Defense Science And Technology: Further DOD And DOE Actions Needed to Provide Timely Conference Decisions and Analyze Risks from Changes in Participation
Abstract
In May 2012, OMB directed agencies, among other things, to establish senior-level review processes for all hosted or attended conferences exceeding specific cost thresholds. DOD and DOE implemented conference policies in 2012, with subsequent updates, to comply with OMB s requirements. GAO was mandated to review the effects of OMB s requirements on DOD s and DOE s S&T missions. Among other things, this report (1) examines S&T conference participation changes since policy implementation, and examines the extent to which DOD and DOE (2) face and have mitigated implementation challenges, and (3) have identified risks from conference participation changes and analyzed them for any potential effects. GAO reviewed conference policies, and interviewed and surveyed conference management and S&T officials from principal research labs. Survey results were not generalizable. GAO recommends that DOD and DOE (1) establish time frames for providing conference request decisions and (2) develop a plan to analyze and periodically reevaluate risks from conference participation changes. DOD partially concurred with the first recommendation, stating it will collect and analyze data to implement further solutions. GAO still believes the recommendation is valid, as discussed in the report. DOD concurred with the second recommendation and DOE concurred with both recommendations.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 2015
- Accession Number
- ADA614349
Entities
People
- Christopher B Murray
- Courtney Krebs
- Erin Behrmann
- Johana Ayers
- John Neumann
- Leia Dickerson
- Nabajyoti Barkakati
- Richard Burkard
- Tina W. Sherman
- Vijay Barnabas
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office