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Open Recommendations

Advanced Manufacturing: Aligning Strategies and Improving Agency Reviews Could Help Institutes Achieve National Goals
GAO-25-107369
Jun 04, 2025
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3 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and the other appropriate DOD organizations track the timeframes for reviewing Manufacturing USA institutes' project funding requests and analyze the information to identify and, as appropriate, implement potential process improvements. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Energy The Secretary of Energy should ensure that the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy tracks the timeframes for reviewing Manufacturing USA institutes' project funding and membership requests and analyzes the information to identify and, as appropriate, implement potential process improvements. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Congress Congress should consider amending Section 34 of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act to require the Advanced Manufacturing National Program Office in Commerce to update the strategic plan for the Manufacturing USA Program on a timeframe that aligns with the timeframe for updating the National Strategy for Advanced Manufacturing. (Matter for Consideration 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Small Business Innovation Research: Most Agencies Did Not Implement Required Commercialization Pilot
GAO-24-107155
Sep 25, 2024
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2 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Congress If Congress wishes to reauthorize CAPP, it should consider clarifying which agencies are required to implement CAPP because not all SBIR participating agencies offer sequential Phase II awards (Matter for Consideration 1).
Open
No action was taken in the 118th Congress related to this matter and, as of February 2025, no related legislation has been introduced.
Small Business Administration If the CAPP program is reauthorized, the Administrator of SBA should direct the SBIR Program Office to collect and report information from SBIR participating agencies on CAPP—such as implementation status, number of awards, and dollars awarded (Recommendation 1).
Open
SBA has not yet described the agency's plans for addressing this recommendation. We will update status once we receive this information.

Small Business Innovation Research: Better Data and Clarity on Eligibility of Venture Capital-Owned Businesses Are Needed
GAO-24-107004
Feb 13, 2024
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should ensure that the DOD SBIR/STTR Program Office in OUSD(R&E) or other appropriate entity monitors the effectiveness of the recent efforts to improve the quality of the data used to identify its SBIR awards to "qualified small businesses" (awarded under 15 U.S.C. § 638(dd)), including through periodic evaluations of the accuracy of DOD's data in identifying awards to such businesses. (Recommendation 1)
Open
DOD concurred with this recommendation. According to a July 2024 corrective action plan responding to the recommendation, DOD plans to perform data quality analyses at 6 and 12 months after implementing its venture capital operating company data controls. DOD's estimated completion date for these analyses is July 2025. We will further update the status of this recommendation as DOD provides additional information.

National Institute of Standards and Technology: Strengthening Disclosure Requirements and Assessing Training Could Improve Research Security
GAO-24-106074
Dec 14, 2023
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
National Institute of Standards and Technology The Director of NIST should, consistent with applicable statutes and regulations, collect and review disclosures from domestic associates—including information on positions and appointments, current and pending research support, and participation in foreign talent recruitment programs—and require updates to these disclosures, as appropriate. (Recommendation 2)
Open
According to an April 2024 action plan, NIST intends to take several actions to implement this recommendation, such as expanding its review process for domestic associates by leveraging the information collection template used for foreign national associates, and modifying an information system used to collect and store this information. As of November 2024, GAO continues to monitor NIST's pending adoption of the new form for use with domestic associates.
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