Cost Recovery Practices Inconsistent With Government Policy

Gao ID: GGD-83-61 July 27, 1983

GAO conducted a review to assess the economy and efficiency of the Environmental Data and Information Service (EDIS) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Although EDIS merged in December 1982 with the National Environmental Satellite Service to become the National Environmental Satellite Data and Information Service (NESDIS), GAO stated that this merger did not affect the thrust of its report.

The problems found by GAO involve the sale and exchange of environmental data and publications at the three EDIS data centers. GAO found that EDIS cost recovery and user-charge practices are inconsistent with government policy and that these practices have resulted in both overcharges and undercharges. Specifically, EDIS needs to establish management controls to ensure that existing pricing policies are followed in determining the costs on which prices are based, applied uniformly and consistently across EDIS, and observed in decisions regarding the provision of free data.

Recommendations

Our recommendations from this work are listed below with a Contact for more information. Status will change from "In process" to "Open," "Closed - implemented," or "Closed - not implemented" based on our follow up work.

Director: Walter L. Anderson Team: General Accounting Office: General Government Division Phone: (202) 275-9675


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