Contract Management: Trends and Challenges in Acquiring Services (open access)

Contract Management: Trends and Challenges in Acquiring Services

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Federal agencies spend billions of tax dollars each year to buy services--from clerical support to information technology assistance to the management of national laboratories. The federal government spent more than $87 billion in services--a 24 percent increase in real terms from fiscal year 1990. Some service procurements are not being done efficiently, putting taxpayer dollars at risk. In particular, agencies are not clearly defining their requirements, fully considering alternative solutions, performing vigorous price analyses, and adequately overseeing contractor performance. This testimony (1) describes service contracting trends and the changing acquisition environment, (2) discusses the challenges confronting the government in acquiring services, and (3) highlights some efforts underway to address these challenges. GAO found that purchases of services now account for about 43 percent of federal contracting expenses--the largest single spending category. The growth of services has been driven largely by the government's increased purchases of information technology services and professional, administrative, and management support services. Poor contract management has undermined the government's ability to obtain good value for the money and continues to be a major problem for the two biggest service purchasers-the Departments of Defense and Energy. …
Date: May 22, 2001
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Federal Bankruptcy Judges: Weighted Case Filings as a Measure of Judges' Case-Related Workload (open access)

Federal Bankruptcy Judges: Weighted Case Filings as a Measure of Judges' Case-Related Workload

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "This testimony discusses the results of our review and assessment of bankruptcy court-weighted case filings, the workload measure the Judicial Conference first considers in assessing the need for additional bankruptcy judgeships. Weighted filings are a statistical measure of the estimated judge time that specific types of bankruptcy cases are expected to take. Congress asked us to assess whether weighted case filings are a reasonable means of measuring bankruptcy judges' case-related workload and to assess the methodology of any proposal to update the current case weights."
Date: May 22, 2003
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Electronic Government: Federal Initiatives Are Evolving Rapidly But They Face Significant Challenges (open access)

Electronic Government: Federal Initiatives Are Evolving Rapidly But They Face Significant Challenges

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO discussed the evolving electronic government (e-government) environment, focusing on: (1) the statutory and policy framework; (2) key efforts to implement electronic government programs; and (3) the major challenges confronting both government and the private sector in making the transition to online business and service environments."
Date: May 22, 2000
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Military Aircraft: Cannibalizations Adversely Affect Personnel and Maintenance (open access)

Military Aircraft: Cannibalizations Adversely Affect Personnel and Maintenance

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "All the military services extensively use cannibalization--the removal of a working component from one aircraft to install it on another--as a routine aircraft maintenance strategy. However, neither the Department of Defense nor the services know the overall magnitude of this practice. Cannibalizations increase maintenance costs by increasing workloads, may affect morale and the retention of personnel, and sometimes result in the unavailability of expensive aircraft for long periods of time. Cannibalizations also can create unnecessary mechanical problems for maintenance personnel. With the exception of the Navy, the services do not consistently track the specific reasons for cannibalizations. In the broadest sense, cannibalizations are done because of pressures to meet readiness and operational needs and the shortcomings of the supply system. In addition, a Navy study found that cannibalizations are sometimes done because mechanics are not trained well enough to diagnose problems or because testing equipment is either not available or not working. Although the services have undertaken some initiatives to reduce cannibalizations, none of them have developed a specific strategy to reduce the maintenance hours associated with cannibalizations. Because they view cannibalization as a symptom of spare parts …
Date: May 22, 2001
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
VA Long-Term Care: Veterans' Access to Noninstitutional Care Is Limited by Service Gaps and Facility Restrictions (open access)

VA Long-Term Care: Veterans' Access to Noninstitutional Care Is Limited by Service Gaps and Facility Restrictions

