Priority Open Recommendations: Office of Science and Technology Policy

What GAO Found

In August 2024, GAO identified eight priority recommendations for the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). Since then, GAO removed the priority status from two priority recommendations based on our assessment of the current priority for implementing these recommendations. This brings the total to six open priority recommendations for OSTP.

These recommendations involve the following areas:

•  strengthening advanced manufacturing;
•  ensuring access to critical materials, including minerals;
•  addressing research security risks; and
•  fostering infrastructure resilience.

OSTP's continued attention to these issues could lead to significant improvements in government operations.

Why GAO Did This Study

Priority open recommendations are GAO recommendations that warrant priority attention from heads of key departments or agencies because their implementation could save large amounts of money; improve congressional and/or executive branch decision-making on major issues; eliminate mismanagement, fraud, and abuse; or ensure that programs comply with laws and funds are legally spent, among other benefits. Since 2015 GAO has sent letters to selected agencies to highlight the importance of implementing such recommendations.

For more information, contact John Neumann at neumannj@gao.gov.