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                    Most Recent Reports**1 - 20 of 188 Reports**
	
	

	
	  **Released on   Apr 8, 2024**
          Federal Research: Key Practices for Scientific Program Managers
    GAO-24-106297
      Published:   Apr 8, 2024
. 
        Publicly Released:   Apr 8, 2024
.
    In fiscal year 2021, the federal government funded over $85 billion in basic research as well as early research directed toward a specific practical aim. Federal research spurs innovation and promotes national economic competitiveness, prosperity, and security. Scientific program managers at federal agencies that sponsor research play a crucial role in guiding and shaping the research. This report identifies key practices that program managers use...
      **Released on   Dec 5, 2023**
          National Science Foundation: Additional Steps Would Improve Cost Estimate for Antarctic Research Infrastructure Project
    GAO-24-106380
      Published:   Dec 5, 2023
. 
        Publicly Released:   Dec 5, 2023
.
    The National Science Foundation funds and oversees the design, construction, and operations of science and engineering research infrastructure—like telescopes and research facilities. We report annually on these projects. In July 2022, we reported that the pandemic led to cost increases and schedule delays for NSF's major facilities projects. NSF has decided to adjust the cost and schedule for 5 major projects—including a project to modernize...
      **Released on   Sep 29, 2022**
          Cybersecurity Workforce: Actions Needed to Improve Cybercorps Scholarship for Service Program
    GAO-22-106146
      Published:   Sep 29, 2022
. 
        Publicly Released:   Sep 29, 2022
.
    The CyberCorps Scholarship for Service Program—managed by the National Science Foundation, Office of Personnel Management, and Department of Homeland Security—requires recipients to work in government jobs for a period of time after graduation. We found: NSF and OPM fully complied with 13 legal requirements for managing the program and partially complied with 6 NSF hasn't implemented a strategy to effectively manage risks and challenges, such...
          Federal Research: Information on Funding for U.S.-China Research Collaboration and Other International Activities
    GAO-22-105313
      Published:   Sep 29, 2022
. 
        Publicly Released:   Sep 29, 2022
.
    The U.S. government sometimes supports international research collaborations by providing funding to foreign entities—such as universities and public health organizations. This also gives U.S. researchers access to global scientific resources. From FY 2015 to 2021, federal agencies provided $28.9 million directly to Chinese entities for research and development activities. For example, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and National Institutes of Health awarded funds...
          Cybersecurity Workforce: Actions Needed to Improve Cybercorps Scholarship for Service Program
    GAO-22-105187
      Published:   Sep 29, 2022
. 
        Publicly Released:   Sep 29, 2022
.
    The CyberCorps Scholarship for Service Program—managed by the National Science Foundation, Office of Personnel Management, and Department of Homeland Security—requires recipients to work in government jobs for a period of time after graduation. We found: NSF and OPM fully complied with 13 legal requirements for managing the program and partially complied with 6 NSF hasn't implemented a strategy to effectively manage risks and challenges, such...
      **Released on   Aug 11, 2022**
          National Science Foundation: Better Reporting Could Give More Visibility into Gains in States' Research Competitiveness
    GAO-22-105043
      Published:   Aug 11, 2022
. 
        Publicly Released:   Aug 11, 2022
.
    The National Science Foundation provides about 25% of federal funding for basic research conducted at U.S. colleges and universities—about $8.3 billion in FY 2021. NSF has a program to help ensure this funding is spread across U.S. states and territories. The program's goals include promoting researcher diversity and economic development. We found that states and territories that joined the program in FYs 1980-1992 benefited more...
      **Released on   Jul 28, 2022**
          Research Reliability: Federal Actions Needed to Promote Stronger Research Practices
    GAO-22-104411
      Published:   Jul 28, 2022
. 
        Publicly Released:   Jul 28, 2022
.
    While scientific discoveries can be serendipitous, reliable research is more often built on successive studies that employ rigorous design, documentation, and confirmation. The U.S. government funded over $42 billion in science research in 2019. How can federal agencies help assure the reliability of that research? Experts and others have suggested that agencies implement practices such as disclosing results and methods earlier, as well as incentivizing...
