have Been Taken to Improve Children's Access to Dental Services, but Gaps Remain
A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Children's access to Medicaid dental services is a long-standing concern. The tragic case of a 12-year-old boy who died from an untreated infected tooth that led to a fatal brain infection renewed attention to this issue. He was enrolled in Medicaid--a joint federal and state program that provides health care coverage, including dental care, for 30 million low-income children--but, like many children in Medicaid, he experienced difficulty finding a dentist who would treat him. At the federal level, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), oversees Medicaid. In this report, GAO examined (1) state strategies to monitor and improve access to dental care for children in Medicaid and (2) CMS actions since 2007 to improve oversight of Medicaid dental services for children. GAO surveyed all state Medicaid programs and interviewed state and federal officials, and dental researchers and associations"
Date:
September 30, 2009
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Tax Debt Collection: IRS Needs to Better Manage the Collection Notices Sent to Individuals
A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), $23 billion in unpaid individual income tax debt existed in 2001, its most recent estimate. The notice phase is the first of IRS's three-phase process to collect unpaid debt. IRS annually sends notices to millions of individual taxpayers about billions of dollars of unpaid tax debt. Congress and others have questioned IRS's collection process's effectiveness. As requested, GAO is reporting on (1) how well IRS has established objectives, performance measures, and responsibility for reviewing notice-phase performance, and (2) how well IRS's business rules for sending notices to individuals help assure that the collection notice phase is achieving desired results at the lowest costs. To address these objectives, GAO compared the evidence obtained from IRS documents and responsible IRS collection officials to applicable guidance for internal control standards."
Date:
September 30, 2009
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Federal Judgeships: The General Accuracy of District and Appellate Judgeship Case-Related Workload Measures
A statement of record issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Biennially, the Judicial Conference, the federal judiciary's principal policymaking body, assesses the need for additional judges. The assessment is based on a variety of factors, but begins with quantitative case-related workload measures. This statement focuses on (1) whether the judiciary's quantitative case-related workload measures from 1993 were reasonably accurate; and (2) the reasonableness of any proposed methodologies to update the 1993 workload measures. This statement is based on work completed and reported in 2003 and discussed in testimony on June 17, 2008."
Date:
September 30, 2009
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Text
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Voters with Disabilities: Additional Monitoring of Polling Places Could Further Improve Accessibility
A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Voting is fundamental to our democracy, and federal law generally requires polling places to be accessible to all eligible voters for federal elections, including voters with disabilities. However, during the 2000 federal election, GAO found that only 16 percent of polling places had no potential impediments to access for people with disabilities. To address these and other issues, Congress enacted the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA), which required each polling place to have an accessible voting system. We examined (1) the proportion of polling places during the 2008 federal election with features that might facilitate or impede access for voters with disabilities compared to our findings from 2000; (2) actions states are taking to facilitate voting access; and (3) steps the Department of Justice (Justice) has taken to enforce HAVA voting access provisions. GAO visited 730 randomly selected polling places across the country, representing polling places nationwide, on Election Day 2008. GAO also surveyed states and interviewed federal officials."
Date:
September 30, 2009
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
U.S.-Russia Nuclear Agreement: Interagency Process Used to Develop the Classified Nuclear Proliferation Assessment Needs to Be Strengthened
Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "On May 13, 2008, the President submitted to Congress a proposed Agreement Between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Russian Federation for Cooperation in the Field of Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy (henceforth referred to as the U.S.-Russia 123 agreement) in accordance with the review requirements established under Section 123 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (AEA), as amended. The United States has agreements for peaceful nuclear cooperation governing nuclear exports to nearly 50 countries, Taiwan, and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Such agreements provide the framework and authorization for civilian nuclear cooperation, but do not guarantee that cooperation will take place or that nuclear material or technology transfers will occur. The proposed agreement with Russia would, among other things, establish the legal basis for the Department of Energy (DOE) to work with Russia on large-scale development of nuclear energy. However, owing to Russia's status as a nuclear weapons state, the size of its nuclear complex, and past proliferation concerns, including weaknesses in the Russian export control system, an agreement for peaceful nuclear cooperation between the United States and …
Date:
June 30, 2009
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Text
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Federal Lands: Enhanced Planning Could Assist Agencies in Managing Increased Use of Off-Highway Vehicles
A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Off-highway vehicle (OHV) use on lands managed by the Department of Agriculture's Forest Service and the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and National Park Service (Park Service) has become popular over the past few decades. Some critics have asserted that OHV use causes adverse environmental, social, and safety impacts, while proponents have voiced concerns about retaining access to federal lands. GAO examined the (1) trends in and status of OHV use on federal lands, as well as reported environmental, social, and safety impacts; (2) agencies' strategic planning for managing OHV use; (3) actions taken by agency field units to manage OHV use; and (4) current OHV management challenges. GAO collected and analyzed related executive orders and agency OHV plans, regulations, and guidance; interviewed agency and interest group officials; and conducted a Web-based survey of all three agencies' field unit officials."
