Language

158 Matching Results

Results open in a new window/tab.

Defense Acquisitions: Assessments of Selected Major Weapon Programs (open access)

Defense Acquisitions: Assessments of Selected Major Weapon Programs

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Defense (DOD) is embarking on a number of efforts to enhance warfighting and the way the department conducts business. Major investments are being made to develop improved weapon systems to combat various threats to U.S. security. While the weapons that DOD ultimately develops have no rival in superiority, weapon systems acquisition remains a long-standing high-risk area. GAO's reviews over the past 30 years have found consistent problems with weapon acquisitions such as cost increases, schedule delays, and performance shortfalls. In addition, DOD faces several budgetary challenges that underscore the need to deliver its new major weapon programs within estimated costs and to obtain the most from those investments. DOD can help resolve these problems by using a more knowledge-based approach for developing new weapons. This report provides congressional and DOD decision makers with an independent, knowledge-based assessment of selected defense programs that identifies potential risks and needed actions when a program's projected attainment of knowledge diverges from the best practice. It can also highlight those programs that employ practices worthy of emulation by other programs. GAO plans to update and issue this report …
Date: March 31, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Payment Processing: Documentation Procedures For Electronic Billing and Payment Under the Families First Personal Property Program (open access)

Payment Processing: Documentation Procedures For Electronic Billing and Payment Under the Families First Personal Property Program

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "This letter responds to a Department of the Army request for our views on whether certain payment procedures included in the Defense Department's (DOD) proposed Families First Personal Property Program conform with relevant criteria in GAO's Policy and Procedures Manual for Guidance of Federal Agencies. Families First is a DOD initiative to reengineer its processes for transporting household goods and personal property for its service members and civilians. Army's request is in response to a Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) recommendation that DOD seek our views specifically on whether the proposed procedures for electronic billing and payment meet the supporting documentation requirements in Title VII of GAO's Policy and Procedures Manual for Guidance of Federal Agencies. While the General Services Administration (GSA) is responsible for issuing federal regulations for transportation, including moves of household goods and personal property as well as agency prepayment and postpayment audit requirements for transportation payments, we are responsible for issuing fiscal guidance based on authorities in the U.S. Code. We considered DOD's proposed process of electronic billing and payment in light of our requirements established in Title VII for disbursements and related …
Date: March 31, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
HHS: Efforts to Research and Inform the Public about Nonoxynol-9 and HIV (open access)

HHS: Efforts to Research and Inform the Public about Nonoxynol-9 and HIV

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Preventing the transmission of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, is an important public health challenge. Researchers have sought to develop a microbicide--a substance to help users protect themselves against HIV. In the mid-1980s, researchers found that Nonoxynol-9 (N-9), a spermicide found in various contraceptive products, showed potential as a microbicide. However, more recent studies raised concerns that N-9 may increase certain users' risk of contracting HIV. GAO was asked to describe federal agencies' and contraceptive product manufacturers' actions related to N-9 and HIV. In this report, GAO reviewed (1) the efforts by federal agencies and manufacturers of contraceptive products to assess the safety of N-9 and its effectiveness as a microbicide for preventing HIV transmission and (2) the information provided to the public about the safety of N-9 and its effectiveness as a microbicide. GAO reviewed journal articles, Federal Register notices, product packaging, educational materials, and other documents. GAO also interviewed officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and selected manufacturers of N-9 contraceptive products."
Date: March 31, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Financial Audit: Independent and Special Counsel Expenditures for the Six Months Ended September 30, 2004 (open access)

Financial Audit: Independent and Special Counsel Expenditures for the Six Months Ended September 30, 2004

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Pursuant to a legislative requirement, GAO audited the expenditures of two offices of independent counsel and one office of special counsel for the 6 months ended September 30, 2004."
Date: March 31, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
District of Columbia's Drinking Water: Agencies Have Improved Coordination, but Key Challenges Remain in Protecting the Public from Elevated Lead Levels (open access)

District of Columbia's Drinking Water: Agencies Have Improved Coordination, but Key Challenges Remain in Protecting the Public from Elevated Lead Levels