      **Released on   Jul 20, 2022**
          National Science Foundation: Continued Cost and Schedule Increases for Major Facilities Projects in Construction
    GAO-22-105550
      Published:   Jul 20, 2022
. 
        Publicly Released:   Jul 20, 2022
.
    The National Science Foundation supports the design, construction, and operations of science and engineering research infrastructure. We report annually on these NSF-funded projects. Since our June 2021 report , NSF has finished building the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope. But NSF continues to face cost increases and schedule delays, primarily due to the pandemic, for its major facilities projects still under construction. NSF implemented 2...
      **Released on   May 4, 2022**
          Earthquakes: Opportunities Exist to Further Assess Risk, Build Resilience, and Communicate Research
    GAO-22-105016
      Published:   May 4, 2022
. 
        Publicly Released:   May 4, 2022
.
    The National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program helps U.S. communities strengthen their earthquake resilience. For example, the program educates the public on earthquake risks and helps communities update building codes and improve design and construction practices. The program has started assessing progress, for example, by tracking building code adoption in 22,000 jurisdictions. But we found that a national assessment hasn't been done. Such an assessment could...
      **Released on   Oct 5, 2021**
          Federal Research: Agency Actions Needed to Address Foreign Influence
    GAO-22-105434
      Published:   Oct 5, 2021
. 
        Publicly Released:   Oct 5, 2021
.
    To protect U.S. investments in scientific research from undue foreign influence, federal agencies should have conflict of interest policies and require researchers to disclose foreign interests. We testified that the National Science Foundation has an agency-wide financial conflict of interest policy, but it doesn't define non-financial conflicts (e.g., for researchers with multiple professional appointments). The policy does require researchers to disclose some non-financial interests in...
      **Released on   Jun 30, 2021**
          Small Business Innovation Research: Agencies Need to Fully Implement Requirements for Managing Fraud, Waste, and Abuse
    GAO-21-413
      Published:   Jun 30, 2021
. 
        Publicly Released:   Jun 30, 2021
.
    Federal agencies awarded small businesses almost $4 billion in FY 2019 to perform research and development and commercialize technologies. The Small Business Administration oversees the programs for making these awards, which are carried out by 11 agencies. SBA established 10 requirements to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse in these programs. For instance, SBA requires that agencies verify eligibility and certifications of ownership from businesses that...
      **Released on   Jun 8, 2021**
          National Science Foundation: COVID-19 Affected Ongoing Construction of Major Facilities Projects
    GAO-21-417
      Published:   Jun 8, 2021
. 
        Publicly Released:   Jun 8, 2021
.
    The National Science Foundation (NSF) supports the design, construction, and operations of various science and engineering research infrastructure projects. We report annually on these NSF-funded projects. Since our April 2020 report , the COVID-19 pandemic has delayed and increased costs of some of NSF’s major facilities projects. To help, NSF has authorized $38.9 million in additional funds for 3 of its current projects—the Daniel K...
      **Released on   Feb 3, 2021**
          Federal Research Grants: OMB Should Take Steps to Establish the Research Policy Board
    GAO-21-232R
      Published:   Feb 3, 2021
. 
        Publicly Released:   Feb 3, 2021
.
    Federal research funding is key for advancing science and innovation. But federal funding comes with administrative requirements—e.g., documentation and reporting—that allow for oversight. Are those requirements getting in the way of research? The Office of Management and Budget could find out. A 2016 law requires the OMB to establish a board to provide information on the effects of regulations related to federal research requirements and...
      **Released on   Jan 29, 2021**
          Small Business Innovation Research: Three Agencies Made Awards to Businesses Majority-Owned by Investment Companies and Funds
    GAO-21-223R
      Published:   Jan 29, 2021
. 
        Publicly Released:   Jan 29, 2021
.
