Follow-up on 2011 Report: Status of Actions Taken to Reduce Duplication, Overlap, and Fragmentation, Save Tax Dollars, and Enhance Revenue

Abstract

In March 2011, GAO issued its first annual report to the Congress on potential duplication, overlap, and fragmentation in the federal government.1 The report also identified opportunities to achieve cost savings and enhance revenues. We identified 81 areas- which span a wide range of government missions2 -with a total of 176 actions3 that the Congress and the executive branch could take to reduce or eliminate unnecessary duplication, overlap, and fragmentation or achieve other potential financial benefits. We also presented areas where programs may be able to achieve greater efficiencies or become more effective in providing government services. In many areas, we suggested actions- identifying some new options, as well as underscoring numerous existing GAO recommendations- that policymakers could consider. This status report provides an overall assessment of progress in implementing actions for the 81 areas, as well as an assessment of each of the 176 suggested actions. As of February 10, 2012, the Congress and the executive branch had made some progress in addressing the majority of the 81 areas that we identified, including the implementation of all actions in 4 areas; however, additional steps are needed to fully implement the remaining actions to achieve associated benefits. GAO suggested a wide range of actions for the Congress and the executive branch to consider, such as developing strategies to better coordinate fragmented efforts, implementing executive initiatives to improve oversight and evaluation of overlapping programs, considering enactment of legislation to facilitate revenue collection, and examining opportunities to eliminate potential duplication through streamlining, collocating, or consolidating program efforts or administrative services.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 01, 2012
Accession Number
AD1180447

Entities

People

  • Eugene Louis Dodaro
  • Janet St. Laurent
  • Zina Merritt

Organizations

  • United States Government Accountability Office

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  • Biomedical
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  • Business Administration
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  • Corrosion Inhibition
  • Department Of Homeland Security
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  • Emergency Response
  • Employment
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  • Law
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  • Test And Evaluation
  • United States Government

Readers

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  • Government Contracting/Procurement.