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Media reports on elevated lead in the District of Columbia's drinking water raised concern about how local and federal agencies are carrying out their responsibilities. The Lead and Copper Rule requires water systems to protect drinking water from lead. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Washington Aqueduct treats and sells water to the District Water and Sewer Authority (WASA), which delivers it to District residents. The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Region III Office oversees these agencies. GAO examined (1) what agencies implementing the rule in the District are doing to improve their coordination and reduce lead levels, (2) the extent to which WASA and other agencies are identifying populations at greatest risk of exposure to lead in drinking water and reducing their exposure, (3) how other drinking water systems that exceed EPA's action level for lead conduct public education, and (4) the state of research on lead exposure and how it applies to drinking water."
Date: March 31, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Preventing Nuclear Smuggling: DOE Has Made Limited Progress in Installing Radiation Detection Equipment at Highest Priority Foreign Seaports (open access)

Preventing Nuclear Smuggling: DOE Has Made Limited Progress in Installing Radiation Detection Equipment at Highest Priority Foreign Seaports

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Since September 11, 2001, concern has increased that terrorists could smuggle nuclear weapons or materials into this country in the approximately 7 million containers that arrive annually at U.S. seaports. Nuclear materials can be smuggled across borders by being placed inside containers aboard cargo ships. In response to this concern, since 2003, the Department of Energy (DOE) has deployed radiation detection equipment to key foreign seaports through its Megaports Initiative (Initiative). GAO examined the (1) progress DOE has made in implementing the Initiative, (2) current and expected costs of the Initiative, and (3) challenges DOE faces in installing radiation detection equipment at foreign ports."
Date: March 31, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Anti-Drug Media Campaign: An Array of Services Was Provided, but Most Funds Were Committed to Buying Media Time and Space (open access)

Anti-Drug Media Campaign: An Array of Services Was Provided, but Most Funds Were Committed to Buying Media Time and Space

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) was required by the Drug Free Media Campaign Act of 1998 (21 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.) to conduct a national media campaign to reduce and prevent drug use among America's youth. Since 1998, Congress has appropriated over $1 billion for the media campaign. However, a 2003 report by the Senate Committee on Appropriations expressed some concerns about the media campaign, including concern that a large portion of the campaign's budget had been used for consulting services rather than the direct purchase of media time and space. The report, therefore, directed GAO to review the use of consultants to support the media campaign. This report describes the services provided by consultants (defined by GAO as the prime contractors and their subcontractors) in support of the media campaign, along with the estimated award amounts for these services."
Date: March 31, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Anthrax Detection: Agencies Need to Validate Sampling Activities in Order to Increase Confidence in Negative Results (open access)

Anthrax Detection: Agencies Need to Validate Sampling Activities in Order to Increase Confidence in Negative Results

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In September and October 2001, letters laced with Bacillus anthracis (anthrax) spores were sent through the mail to two U.S. senators and to members of the media. These letters led to the first U.S. cases of anthrax disease related to bioterrorism. In all, 22 individuals, in four states and Washington, D.C., contracted anthrax disease; 5 died. These cases prompted Congress to ask GAO to describe and assess federal agencies' activities to detect anthrax in postal facilities, assess the results of agencies' testing, and assess whether agencies' detection activities were validated."
Date: March 31, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Defense Acquisitions: Status of Ballistic Missile Defense Program in 2004 (open access)

Defense Acquisitions: Status of Ballistic Missile Defense Program in 2004

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Since 1985, the Department of Defense (DOD) has invested $85 billion in ballistic missile defense programs, with $66.5 billion more anticipated over the next 7 years through 2011. As a major result of this investment, the Department is on the verge of activating our nation's first missile defense system for protecting the United States from intercontinental ballistic missile attacks out of Northeast Asia. This initial capability--referred to as Limited Defensive Operations (LDO)--is the first step of a national priority to develop, field, and evolve over time an overarching ballistic missile defense system (BMDS). To fulfill a congressional mandate, GAO assessed how well the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) met its cost, schedule, testing, and performance goals during fiscal year 2004. GAO assessed the program last year and will continue to provide assessments of MDA progress through 2006."
Date: March 31, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Results-Oriented Government: Improvements to DHS's Planning Process Would Enhance Usefulness and Accountability (open access)

Results-Oriented Government: Improvements to DHS's Planning Process Would Enhance Usefulness and Accountability

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The creation of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was the largest government reorganization in over 50 years, involving 170,000 employees and a $40 billion budget. Given the magnitude of this effort, strategic planning is critical for DHS to ensure that it meets the nation's homeland security challenges. GAO was asked to assess the extent to which DHS's planning process and documents (1) address required elements of the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA) and other good strategic planning practices and (2) reflect its homeland and non-homeland security mission responsibilities."
Date: March 31, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Rental Housing: HUD Can Improve Its Process for Estimating Fair Market Rents (open access)

