FEDE U.S. Government Accountability Office · Audits audits
What GAO Found The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Army Corps of Engineers have key responsibilities for disaster response and recovery activities. Contracting with local businesses—those that reside or primarily do business in declared major disaster areas—is one way to fulfill their responsibilities. Both have policies and guidance to promote local vendor use, but they do not monitor associated data on this use. As a result, they do not know the extent to which they are using local vendors or helping jump-start the local economy. Further, the contracting officers that GAO interviewed were not always aware of how to identify the local disaster area. Under federal regulat.
FEDE Office of the Federal Register / National Archives and Records Administration · Rulemaking audits
Small Business Administration | Notice | The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is publishing for public comment updated minimum performance standards for commercialization for firms funded through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs. This commercialization benchmark establishes a minimum share of annual revenue that a Small Business Concern (SBC) must derive from sources other than SBIR or STTR program funding in order to remain eligible for a new Phase I or Direct-to-Phase II award, where that SBC has received more than 25 Phase II awards during the five most recently completed fiscal years, excluding the current fisca.
FEDE Office of the Federal Register / National Archives and Records Administration · Rulemaking audits
Postal Service | Notice | The United States Postal Service (USPS) is responding to public comments regarding the creation of a new General Privacy Act System of Records (SOR) USPS 820.225, Federal Ballot Mail. The new SOR coincides with the Postal Service's publication of the Final Rule amending the Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM), regarding the transmission of mail-in or absentee ballots for federal elections. The Postal Service created the SOR to maintain a list of individuals, each individual's address, the unique Intelligent Mail barcodes printed on each individual's outbound and return ballot envelope for a federal election, and the sta.
FEDE U.S. Government Accountability Office · Audits audits
What GAO Found The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issues certificates to aircraft mechanics and to the more than 200 aviation maintenance schools that train them. Eleven of these certificated schools are high schools, and 43 are colleges, universities, or career and technical centers that serve high school students. In addition, at least 43 high schools offer programs in aviation maintenance but are not certificated by FAA. The school representatives that GAO interviewed had little data on career outcomes but cited a range of pathways that graduates have pursued, including further training and enrolling in 4-year colleges. FAA-Certificated Schools That Train High School Students in A.
FEDE Office of the Federal Register / National Archives and Records Administration · Rulemaking audits
Transportation Department, Federal Aviation Administration | Proposed Rule | This action proposes special conditions for the Robinson Helicopter Company (Robinson) Model R66 helicopter. This helicopter, as modified by Skyryse, will have a novel or unusual design feature when compared to the state of technology envisioned in the airworthiness standards for normal category helicopters. This design feature replaces the mechanical flight controls with a digital fly-by-wire FBW system. The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design feature. These proposed special conditions contain the additional safety standards that the Administ.
FEDE U.S. Government Accountability Office · Audits audits
What the OIG Found In 2021, GAO established a 5-year IT modernization plan with initiatives that were projected to cost about $29 million. As GAO’s IT modernization efforts evolved, the agency transitioned from a comprehensive 5-year IT modernization plan to an ongoing modernization strategy. The decision to evolve away from the approximately $1 million plan occurred less than 18 months after it was finalized. However, due to a lack of documentation, current officials were not fully aware of the decision-making process that led to the transition. Documenting strategic changes as they occur is critical for ensuring decisions are justified, preserving institutional knowledge, and keeping stak.
FEDE U.S. Government Accountability Office · Audits audits
What GAO Found The U.S. commercial space sector has grown rapidly over the last few years, and offers data and data-related services—such as the imagery below—that the Department of Defense (DOD) uses to maintain national security. National Reconnaissance Office Purchased Commercial Images of Chinese Aircraft Carriers Within the Space Force, the Joint Commercial Operations Cell (JCO)—the main organization that buys data and services—purchased various types of data and services through the contractor-operated Global Data Marketplace. JCO expended $76.8 million on data and services from the marketplace from January 2023 through September 2025. These purchases supported missions including spac.
FEDE U.S. Government Accountability Office · Audits audits
What GAO Found As of August 2026, EXIM was not monitoring the end use of any dual-use export because all such transactions had been repaid in full. EXIM did not finance any new exports under its dual-use authority in fiscal year 2025, according to EXIM authorization data and EXIM officials. Why GAO Did This Study The mission of the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) is to help support American jobs by facilitating the export of U.S. goods and services and financing imports. In 1994, Congress passed legislation authorizing EXIM to facilitate the financing of U.S. exports of defense articles and services with both civilian and military applications, provided that the bank determin.
FEDE U.S. Government Accountability Office · Audits audits
What GAO Found In August 2025, GAO identified three priority recommendations for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Since then, NASA has not implemented any priority recommendations. In July 2026, GAO identified an additional priority recommendation, bringing the total to four. GAO is highlighting the following three areas that warrant timely and focused attention: Monitoring program costs, Managing cybersecurity risks, and Using federal contracting metrics. Addressing GAO's recommendations in these areas would enhance NASA's efforts to improve transparency into Artemis program and mission costs; help NASA understand its cybersecurity risks by performing an organizati.
FEDE U.S. Government Accountability Office · Audits audits
What the OIG Found GAO aims to provide Congress, the heads of executive agencies, and the public with timely, fact-based, non-partisan information that can be used to improve government and save taxpayers billions of dollars. To execute its mission, GAO relies on a highly-qualified workforce that includes employees in mission-critical occupations (MCO) such as contracting, human resources management, and information technology management. In FY 2024, GAO’s hiring of MCO employees took about 103 days on average, which is longer than its internal target of 98 or 101 days (depending on the application review process used), OPM’s goal of 80 days for executive branch agencies, and executive bran.
FEDE U.S. Government Accountability Office · Audits audits
What GAO Found The Department of State last updated its standards for overseas housing space in 1991, according to State officials. Those standards may no longer align with State’s goal of providing Foreign Service personnel living abroad with housing comparable to the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. In the last 35 years, housing in the Washington, D.C., area has been increasing in cost and decreasing in square footage. In addition, State’s method for measuring overseas housing does not align with the domestic industry standards typically followed by housing appraisers in the U.S., which may prevent State from comparing its overseas housing to housing in the Washington D.C. area. Witho.
CABI Office of the Federal Register / National Archives and Records Administration · Rulemaking audits
Health and Human Services Department, Children and Families Administration | Notice | The Family and Youth Services Bureau's (FYSB) Runaway and Homeless Youth Division has a legislative requirement to fund a National Communication System, which is currently operated by the National Runaway Safeline (NRS). The NRS provides information, referral services, crisis intervention, and prevention resources to vulnerable youth at risk of running away and/or becoming homeless and their families or legal guardians at no cost. When necessary, the NRS refers runaway and homeless youth to shelters, counseling, medical assistance, and other vital services. The NRS collects information from all contacts wi.
