The Recommendations of the President's Private Sector Survey on Cost Control

GAO discussed recommendations made by the President's Private Sector Survey on Cost Control for improving efficiency and effectiveness of federal operations and whether substantial savings have resulted by implementing these recommendations. GAO addressed the issues and recommendations which dealt primarily with management improvements and questioned the reasonableness of the associated savings estimates. GAO found that the recommendations with the largest associated savings potential were often proposals to change policy and not to reduce waste or improve efficiency. Specific issues were addressed concerning numerous aspects of federal management systems and program activities including: (1) overall management systems; (2) federal employee productivity; (3) automated data processing; (4) civilian procurement; (5) defense programs; (6) natural resources and community development programs; (7) Postal Service operations; and (8) tax collections. GAO found that: (1) the President and the Office of Management and Budget have a responsibility to provide guidance and support in crosscutting areas such as procurement, information management, and financial management; (2) one of the major obstacles to productivity improvement has been the lack of a coordinated, government-wide program; (3) solutions to the federal government's automated data processing management problems depend on top management attention and adequate staff resources; (4) savings can be achieved through central procurement while maintaining quality and service; and (5) consolidating related programs within a functional area could improve administrative efficiency and reduce the potential for duplication in other programs. GAO also discussed the Postal Service's implementation of new products and services through the establishment of a centralized marketing organization recommendations dealing with improving the collection of delinquent taxes.