Date:
June 30, 2009
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Troubled Asset Relief Program: Status of Efforts to Address Transparency and Accountability Issues
A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "This is the second GAO report on the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). It follows up on the nine recommendations from the December 2, 2008, report (GAO-09-161). It also reviews (1) the nature and purpose of activities that had been initiated under TARP as of January 23, 2009; (2) Treasury's Office of Financial Stability (OFS) hiring and transition efforts, use of contractors, and progress in developing a system of internal control; and (3) preliminary indicators of TARP's performance. To do this work, GAO reviewed signed agreements and other relevant documentation and met with officials from OFS, contractors, federal agencies, and some participating institutions."
Date:
January 30, 2009
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Contract Management: Extent of Federal Spending under Cost-Reimbursement Contracts Unclear and Key Controls Not Always Used
A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Federal agencies obligate billions of dollars annually using cost-reimbursement contracts. This type of contract involves high risk for the government because of the potential for cost escalation and because the government pays a contractor's costs of performance regardless of whether the work is completed. As such, cost-reimbursement contracts are suitable only when the cost of the work to be done cannot be estimated with sufficient accuracy to use fixed-price contracts. Agencies may use this contract type only if certain conditions are met. At your request, GAO assessed (1) the extent of agencies' obligations under these contracts, (2) the rationales for using this contract type, (3) determinations that contractors' accounting systems are adequate for determining costs applicable to the contracts, and (4) procedures for monitoring contractor cost controls. GAO analyzed federal procurement data and contract files and interviewed contracting and other government officials."
Date:
September 30, 2009
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
New Markets Tax Credit: Minority Entities Are Less Successful in Obtaining Awards Than Non-Minority Entitities
A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund in the Department of the Treasury has awarded $19.5 billion of the $26 billion in New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC) it is authorized to award through 2009 to encourage investment in low-income communities. The NMTC allows investors to claim a tax credit in exchange for investing in Community Development Entities (CDE) that reinvest the funds in qualified communities. Recent congressional interest has focused on participation by minority CDEs. As requested, this report (1) identifies the number of minority and non-minority CDEs that have applied to the CDFI Fund and received NMTC awards, (2) explains the process by which the CDFI Fund makes NMTC awards and summarizes application scores, (3) describes challenges, if any, minority and non-minority CDEs face in applying for and receiving NMTC awards and (4) identifies efforts the CDFI Fund and others are taking to assist minority CDEs in applying for NMTC awards. GAO analyzed CDFI Fund application data and interviewed minority and non-minority CDE officials, the CDFI Fund, and industry groups."
Date:
April 30, 2009
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Biomonitoring: EPA Needs to Coordinate Its Research Strategy and Clarify Its Authority to Obtain Biomonitoring Data
A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Biomonitoring, which measures chemicals in people's tissues or body fluids, has shown that the U.S. population is widely exposed to chemicals used in everyday products. Some of these have the potential to cause cancer or birth defects. Moreover, children may be more vulnerable to harm from these chemicals than adults. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is authorized under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to control chemicals that pose unreasonable health risks. GAO was asked to review the (1) extent to which EPA incorporates information from biomonitoring studies into its assessments of chemicals, (2) steps that EPA has taken to improve the usefulness of biomonitoring data, and (3) extent to which EPA has the authority under TSCA to require chemical companies to develop and submit biomonitoring data to EPA."