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "With the aging of the veteran population, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is likely to see a significant increase in long-term care need. VA uses noninstitutional long-term care services, such as home health care and adult day health care, and institutional care to meet this need. GAO identified limits in veterans' access to six noninstitutional long-term care services and factors that contribute to these limitations in its report VA Long-Term Care: Service Gaps and Facility Restrictions Limit Veterans' Access to Noninstitutional Care (GAO-03-487, May 9, 2003). The report is based, in part, on a survey of all 139 VA facilities. Today's testimony discusses conclusions and highlights recommendations GAO made in the report to improve access to VA noninstitutional long-term care services."
Date: May 22, 2003
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Highway Safety: Factors Contributing to Traffic Crashes and NHTSA's Efforts to Address Them (open access)

Highway Safety: Factors Contributing to Traffic Crashes and NHTSA's Efforts to Address Them

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "From 1975 through 2002, annual traffic fatalities decreased from 44,525 to 42,850, while the rate of fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled decreased from 3.35 to 1.51. However, decreases in fatalities have leveled off since the early 1990s. Since 1999, the number of alcohol-related fatalities has risen. In 1998, the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century funded a series of highway safety programs. These programs, administered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), increased funding to the states for activities designed to encourage, among other things, the use of seat belts and to prevent drinking and driving. The states establish highway safety goals and initiate projects to help reach those goals. NHTSA provides advice, training, and technical assistance to states and can use management reviews and improvement plans as tools to help monitor and strengthen the states' performance. This testimony is based on two recent GAO reports that discuss the causes of motor vehicle crashes and related research, provide highway saftey trend data and information on federal highway safety funds and the states' uses of those funds, and review NHTSA's oversight of state highway safety …
Date: May 22, 2003
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Critical Infrastructure Protection: Significant Challenges in Developing Analysis, Warning, and Response Capabilities (open access)

Critical Infrastructure Protection: Significant Challenges in Developing Analysis, Warning, and Response Capabilities

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "To better protect the nation's critical computer-dependent infrastructures from computer-based attacks and disruption, the President issued a directive in 1998 that established the National Infrastructure Protection Center as a national focal point for gathering information on threats and facilitating the federal government's response to computer-based incidents. This testimony discusses the center's progress in (1) developing national capabilities for analyzing cyber threat and vulnerability data and issuing warnings, (2) enhancing its capabilities for responding to cyber attacks, and (3) developing outreach and information-sharing initiatives with government and private-sector entities. GAO found that although the center has taken some steps to develop analysis and warning capabilities, the strategic capabilities described in the presidential directive have not been achieved. By coordinating investigations and providing technical assistance the center has provided important support that has improved the Federal Bureau of Investigations' ability to investigate computer crimes. The center has also developed crisis management procedures and drafted an emergency law enforcement sector plan, which is now being reviewed by sector members. The center's information-sharing relationships are still evolving and will probably have limited effectiveness until reporting procedures and thresholds are defined and trust …
Date: May 22, 2001
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Energy Markets: Factors That Influence Gasoline Prices (open access)

Energy Markets: Factors That Influence Gasoline Prices

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Few issues generate more attention and anxiety among American consumers than the price of gasoline. The most current upsurge in prices is no exception. According to data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), the average retail price of regular unleaded gasoline in the United States has increased almost every week this year since January 29th and reached an all-time high of $3.10 the week of May 14th. Over this time period, the price has increase 94 cents per gallon and added about $20 billion to consumers' total gasoline bill, or about $146 for each passenger car in the United States. Given the importance of gasoline for the nation's economy, it is essential to understand the market for gasoline and the factors that influence gasoline prices. In this context, this testimony addresses the following questions: (1) what key factors affect the prices of gasoline and (2) what effects have mergers had on market concentration and wholesale gasoline prices? To address these questions, GAO relied on previous reports, including a 2004 GAO report on mergers in the U.S. petroleum industry, a 2005 GAO primer on gasoline prices and a 2006 …
Date: May 22, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Park Service: Agency Is Not Meeting Its Structural Fire Safety Responsibilities (open access)

