GAO releases performance self-evaluation
The Government Accountability Office, Congress’ evaluation and investigative arm, has released a report that found some flaws in its own performance.
The Government Accountability Office, Congress’ investigative arm, has released a report that measures its own performance in fiscal 2010. The snapshot indicated that GAO exceeded its goals for issuing new recommendations to federal agencies but fell short when it came to testifying at congressional hearings.
GAO found that at the end of fiscal 2010, 82 percent of the recommendations it made in fiscal 2006 had been implemented, primarily by executive branch agencies.
“Agencies need time to act on recommendations, and we assess recommendations implemented after four years based on our experience that recommendations remaining open after that period of time are generally not implemented in subsequent years,” GAO said in the report released Jan. 24.
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GAO also determined that about 61 percent of the 601 written products it issued, excluding testimonies, contained recommendations. The agency sets a target of 60 percent of its written products having recommendations.
During fiscal 2010, GAO officials testified at 192 congressional hearings but missed the agency's goal of testifying at 220 hearings. Sixty-seven of the hearings at which GAO’s senior executives testified were related to high-risk programs, according to the report.
GAO also said that in fiscal 2010 it met its timeliness target of 95 percent by reaching clients directly through several means, including an electronic feedback form.
GAO earned second place among large agencies in the Partnership for Public Service’s 2010 Best Places to Work in the federal government rankings. The agency noted in its own performance report that it has met all of its goals for “people measures,” including new hire rate, retention rate, staff development, staff use, effective leadership and organizational climate.