Management of Census Activities

Gao ID: GGD-95-53R December 28, 1994

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the Bureau of the Census' management of: (1) research activities aimed at improving the Bureau's programs; and (2) surveys conducted for other federal agencies on a reimbursable basis. GAO noted that: (1) the Bureau's management of its research activities does not comply with requirements of the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA); (2) Bureau officials have not developed a clear vision for census research or a plan to link research to operational goals; (3) the Bureau's directorates tend to operate independently with little interaction which leads to research duplication; (4) the Bureau does not have a management information system to track research projects or an evaluation process to measure the impact of research on Bureau programs; (5) the Bureau plans to implement a strategic management process as required by GPRA to better direct and control its research efforts and use available funds more effectively; (6) the Bureau's research planning should be improved by its recent reorganization and its efforts to develop research projects with agencywide benefits; (7) since 1990, the Bureau's reimbursable survey work for other federal agencies has increased 37 percent; (8) the Bureau's major survey customers are very satisfied with the Bureau's work on their behalf, but the Bureau does not have sufficient staff to meet all their survey needs; (9) the Bureau has increased its reimbursable workload to maintain staff levels in the face of congressionally mandated budget cuts; and (10) the Bureau needs to determine the proper balance between its core and reimbursable work so that its core programs do not suffer.



The Justia Government Accountability Office site republishes public reports retrieved from the U.S. GAO These reports should not be considered official, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Justia.