Park Service: Agency Is Not Meeting Its Structural Fire Safety Responsibilities

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the National Park Service's (NPS) structural fire safety efforts, focusing on: (1) whether national parks are effectively addressing their structural fire safety responsibilities and if not, what are the main reasons; and (2) what improvements, if any, are under way to address identified problems."
Date: May 22, 2000
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Internal Revenue Service: Efforts to Identify and Combat Abusive Tax Schemes Have Increased, but Challenges Remain (open access)

Internal Revenue Service: Efforts to Identify and Combat Abusive Tax Schemes Have Increased, but Challenges Remain

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) characterizes an abusive tax scheme as any plan or arrangement created and used to obtain tax benefits not allowable by law. According to IRS, abusive tax schemes fall into four categories: frivolous returns, frivolous refunds, abusive domestic trusts, and offshore schemes. IRS estimates the potential revenue loss from abusive tax schemes to be in the tens of billions of dollars annually. Developing accurate estimates is difficult because of the limited numbers of cases examined and investigated. IRS identifies and examines abusive tax scheme promoters and participants through its Small Business and Self-Employed Division and Criminal Investigation. In fiscal year 2000, IRS created a program that focuses on false and frivolous schemes. IRS has also created new offices that focus exclusively on abusive tax schemes that use legal structures like domestic and offshore trusts and partnerships. IRS coordinates with federal agencies to identify, monitor, and prosecute promoters and participants in abusive tax schemes. These activities range from sharing information and detection techniques with agencies such as the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Federal Trade Commission to assisting in the prosecution of …
Date: May 22, 2002
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
High-Containment Biosafety Laboratories: DHS Lacks Evidence to Conclude That Foot-and-Mouth Disease Research Can Be Done Safely on the U.S. Mainland (open access)

High-Containment Biosafety Laboratories: DHS Lacks Evidence to Conclude That Foot-and-Mouth Disease Research Can Be Done Safely on the U.S. Mainland

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "DHS is proposing to move foot-and mouth disease (FMD) research from its current location at the Plum Island Animal Disease Center--located on a federally owned island off the northern tip of Long Island, New York--and potentially onto the United States mainland. FMD is the most highly infectious animal disease that is known. Nearly 100 percent of exposed animals become infected. A single outbreak of FMD on the U.S. mainland could have significant economic consequences. Concerns have been raised about moving FMD research off its island location and onto the U.S. mainland--where it would be in closer proximity to susceptible animal populations--as opposed to building a new facility on the island. GAO was asked to evaluate the evidence DHS used to support its decision that FMD work can be done safely on the U.S. mainland, whether an island location provides any additional protection over and above that provided by modern high containment laboratories on the mainland, and the economic consequences of an FMD outbreak on the U.S. mainland. In preparing this testimony, GAO interviewed officials from DHS and USDA, talked with experts in FMD and high-containment laboratories worldwide, and …
Date: May 22, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Rail Safety: The Federal Railroad Administration Is Better Targeting Safety Risks, but Needs to Assess Results to Determine the Impact of Its Efforts (open access)

Rail Safety: The Federal Railroad Administration Is Better Targeting Safety Risks, but Needs to Assess Results to Determine the Impact of Its Efforts

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Although the overall safety record in the railroad industry, as measured by the number of train accidents per million miles traveled, has improved markedly since 1980, there has been little sustained improvement over the past decade. Serious accidents resulting in injuries and deaths continue to occur, such as one in Graniteville, South Carolina, in 2005 that resulted in 9 deaths and 292 injuries. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) develops safety standards and inspects and enforces railroads' compliance with these standards. On January 26, 2007, GAO reported on FRA's overall safety oversight strategy. (See GAO-07-149.) The report discussed how FRA (1) focuses its efforts on the highest priority risks related to train accidents in planning its oversight, (2) identifies safety problems on railroad systems in carrying out its oversight, and (3) assesses the impact of its oversight efforts on safety. GAO recommended that FRA (1) put into place measures of the results of its inspection and enforcement programs and (2) evaluate its enforcement program. In its response, the Department of Transportation stated that FRA agreed to develop such measures and would consider requesting additional resources to conduct an evaluation …
Date: May 22, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
District of Columbia: Structural Imbalance and Management Issues (open access)