Rental Housing: HUD Can Improve Its Process for Estimating Fair Market Rents

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) annually estimates fair market rents (FMR) for standard quality rental units throughout the United States. Among other uses, FMRs help determine subsidies for almost 2 million low-income families in the nation's largest rental assistance program. However, concerns exist that FMRs can be inaccurate--often, too low, preventing program participants from finding affordable housing. Also, HUD will soon derive FMRs from a new source, the American Community Survey (ACS), which processes data somewhat differently than HUD's current data sources, including the decennial census. You asked us to review (1) how HUD estimates FMRs, (2) how accurate FMRs have been, (3) how ACS data may affect accuracy, and (4) other changes HUD can make to improve the estimates."
Date: March 31, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Financial Management: Challenges in Meeting Requirements of the Improper Payments Information Act (open access)

Financial Management: Challenges in Meeting Requirements of the Improper Payments Information Act

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Fiscal year 2004 marked the first year that federal agencies governmentwide were required to report improper payment information under the Improper Payments Information Act of 2002 (IPIA). The increasing scope of reporting over the past several years has demonstrated that improper payments are a significant and widespread problem in federal agencies, and in the past a limited number of agencies reported in their Performance and Accountability Reports (PAR) annual payment accuracy rates and estimated improper payment amounts. Because of your continued interest in addressing the governmentwide improper payments issue, you asked GAO to report on (1) the extent to which agencies have performed the required assessments to identify programs and activities that are susceptible to significant improper payments and (2) the annual amount estimated for improper payments by the agencies."
Date: March 31, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Unfunded Mandates: Views Vary About Reform Act's Strengths, Weaknesses, and Options for Improvement (open access)

Unfunded Mandates: Views Vary About Reform Act's Strengths, Weaknesses, and Options for Improvement

Other written product issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "This is Appendix IV for GAO-05-454, entitled "Unfunded Mandates: Views Vary About Reform Act's Strengths, Weaknesses, and Options for Improvement.""
Date: March 31, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Unfunded Mandates: Views Vary About Reform Act's Strengths, Weaknesses, and Options for Improvement (open access)

Unfunded Mandates: Views Vary About Reform Act's Strengths, Weaknesses, and Options for Improvement

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (UMRA) was enacted to address concerns about federal statutes and regulations that require nonfederal parties to expend resources to achieve legislative goals without being provided federal funding to cover the costs. UMRA generates information about the nature and size of potential federal mandates on nonfederal entities to assist Congress and agency decision makers in their consideration of proposed legislation and regulations. However, it does not preclude the implementation of such mandates. At various times in its 10-year history, Congress has considered legislation to amend various aspects of the act to address ongoing questions about its effectiveness. Most recently, GAO was asked to consult with a diverse group of parties familiar with the act and to report their views on (1) the significant strengths and weaknesses of UMRA as the framework for addressing mandate issues and (2) potential options for reinforcing the strengths or addressing the weaknesses. To address these objectives, we obtained information from 52 organizations and individuals reflecting a diverse range of viewpoints. GAO analyzed the information acquired and organized it into broad themes for analytical and reporting …
Date: March 31, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program Climate Research Facility Operations Quarterly Report January 1 - March 31, 2005 (open access)

Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program Climate Research Facility Operations Quarterly Report January 1 - March 31, 2005

Description. Individual raw data streams from instrumentation at the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program Climate Research Facility (ACRF) fixed and mobile sites are collected and sent to the Data Management Facility (DMF) at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory for processing in near real time. Raw and processed data are then sent daily to the ACRF Archive, where they are made available to users. For each instrument, we calculate the ratio of the actual number of data records received daily at the Archive to the expected number of data records. The results are tabulated by (1) individual data stream, site, and month for the current year and (2) site and fiscal year dating back to 1998. The United States Department of Energy requires national user facilities to report time-based operating data. The requirements concern the actual hours of operation (ACTUAL); the estimated maximum operation or uptime goal (OPSMAX), which accounts for planned downtime; and the VARIANCE [1 – (ACTUAL/OPSMAX)], which accounts for unplanned downtime. The OPSMAX time for this second quarter for the Southern Great Plains (SGP) site is 2052 hours (0.95 × 2,160 hours this quarter). The annual OPSMAX for the North Slope Alaska (NSA) site is 1944 hours (0.90 × …
Date: March 31, 2005
Creator: Sisterson, D. L.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Statistical Analysis of Elevated Radium and Gross Alpha Measurements in the Sanitary Landfill (open access)

