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Open Recommendations (91 total)

Sustainable Aviation Fuel: Agencies Should Track Progress Toward Ambitious Federal Goals [Reissued with Revisions May 17, 2023]

GAO-23-105300
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Agriculture The Secretary of Agriculture should coordinate with DOT and DOE to develop and incorporate into the Grand Challenge Roadmap performance measures that enable the agencies to evaluate their actions and the effect of policy on SAF production and communicate the extent to which SAF is poised to contribute to larger aviation greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals. (Recommendation 3)
Open
USDA agreed with, but has not fully addressed, this recommendation. As of February 2024, officials from DOT, DOE, and USDA reported they are in the process of developing metrics to track the progress of the Grand Challenge and address GAO's recommendations, which were made in March 2023. These officials reported these metrics will be included in the forthcoming Grand Challenge Implementation Framework, which will be issued after each department has approved the document, in late March 2024 at the earliest. According to the officials, these metrics will also be included in the Grand Challenge Progress Report, which will be issued after the Implementation Framework. To close the recommendation, performance measures need to be developed and incorporated into such reports that are associated with the roadmap. Incorporating performance measures could help enable the three departments better manage fragmentation by monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of their actions and communicate and report on the extent to which sustainable aviation fuel is poised to contribute to larger aviation greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals. GAO will continue to monitor USDA's efforts regarding this recommendation.

Small Business Contracting: Actions Needed to Demonstrate and Better Review Compliance with Select Requirements for Small Business Advocates

GAO-17-675
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Agriculture To address demonstrated noncompliance with section 15(k) of the Small Business Act, as amended, the Secretary of Agriculture should comply with sections 15(k)(2), (k)(15), and (k)(17) or report to Congress on why the agency has not complied, including seeking any statutory flexibilities or exceptions believed appropriate.
Open
For section 15(k)(2), related to the compensation and seniority of the person heading the OSDBU office, and for section 15(k)(15), related to collateral duties, on September 13, 2018, an agency official stated that the agency currently does not have an OSDBU director. The official stated that the agency does not have an estimate for when this would occur because the director is appointed by the White House. We will continue to monitor USDA's efforts to address this part of the recommendation. For section 15(k)(17), related to undue restriction on the ability of small businesses to compete, an agency official stated that the OSDBU is working on an internal policy which will include guidelines for action. The official stated that the estimated completion date is January 2019. We will continue to monitor USDA's efforts to address this part of the recommendation.

Dietary Guidelines for Americans: Strengthening Interagency Collaboration Could Help Inform Nutrition Research and Future Guidelines

GAO-24-106130
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Agriculture The Secretary of Agriculture should ensure that the Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics—as co-chair of the Interagency Committee on Human Nutrition Research—fully incorporates seven leading interagency collaboration practices in order to better inform and prioritize DGA-related nutrition research. Actions to incorporate these practices could include ensuring that agency research plans are complementary and reflect the current desired outcomes and conducting an inventory of federal authorities, activities, and appropriations related to nutrition research that could inform the DGA development process. (Recommendation 2)
Open
In its written comments, USDA neither agreed nor disagreed with this recommendation. In February 2024, USDA indicated that with dedicated funds and resources, the Interagency Committee on Human Nutrition Research Committee could address the leading interagency collaboration practices and stated that it could establish and curate the inventory needed to support advancing human nutrition-related research to inform all public health research and policy, including the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. GAO will continue to monitor USDA's progress and provide additional information about the status of this recommendation. By fully incorporating leading interagency collaboration practices, USDA will be better able to ensure it has the research it needs to inform and prioritize future editions of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

IT Modernization: USDA Needs to Improve Oversight of Farm Production and Conservation Mission Area

GAO-21-512
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Agriculture The Secretary of Agriculture should ensure that the Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation (FPAC) directs the Business Center Chief Operating Officer to have the FPAC mission area implement the key IT workforce planning activity of assessing competency and staffing needs regularly. (Recommendation 6)
Open
In August 2023, agency officials noted that the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Workforce Steering Committee had updated the technical competencies for its IT workforce. Subsequently the FPAC Human Resources group used the updated competencies to develop a competency assessment process. However, agency officials stated that that the assessment process was put on hold. FPAC officials noted that in August 2023 they began the process of restarting the competency assessments. We will continue to review FPAC's progress in this area.