District of Columbia: Structural Imbalance and Management Issues

A chapter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "District officials have recently reported both a budget gap and a more permanent structural imbalance between costs and revenue raising capacity. They maintain that the structural imbalance largely stems from the federal government's presence and restrictions on the District's tax base. Accordingly, at various times District officials have asked the Congress for additional funds and other measures to enhance revenues. In a preliminary September 2002 report, GAO concluded that the District had not provided sufficient data and analysis to discern whether, or to what extent, it is facing a structural imbalance. At that time, GAO also agreed to perform a more comprehensive analysis and was asked to (1) determine whether, or to what extent, the District faces a structural imbalance between its revenue capacity and its public service responsibilities, (2) identify any significant constraints on the District's revenue capacity, (3) discuss factors beyond the control of District officials that influence the District's spending in key program areas as well as factors within its control, such as management problems, and (4) report on the District's deferred infrastructure projects and outstanding debt service and related expenses that might …
Date: May 22, 2003
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Pediatric Drug Research: The Study and Labeling of Drugs for Pediatric Use under the Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act (open access)

Pediatric Drug Research: The Study and Labeling of Drugs for Pediatric Use under the Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "About two-thirds of drugs that are prescribed for children have not been studied and labeled for pediatric use, placing children at risk of being exposed to ineffective treatment or incorrect dosing. The Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act (BPCA), enacted in 2002, encourages the manufacturers, or sponsors, of drugs that still have marketing exclusivity--that is, are on-patent--to conduct pediatric drug studies, as requested by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). If they do so, FDA may extend for 6 months the period during which no equivalent generic drugs can be marketed. This is referred to as pediatric exclusivity. BPCA also provides for the study of off-patent drugs. GAO was asked to testify on the study and labeling of drugs for pediatric use under BPCA. This testimony is based on Pediatric Drug Research: Studies Conducted under Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act, GAO-07-557 (Mar. 22, 2007). GAO assessed (1) the extent to which pediatric drug studies were being conducted under BPCA for on-patent drugs, (2) the extent to which pediatric drug studies were being conducted under BPCA for off-patent drugs, and (3) the impact of BPCA on the labeling of drugs …
Date: May 22, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Tax Administration: IRS Is Working to Improve Its Estimates of Compliance Burden (open access)

Tax Administration: IRS Is Working to Improve Its Estimates of Compliance Burden

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on the status of the Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) efforts to improve its estimates of taxpayer compliance burden, focusing on: (1) IRS' overall strategy to improve its methodology for estimating compliance burden; (2) what IRS has done to begin implementing its overall strategy and how IRS expects this to improve its methodology; and (3) whether IRS expects that its new methodology will be able to measure the burden associated with the complex tax rules identified in IRS' forthcoming first annual report on tax complexity."
Date: May 22, 2000
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Capitol Visitor Center: Update on Status of Project's Schedule and Cost as of May 22, 2008 (open access)

Capitol Visitor Center: Update on Status of Project's Schedule and Cost as of May 22, 2008

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "This testimony is based on our review of schedules and financial reports for the CVC project and related records maintained by AOC and its construction management contractor, Gilbane Building Company; our observations on the progress of work at the CVC construction site; and our discussions with the CVC team (AOC and its major CVC contractors) and AOC's Chief Fire Marshal. We also reviewed AOC's construction management contractor's periodic schedule assessments, proposed change order log, and weekly reports on construction progress."
Date: May 22, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Tax Administration: Impact of Compliance and Collection Program Declines on Taxpayers (open access)

Tax Administration: Impact of Compliance and Collection Program Declines on Taxpayers