Date:
April 30, 2009
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Federal Student Loans: Audits and Reviews of the Federal Family Education Loan and Federal Direct Loan Programs
Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "This letter formally transmits the briefing slides in response to section 1119 of Pub. L. No. 110-315, the Higher Education Opportunity Act. This act mandated GAO study the financial and compliance audits and reviews required or conducted for the Federal Family Education Loan and Federal Direct Loan Programs. On August 6 and 7, 2009, we briefed the staff of congressional committees on the types of audits, reviews, agreed-upon procedures, and reconciliations that are required or conducted for these programs. At congressional request, we have incorporated additional information on the agreed-upon procedures engagements required by the Ensuring Continued Access to Student Loans Act and the reconciliations performed by the Department of Education's Office of Federal Student Aid. In a forthcoming report, we will provide an assessment of whether these audits and reviews as designed provide comparable coverage of the two loan programs. That report will also discuss how the Department of Education ensures that these audits and reviews comply with statutory and regulatory requirements and how the Department uses them to oversee these loan programs."
Date:
September 30, 2009
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Text
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Defense Infrastructure: Planning Challenges Could Increase Risks for DOD in Providing Utility Services When Needed to Support the Military Buildup on Guam
A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Defense's (DOD) plans to increase the U.S. military presence on Guam by more than two-and-a-half times the island's current military population of 15,000 by 2020. To keep pace with this growth, DOD has determined that substantial upgrades to the island's existing utilities infrastructure are required for electric power, potable water, wastewater treatment, and solid waste disposal to meet future utility needs. GAO was asked to examine (1) the condition and capacity of the existing utilities' infrastructure on Guam, the military's estimated utility requirements, and potential solutions for meeting the increased demand on the island's utility systems as well as (2) the extent that DOD has developed a comprehensive plan to address any challenges it faces in its planning for new utility systems. GAO reviewed and analyzed plans and studies within DOD, the services, and several stakeholders on implementing new utility services associated with the Guam military buildup."
Date:
June 30, 2009
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Global Positioning System: Significant Challenges in Sustaining and Upgrading Widely Used Capabilities
A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Global Positioning System (GPS), which provides positioning, navigation, and timing data to users worldwide, has become essential to U.S. national security and a key tool in an expanding array of public service and commercial applications at home and abroad. The United States provides GPS data free of charge. The Air Force, which is responsible for GPS acquisition, is in the process of modernizing GPS. In light of the importance of GPS, the modernization effort, and international efforts to develop new systems, GAO was asked to undertake a broad review of GPS. Specifically, GAO assessed progress in (1) acquiring GPS satellites, (2) acquiring the ground control and user equipment necessary to leverage GPS satellite capabilities, and evaluated (3) coordination among federal agencies and other organizations to ensure GPS missions can be accomplished. To carry out this assessment, GAO's efforts included reviewing and analyzing program documentation, conducting its own analysis of Air Force satellite data, and interviewing key military and civilian officials."
Date:
April 30, 2009
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Defense Acquisitions: Opportunities Exist to Achieve Greater Commonality and Efficiencies among Unmanned Aircraft Systems
A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "From 2008 through 2013, the Department of Defense (DOD) plans to invest over $16 billion to develop and procure additional unmanned aircraft systems. To more effectively leverage its acquisition resources, DOD recognizes that it must achieve greater commonality among the military services' unmanned aircraft programs. Doing so, however, requires certain trade-offs and complex budget, cost, and schedule interactions. GAO was asked to assess the progress of selected unmanned aircraft acquisition programs, examine the extent to which the services are collaborating and identifying commonality among those programs, and identify key factors impacting the effectiveness their collaboration. GAO analyzed cost, schedule, and performance data for eight unmanned aircraft systems--accounting for over 80 percent of DOD's total planned investment in unmanned aircraft systems from 2008 through 2013--and two payload programs."