Justice40: Additional Efforts Needed to Improve Tribal Applicants' Access to Federal Programs Under Environmental Justice Initiative

GAO-24-106511
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Agriculture The Secretary of the USDA should ensure that program offices consult with federally recognized Tribes and conduct outreach to eligible Indigenous communities to ensure meaningful involvement when determining benefits for Justice40 covered programs in accordance with EOP guidance and determine how to incorporate the input into future Justice40 implementation efforts. (Recommendation 9)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Broadband: USDA Should Set Performance Goals and Improve Fraud Risk Management for Funding Program

GAO-23-105265
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Agriculture The Secretary of Agriculture should document that the Office of the Chief Risk Officer is the dedicated entity to design and oversee fraud risk management activities in the ReConnect program and outline this office's responsibilities consistent with leading practices as provided in our Fraud Risk Framework. (Recommendation 2)
Open
Previously, USDA said it is working to align fraud risk management activities for ReConnect with GAO's Fraud Risk Framework. Further, the agency expects to provide GAO with additional documentation regarding the Office of the Chief Risk Officer as the dedicated entity to oversee fraud risk management activities for ReConnect. In January 2024, USDA officials said they expect to complete this work by the end of June 2024. GAO will continue to monitor the agency's progress in implementing this recommendation.

School Meal Programs: USDA Could Enhance Implementation of the Buy American Provision

GAO-23-105884
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Agriculture The Secretary of Agriculture should ensure that the Administrator of FNS develops a standard form that school food authorities can use to document their reasons for using exceptions from the Buy American provision, and disseminates that form through state agencies. (Recommendation 1)
Open
FNS concurred with this recommendation and stated that it will develop a standard form that school food authorities can use to document information related to the Buy American provision when utilizing exceptions. FNS noted that in developing the form, it will consider topical comments on the Buy American provision included in the proposed rule, Child Nutrition Programs: Revisions to Meal Patterns Consistent with the 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, published in February 2023. FNS plans to issue the final rule in early 2024, and subsequently plans to provide state agencies and school food authorities with the standard form for the 2024-2025 school year that begins in July 2024. We will monitor the progress of these efforts.

Crop Insurance: Opportunities Exist to Improve Program Delivery and Reduce Costs

GAO-17-501
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1 Open Recommendations
1 Priority
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Agriculture
Priority Rec.
To reduce year-to-year fluctuations in the administrative and operating expense subsidies that companies receive at the crop, state, and county levels, the Secretary of Agriculture should direct the Administrator of the Risk Management Agency to consider adjusting the administrative and operating expense subsidy calculation method in a way that reduces the effects of changes in premiums caused by changes in crop prices or other factors when it renegotiates the standard reinsurance agreement.
Open
RMA stated it would take steps to implement this recommendation. According to a USDA official, to take action on this recommendation, USDA would need to renegotiate its agreement with insurance companies. As of April 2024, USDA had not taken action to implement this recommendation and it is unclear when USDA will renegotiate the agreement.

Artificial Intelligence: Agencies Have Begun Implementation but Need to Complete Key Requirements

GAO-24-105980
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Agriculture The Secretary of Agriculture should ensure that the department (a) reviews the department's authorities related to applications of AI, and (b) develops and submits to OMB plans to achieve consistency with the Regulation of AI Applications memorandum (M-21-06). (Recommendation 8)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

IT Modernization: USDA Needs to Improve Oversight of Farm Production and Conservation Mission Area

GAO-21-512
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Agriculture The Secretary of Agriculture should ensure that the Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation (FPAC) directs the Business Center Chief Operating Officer to have the FPAC mission area implement the key IT workforce planning activity of assessing gaps in competencies and staffing. (Recommendation 7)
Open
In August 2023, agency officials noted that the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Workforce Steering Committee had updated the technical competencies for its IT workforce. Subsequently the FPAC Human Resources group used the updated competencies to develop a competency assessment process. However, agency officials stated that that the assessment process was put on hold. FPAC officials noted that in August 2023 they began the process of restarting the competency assessments. We will continue to review FPAC's progress in this area.
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