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "For several years, Congress and others have been concerned about declines in the Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) compliance and collection programs. Taxpayers' willingness to voluntarily comply with the tax laws depends in part on their confidence that their friends, neighbors, and business competitors are paying their share of taxes. GAO found large and pervasive declines in five of the six compliance programs and in both collection programs between fiscal years 1996 and 2001. Factors contributing to the declines in the program and in collection coverage include declines in IRS staffing, increased workloads, and increased procedural controls mandated by Congress to better safeguard taxpayer interests. The declines in IRS's compliance and collection programs had several impacts. The likelihood that taxpayer noncompliance would be detected and pursued by IRS declined and the length of time that taxpayers owed back taxes at the time that they were assigned to collection increased between 1996 and 2001. The amount of penalties and interest continued to accumulate on deferred collection cases, making future payment increasingly demanding if subsequently pursued by IRS. Strategic assessments, which were prepared to provide a basis for decisions …
Date: May 22, 2002
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
United States Government Accountability Office: Status of GAO's Human Capital Transformation Efforts (open access)

United States Government Accountability Office: Status of GAO's Human Capital Transformation Efforts

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The subcommittees asked the Comptroller General of the United States to discuss recent human capital reform efforts at the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). In 2004, GAO conducted its first ever market-based compensation study after laying the necessary foundation by implementing a modern, competency-based performance management system. GAO hired a top compensation consulting firm on a competitive basis to conduct a market-based pay study using generally accepted approaches and based on independent and professional judgment. As a result of the study, the 2006 pay ranges for about 25 percent of GAO's employees were raised and about 10 percent of GAO's employees were determined to be paid above market levels based on their roles, responsibilities, and/or relative performance. No GAO employee has had his or her pay cut as a result of GAO's classification and compensation changes. Still, GAO's approach to market-based pay and related Band II restructuring efforts, which were very challenging and likely unprecedented in government, have been the source of considerable attention and some controversy."
Date: May 22, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Human Capital: Efforts to Enhance Diversity and Ensure a Fair and Inclusive Workplace at GAO (open access)

Human Capital: Efforts to Enhance Diversity and Ensure a Fair and Inclusive Workplace at GAO

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Vigorous enforcement of anti-discrimination laws remains an essential responsibility of government. Moreover, diversity in the federal government can be a key component for executing agency missions and achieving results. Not only is it the right thing to do, but an inclusive work environment can improve retention, reduce turnover, increase our ability to recruit, and improve overall organizational effectiveness. In 2001, the Comptroller General changed the name of the Office of Civil Rights to the Office of Opportunity and Inclusiveness and gave the office responsibility for creating a fair and inclusive work environment by incorporating diversity principles in GAO's strategic plan and throughout our human capital policies. Along with this new strategic mission, the Comptroller General changed organizational alignment of the Office of Opportunity and Inclusiveness (O&I) by having the office report directly to him."
Date: May 22, 2007
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Medicare Part D Low-Income Subsidy: SSA Continues to Approve Applicants, but Millions of Individuals Have Not Yet Applied (open access)

Medicare Part D Low-Income Subsidy: SSA Continues to Approve Applicants, but Millions of Individuals Have Not Yet Applied

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "To help the elderly and disabled with prescription drug costs, the Congress passed the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA), which created a voluntary outpatient prescription drug benefit (Medicare Part D). A key element of the prescription drug benefit is the low-income subsidy, or "extra help," available to Medicare beneficiaries with limited income and resources to assist them in paying their premiums and other out-of-pocket costs. To assess the Social Security Administration's (SSA) implementation of the subsidy, GAO is providing information on (1) the number of applicants approved for or denied the low-income subsidy and (2) challenges of identifying individuals eligible for the subsidy and targeting outreach efforts. This statement is based on a prior GAO report on the subsidy and associated spending issued in May 2007, selected aspects of which we updated in May 2008."
Date: May 22, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Lobbying Activity in Support of China Permanent Normal Trade Relations (open access)

