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As of June 7, 2023, there are 4873 open recommendations that still need to be addressed. 503 of these are priority recommendations, those that we believe warrant priority attention. Learn more about our priority designation on our Recommendations page.

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1 - 20 of 136 Recommendations, including 19 Priority Recommendations

FEMA Disaster Workforce: Actions Needed to Improve Hiring Data and Address Staffing Gaps

GAO-23-105663
Christopher P. Currie
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3 Open Recommendations
Agency Recommendation Status
Federal Emergency Management Agency The FEMA administrator should establish and document clear and consistent procedures to collect and calculate accurate time-to-hire information. (Recommendation 1)
Open

When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Federal Emergency Management Agency The FEMA administrator should document plans to monitor and evaluate the agency's hiring efforts to address staffing gaps in the disaster workforce. (Recommendation 2)
Open

When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Federal Emergency Management Agency The FEMA administrator should develop performance measures to monitor and evaluate progress toward human capital goals, including net growth targets for cadres to achieve FEMA's long-term disaster workforce staffing goal. (Recommendation 3)
Open

When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Overseas Real Property: State Should Improve Strategic Workforce Planning for Facilities Maintenance Staff

GAO-23-105401
Nagla’a El-Hodiri
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3 Open Recommendations
Agency Recommendation Status
Department of State The Secretary of State should ensure that the Director of OBO develops and maintains an inventory of job-related skills among the FM workforce. (Recommendation 1)
Open

When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of State The Secretary of State should review whether the regional bureaus or OBO are best positioned to strategically lead the assignment process for the FM workforce. (Recommendation 2)
Open

When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of State The Secretary of State should develop guidance for overseas posts to create and maintain an inventory of LE maintenance staff skills. (Recommendation 3)
Open

When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

National Institute of Standards and Technology: Improved Workforce Planning Needed to Address Recruitment and Retention Challenges

GAO-23-105521
Candice Wright
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3 Open Recommendations
Agency Recommendation Status
National Institute of Standards and Technology The OHRM Division Chiefs should track how often flexibilities have been used—including how often incentive payments have been offered and paid—to evaluate their success. (Recommendation 1)
Open

When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
National Institute of Standards and Technology The OHRM Division Chiefs should develop and implement a succession planning framework, and link leadership development programs and technical training to succession planning efforts. (Recommendation 2)
Open

When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
National Institute of Standards and Technology Directors of NIST's key operating units, including its HR office and laboratories, should collaborate to develop and implement an agency-wide strategic workforce process, which addresses recruitment, retention, DEIA, and succession planning. (Recommendation 3)
Open

When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Federal Workforce: OPM Advances Efforts to Close Government-wide Skills Gaps but Needs a Plan to Improve Its Own Capacity

GAO-23-105528
Alissa H. Czyz
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2 Open Recommendations
1 Priority
Agency Recommendation Status
Office of Personnel Management
Priority Rec.
This is a priority recommendation.
The Director of OPM should establish an action plan to address OPM's skills gaps identified in the workforce assessment, either as an update to its HCOP or a separate effort. (Recommendation 1)
Open

OPM agreed with the recommendation. As of May 2023, we continue to monitor OPM's progress.
Office of Personnel Management The Director of OPM should document, select risk responses for, and monitor progress addressing the risks OPM's skills gaps pose to achieving its strategic objectives, either as part of the process for monitoring strategic plan implementation or through other risk management processes. (Recommendation 2)
Open

OPM agreed with the recommendation. As of May 2023, we continue to monitor OPM's progress.

Veterans Health Administration: Action Needed to Address Persistent Control Weaknesses and Related Risks in Employee Screening Processes

GAO-23-104296
Seto J. Bagdoyan, Sharon M. Silas
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9 Open Recommendations
Agency Recommendation Status
Department of Veterans Affairs The Under Secretary for Health should establish a timeline for finalizing and implementing a policy regarding DEA employment waivers. (Recommendation 1)
Open

When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Veterans Affairs As the Veterans Health Administration develops a DEA employment waiver policy, the Under Secretary for Health should ensure that the policy includes guidance for determining whether employees have access to controlled substances. (Recommendation 2)
Open

When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Veterans Affairs As the Veterans Health Administration develops a DEA employment waiver policy, the Under Secretary for Health should ensure that the policy specifies that an employment waiver is required to employ any individual in a position with access to controlled substances who, at any time, has been convicted of a felony offense related to controlled substances, had an application for a DEA registration denied, or had a DEA registration revoked or surrendered for cause, and does not presently hold an active DEA registration. (Recommendation 3)
Open

When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Veterans Affairs After implementing a DEA employment waiver policy, the Under Secretary for Health should review the individuals still employed at VHA among the 50 we confirmed had controlled substance-related criminal history to determine whether they have access to controlled substances as part of their assigned duties and thus need DEA employment waivers. (Recommendation 4)
Open

When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Veterans Affairs After implementing a DEA employment waiver policy, the Under Secretary for Health should review the approximately 12,500 employees we identified with indications of controlled substance-related criminal history—but for whom we did not confirm controlled substance-related felony convictions—to determine whether they need DEA employment waivers. (Recommendation 5)
Open

When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Veterans Affairs The Under Secretary for Health should implement control procedures to ensure that suitability adjudicators use information regarding undisclosed criminal history in compliance with OPM regulations and VA policy, including policies requiring that adjudicators document their assessments of the materiality and intent of undisclosed information and their rationale for not referring cases involving nondisclosure to OPM. (Recommendation 6)
Open

When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Veterans Affairs The Under Secretary for Health should establish oversight procedures to ensure that adjudicators follow up on applicants' active warrants before hiring and notify the appropriate VISN suitability coordinator on the active warrant before rendering a favorable determination. (Recommendation 7)
Open

When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Veterans Affairs As VA implements the Rap Back Program, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs should develop control procedures to ensure that PAA notifications are routed and resolved appropriately. (Recommendation 8)
Open

When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Veterans Affairs As VA implements the Rap Back Program, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs should develop control procedures to document follow-up work conducted on a PAA notification in a VA system such as VA-CABS. (Recommendation 9)
Open

When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Note: the list of open recommendations for the last report may continue on the next page.

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