The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has released a report detailing various measures that could help the federal government save billions of dollars by reducing overlap, duplication and fragmentation across its agencies and programs. The report, which is the 14th annual edition, identifies 112 new measures in 42 topic areas that Congress and federal agencies could implement to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
Some of the key suggestions include agencies using predictive models to make investment decisions on deferred maintenance and repair for federal buildings potentially saving one hundred million dollars or more. The report also recommends setting building utilization benchmarks to help identify and reduce underused office space which could save ten million dollars or more over 5 years.
Other notable recommendations include Congress considering action to help the Armed Forces Retirement Home address financial shortfalls reducing the risk of exhausting its trust fund potentially generating revenue of one hundred million dollars or more over 10 years. The report also suggests that Congress close regulatory gaps and seven federal financial regulators improve coordination to identify and mitigate risks posed by blockchain applications in finance.
“By addressing this year’s pointed list, as well as open recommendations to both agencies and Congress from GAO’s past work, the federal government could potentially save tens of billions of dollars,” said Gene Dodaro, Comptroller General and head of the GAO.