Date:
July 30, 2009
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Recovery Act: Contract Oversight Activities of the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board and Observations on Contract Spending in Selected States
Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) was enacted on February 17, 2009, to help stimulate the United States economy by creating new jobs, as well as saving existing ones, and investing in projects that will provide long-term economic benefits. Estimates show that the Recovery Act's combined spending and tax provisions will cost $787 billion over 10 years--about $207 billion in tax reductions plus about $580 billion in additional federal spending. These funds are being provided directly to federal agencies and also distributed to states, localities, other entities, and individuals through a combination of formula and competitive grants and direct assistance. About $280 billion of the funds will be administered through state and local governments. The Recovery Act delineates an important set of responsibilities for the accountability community. The inspectors general across government are expected to audit the programs, grants, and projects funded under the Recovery Act, both within their particular agency or department and collectively. To address the collective oversight at the federal level, the Recovery Act established the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board to help prevent waste, fraud, and abuse. In addition, the …
Date:
November 30, 2009
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Text
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Energy-Water Nexus: Many Uncertainties Remain about National and Regional Effects of Increased Biofuel Production on Water Resources
A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In response to concerns about the nation's energy dependence on imported oil, climate change, and other issues, the federal government has encouraged the use of biofuels. Water plays a crucial role in all stages of biofuel production--from cultivation of feedstock through its conversion into biofuel. As demand for water from various sectors increases and places additional stress on already constrained supplies, the effects of expanded biofuel production may need to be considered. To understand these potential effects, GAO was asked to examine (1) the known water resource effects of biofuel production in the United States; (2) agricultural conservation practices and technological innovations that could address these effects and any barriers to their adoption; and (3) key research needs regarding the effects of water resources on biofuel production. To address these issues, GAO reviewed scientific studies, interviewed experts and federal and state officials, and selected five states to study their programs and plans related to biofuel production. GAO is not making any recommendations in this report. A draft of this report was provided to the Departments of Agriculture (USDA), Energy (DOE), and the Interior (DOI); and the …
Date:
November 30, 2009
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
State and Local Government Retiree Health Benefits: Liabilities Are Largely Unfunded, but Some Governments Are Taking Action
A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Accounting standards require governments to account for the costs of other postemployment benefits (OPEB)--the largest of which is typically retiree health benefits--when an employee earns the benefit. As such, governments are reporting their OPEB liabilities--the amount of the obligation to employees who have earned OPEB. As state and local governments have historically not funded retiree health benefits when the benefits are earned, much of their OPEB liability may be unfunded. Amid fiscal pressures facing governments, this has raised concerns about the actions the governments can take to address their OPEB liabilities. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) was asked to provide information on governments' retiree health liabilities. GAO described (1) what has been reported in state and local governments' comprehensive annual financial reports (CAFR) regarding OPEB liabilities, (2) actions state and local governments have taken to address retiree health liabilities, and (3) the overall fiscal pressures these governments face. GAO reviewed the CAFRs for 50 states and the 39 local governments with at least $2 billion in total revenue. GAO also reviewed the actions taken to address retiree health liabilities by 10 state and local governments, selected …
Date:
November 30, 2009
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Defense Travel System: Implementation Challenges Remain
A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In 1995, the Department of Defense (DOD) began an effort to implement a standard departmentwide travel system--the Defense Travel System (DTS). GAO has made numerous recommendations aimed at improving DOD management, oversight, and implementation of DTS. GAO was asked to (1) assess the actions DOD has taken to implement GAO's prior recommendations; (2) determine the actions DOD has taken to standardize and streamline its travel rules and processes; (3) determine if DOD has identified its legacy travel systems, their operating costs, and which of these systems will be eliminated; and (4) report on DOD's costs to process travel vouchers manually and electronically. To address these objectives, GAO (1) obtained and analyzed relevant travel policies and procedures, and documents related to the operation of DTS and (2) interviewed appropriate DOD and contractor personnel."
Date:
June 30, 2009
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library