Statistical Analysis of Elevated Radium and Gross Alpha Measurements in the Sanitary Landfill

None
Date: March 31, 2005
Creator: Tuckfield, Richard
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Increasing Production from Low-Permeability Gas Reservoirs by Optimizing Zone Isolation for Successful Stimulation Treatments (open access)

Increasing Production from Low-Permeability Gas Reservoirs by Optimizing Zone Isolation for Successful Stimulation Treatments

Maximizing production from wells drilled in low-permeability reservoirs, such as the Barnett Shale, is determined by cementing, stimulation, and production techniques employed. Studies show that cementing can be effective in terms of improving fracture effectiveness by 'focusing' the frac in the desired zone and improving penetration. Additionally, a method is presented for determining the required properties of the set cement at various places in the well, with the surprising result that uphole cement properties in wells destined for multiple-zone fracturing is more critical than those applied to downhole zones. Stimulation studies show that measuring pressure profiles and response during Pre-Frac Injection Test procedures prior to the frac job are critical in determining if a frac is indicated at all, as well as the type and size of the frac job. This result is contrary to current industry practice, in which frac jobs are designed well before the execution, and carried out as designed on location. Finally, studies show that most wells in the Barnett Shale are production limited by liquid invasion into the wellbore, and determinants are presented for when rod or downhole pumps are indicated.
Date: March 31, 2005
Creator: Sabins, Fred
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Greensheet (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 36, No. 92, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 31, 2005 (open access)

Greensheet (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 36, No. 92, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 31, 2005

Free weekly newspaper that includes business and classified advertising.
Date: March 31, 2005
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Newspaper
System: The Portal to Texas History
Greensheet (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 36, No. 93, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 31, 2005 (open access)

Greensheet (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 36, No. 93, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 31, 2005

Free weekly newspaper that includes business and classified advertising.
Date: March 31, 2005
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Newspaper
System: The Portal to Texas History
The Effects of Mutual Partner Violence on Women's Mental Health (open access)

The Effects of Mutual Partner Violence on Women's Mental Health

This paper discusses research on the effects of mutual partner violence on women's mental health.
Date: March 31, 2005
Creator: Foster, Eric; Temple, Jeff R. & Marshall, Linda L.
Object Type: Paper
System: The UNT Digital Library
Texas Jewish Post (Fort Worth, Tex.), Vol. 59, No. 13, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 31, 2005 (open access)

Texas Jewish Post (Fort Worth, Tex.), Vol. 59, No. 13, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 31, 2005

Weekly Jewish newspaper from Fort Worth, Texas that includes local, state and national news along with extensive advertising.
Date: March 31, 2005
Creator: Wisch, Rene
Object Type: Newspaper
System: The Portal to Texas History
TDNA Monthly Office Manager's Report: March 2005 (open access)

TDNA Monthly Office Manager's Report: March 2005

Monthly report written by the Texas Daily Newspaper Association's (TDNA's) office manager, Darla Thompson, to Ken Whalen providing a summary of revenues and account balances, programs, meetings, and other activities in the office during the previous month.
Date: March 31, 2005
Creator: Thompson, Darla
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Afghanistan: Post-War Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy (open access)

Afghanistan: Post-War Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy

This report covers the progress made in Afghan stabilization immediately following the war that brought the 2004 government to power. The report discusses decreased levels of insurgency, the lack of Al Qaeda's presence, and the increased amounts of freedom Afghan citizens are now enjoying under the new government. Moreover, the report summarizes the remaining obstacles to stability in the region.
Date: March 31, 2005
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Commission on the Intelligence Capabilities of the United States Regarding Weapons of Mass Destruction: Establishment and Composition (open access)

Commission on the Intelligence Capabilities of the United States Regarding Weapons of Mass Destruction: Establishment and Composition

This report analyzes the establishment and organizational requirements set forth in the presidential mandate, and its relationship to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FAFCA). On March 31, 2005, the commission submitted its final report to the President, which contained 74 recommendations for reforming the U.S. intelligence community.
Date: March 31, 2005
Creator: Smith, Stephanie
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library