    The Small Business Innovation Research Program seeks to stimulate technological breakthroughs by channeling federal research and development funds to small businesses. Since 2013, small businesses owned by venture capital companies, hedge funds, or private equity firms may participate in some cases. Our review of fiscal years 2019 and 2020 found: 3 agencies made awards to these businesses Awards totaled $31.6 million The National Institutes of...
      **Released on   Dec 17, 2020**
          Federal Research: Agencies Need to Enhance Policies to Address Foreign Influence
    GAO-21-130
      Published:   Dec 17, 2020
. 
        Publicly Released:   Dec 17, 2020
.
    To protect U.S. investments in scientific research from undue foreign influence, federal agencies should have conflict of interest policies and require researchers to disclose foreign interests. Two of the 5 agencies we reviewed do not have agency-wide financial conflict of interest policies, and none of the 5 have non-financial policies (e.g., for researchers with multiple professional appointments). But all require researchers to disclose some non-financial...
      **Released on   Dec 16, 2020**
          Data Governance: Agencies Made Progress in Establishing Governance, but Need to Address Key Milestones
    GAO-21-152
      Published:   Dec 16, 2020
. 
        Publicly Released:   Dec 16, 2020
.
    How do agencies ensure that their data is transparent, accessible, and of sufficient quality for policy-making and informing the public? Federal laws and guidance have outlined several actions agencies can take to implement "data governance"—a framework of organizational structures and supports intended to help agencies improve the quality and availability of data. The four agencies we reviewed made progress establishing data governance. We made recommendations...
      **Released on   Apr 7, 2020**
          Telecommunications: Agencies Should Fully Implement Established Transition Planning Practices to Help Reduce Risk of Costly Delays
    GAO-20-155
      Published:   Apr 7, 2020
. 
        Publicly Released:   Apr 7, 2020
.
    Federal agencies must transition their telecommunications services to new contracts before their current contracts expire in May 2023. However, most agencies we looked at did not meet key dates for completing contract transition activities (such as soliciting vendor proposals or issuing work orders to selected vendors). These agencies also do not plan to complete the transition by the September 2022 deadline set by the General...
      **Released on   Apr 3, 2020**
          National Science Foundation: Cost and Schedule Performance of Major Facilities Construction Projects and Progress on Prior GAO Recommendations
    GAO-20-268
      Published:   Apr 3, 2020
. 
        Publicly Released:   Apr 3, 2020
.
    The National Science Foundation funds construction of large science and engineering infrastructure projects, like telescopes, that can take years to build and cost hundreds of millions of dollars. Since our March 2019 report , 4 major NSF construction projects had no increases in their authorized costs or schedules. For example, the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope is on track to be completed within its $344.1...
      **Released on   Mar 30, 2020**
          Information Management: Selected Agencies Need to Fully Address Federal Electronic Recordkeeping Requirements
    GAO-20-59
      Published:   Feb 27, 2020
. 
        Publicly Released:   Mar 30, 2020
.
    Federal recordkeeping requirements seek to ensure transparency and efficiency in federal agency records, including electronic records. Most of the 17 agencies we reviewed had records management programs, and many of those included electronic records requirements. Some agencies’ programs hadn’t fully addressed electronic records requirements, e.g., they didn’t ensure that appropriate emails are preserved. The National Archives and Records Administration hasn’t ensured that smaller agencies at...
      **Released on   Mar 19, 2020**
          Sexual Harassment in STEM Research: Agencies Have Taken Actions, but Need Complaint Procedures, Overall Plans, and Better Collaboration
    GAO-20-187
      Published:   Mar 19, 2020
. 
        Publicly Released:   Mar 19, 2020
.
    Federal agencies must enforce Title IX—which prohibits sex discrimination, including sexual harassment—at universities receiving federal financial assistance. We looked at 5 agencies funding science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) research and found: 4 of 5 agencies received 3 or fewer complaints over the last 5 years 2 of 5 agencies lack or have outdated complaint procedures None of the 5 agencies have goals and an...
    
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