Lobbying Activity in Support of China Permanent Normal Trade Relations

Other written product issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "GAO commented on whether the efforts of the White House China Trade Relations Working Group and selected agencies violated the anti-lobbying provisions of 18 U.S.C. 1913. GAO noted that it identified one violation, which involved an electronic mail (e-mail) authorized by an agency representative assigned to the Working Group. While this appeared to constitute a violation of the applicable anti-lobbying appropriation provision, it involved a minimal expenditure of appropriated funds. GAO has discussed this e-mail with the White House Counsel's Office."
Date: May 22, 2000
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Medicare: Orthotics Ruling Has Implications for Beneficiary Access and Federal and State Costs (open access)

Medicare: Orthotics Ruling Has Implications for Beneficiary Access and Federal and State Costs

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), now called the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), became concerned that some suppliers were improperly billing Medicare for items that attach to wheelchairs and other equipment. Some suppliers were billing for such items using codes for orthodic devices, including arm, back, and neck braces that provide support for or immobilize weak or injured limbs, while others were billing using codes for durable medical equipment, which includes equipment such as wheelchairs and crutches that can withstand repeated use and is appropriate for home use. Whether an item is billed as an orthotic or DME device can affect whether such claims are paid. To clarify Medicare's payment policy on orthotics, HCFA issued a ruling stating that Medicare considered such items to be durable medical equipment rather than orthotics. HCFA issued Ruling 96-1 to clarify the circumstances under which certain items would be classified as orthotics or as DME for Medicare part B payment purposes. A federal appellate court found that HFCA had followed appropriate procedures to issue the rule as an interpretation of …
Date: May 22, 2002
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Inspectors General: Comparison of Ways Law Enforcement Authority Is Granted (open access)

Inspectors General: Comparison of Ways Law Enforcement Authority Is Granted

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "At federal offices of inspectors general (IG), criminal investigators can make warrantless arrests, obtain and execute search warrants, and carry firearms. Because IGs lack permanent statutory law enforcement authority, most presidentially appointed IGs have to request temporary deputation from the Department of Justice (DOJ). However, presidentially appointed IGs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Department of Defense, and Department of the Treasury possess permanent statutory law enforcement authority and do not need to obtain DOJ's approval. IG criminal investigators who are deputized do not differ in terms of their scope of law enforcement authority, supervision, and training from their counterparts who have statutory law enforcement authority. Deputized IGs receive additional oversight over their law enforcement authority. Fifteen of the 23 deputized IGs report that statutory authority would improve their criminal investigative practices and enhance their recognition as fully authorized officers in the law enforcement community. DOJ is now considering its position on ways to provide law enforcement authority to deputized IGs."
Date: May 22, 2002
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Personnel Clearances: Key Factors for Reforming the Security Clearance Process (open access)

Personnel Clearances: Key Factors for Reforming the Security Clearance Process

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Since 1974, GAO has examined personnel security clearance processes and acquired a historical view of key factors to consider in reform efforts. GAO placed the Department of Defense's (DOD) personnel security clearance program, which represents 80 percent of federal government clearances, on its high-risk list in 2005 due to long-standing problems. These problems include incomplete investigative reports from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the agency primarily responsible for providing clearance investigation services; the granting of some clearances by DOD adjudicators even when required data were missing from the investigative reports used to make such determinations; and delays in completing clearance processing. Delays can lead to a heightened risk of disclosure of classified information, additional costs and delays in completing related contracts, and problems retaining qualified personnel. DOD has reported on these continuing delays. However, there has been recent high-level governmentwide attention to improving the process, including establishing a team to develop a reformed federal government security clearance process. This statement addresses four key factors that should be considered in personnel security clearance reforms. This statement draws on GAO's past work, which included reviews of clearance-related documents and …
Date: May 22, 2008
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library