**GAO-07-505**                      Published: Jul 16, 2007. Publicly Released: Jul 24, 2007.                  

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## Highlights

In July 2004, GAO reported that the six Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers it audited lacked a reliable property control database and had problems with implementation of VA inventory policies and procedures. Fewer than half the items GAO selected for testing could be located. Most of the missing items were information technology (IT ) equipment. Given recent thefts of laptops and data breaches, the requesters were concerned about the adequacy of physical inventory controls over VA IT equipment. GAO was asked to determine (1) the risk of theft, loss, or misappropriation of IT equipment at selected locations; (2) whether selected locations have adequate procedures in place to assure accountability and physical security of IT equipment in the excess property disposal process; and (3) what actions VA management has taken to address identified IT inventory control weaknesses. GAO statistically tested inventory controls at four case study locations.

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## Recommendations for Executive Action

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## Topics

Veterans

AccountabilityEquipment inventoriesFederal property managementInformation technologyInternal controlsInventory controlInventory control systemsPhysical securityProperty and supply managementProperty lossesRecords managementRisk assessmentVeterans hospitalsPolicies and procedures