High Risks & Challenges Overview
Podcast
Every two years, GAO provides Congress with an update on its High-Risk Program, which highlights major problems that are at high risk for waste, fraud, abuse mismanagement or in need of broad reform. There are 30 areas on GAO's High-Risk list. Pages in this section discuss each of these high-risk areas, including information from GAO's February 2011 high-risk update as well as the results of work completed since then.
The 2011 high-risk update included one new issue area, Management of Federal Oil and Gas Resources. Two issues were removed from the list: 2010 Census and DOD’s Personnel Security Clearance Program.
In addition to the high-risk issues, GAO is also calling attention to three other major government challenges that are of great national and international concern.
GAO's recommendations to address these high-risk areas and major challenges could lead to billions of dollars in savings for the federal government, dramatically improve service to the public, and strengthen confidence in the performance and accountability of the U.S. government at home and abroad.
Current and Previous High-Risk Series
GAO's High Risk List
Strengthening the Foundation for Efficiency and Effectiveness Overview
- Management of Federal Oil and Gas Resources
- Modernizing the Outdated U.S. Financial Regulatory System
- Restructuring the U.S. Postal Service to Achieve Sustainable Financial Viability
- Funding the Nation's Surface Transportation System
- Strategic Human Capital Management
- Managing Federal Real Property
Transforming DOD Program Management Overview
- DOD Approach to Business Transformation
- DOD Business Systems Modernization
- DOD Support Infrastructure Management
- DOD Financial Management
- DOD Supply Chain Management
- DOD Weapon Systems Acquisition
Ensuring Public Safety and Security Overview
- Implementing and Transforming the Department of Homeland Security
- Establishing Effective Mechanisms for Sharing Terrorism-Related Information to Protect the Homeland
- Protecting the Federal Government's Information Systems and the Nation's Cyber Critical Infrastructures
- Ensuring the Effective Protection of Technologies Critical to U.S. National Security Interests
- Revamping Federal Oversight of Food Safety
- Protecting Public Health through Enhanced Oversight of Medical Products
- Transforming EPA's Process for Assessing and Controlling Toxic Chemicals
Managing Federal Contracting More Effectively Overview
- DOD Contract Management
- DOE's Contract Management for the National Nuclear Security Administration and Office of Environmental Management
- NASA Acquisition Management
- Management of Interagency Contracting